Google Analytics is a powerful tool for monitoring website performance, including the identification and resolution of errors and broken links. Addressing these issues is crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience and optimizing your site for search engines. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to use Google Analytics to identify and fix website errors and broken links.
1. Setting Up Google Analytics
a. Create a Google Analytics Account
- If you don’t already have one, sign up for a free Google Analytics account.
b. Add a New Property
- In the Google Analytics interface, click on the “Admin” tab and then “Create Property.”
c. Install the Tracking Code
- You will receive a tracking code which needs to be added to every page of your website. This is usually done by pasting the code into the header of your site.
2. Monitoring Site Errors with Google Analytics
a. Set Up Custom Alerts
- Go to Admin > View > Custom Alerts.
- Click on “+ New Alert.”
- Name your alert (e.g., “Site Errors Alert”).
- Set the alert conditions, such as when the number of sessions with a specific error exceeds a certain threshold.
- Configure the alert to send you an email or SMS notification.
b. Track 404 Errors (Page Not Found)
- Navigate to Behavior > Site Content > Content Drilldown.
- Use the search box to filter pages containing “404” or “Page Not Found” in the URL or title.
- Analyze the pages to identify the most common broken links leading to 404 errors.
c. Use the All Pages Report
- Go to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages.
- Sort the pages by “Pageviews” and look for pages with unusually high bounce rates or low average time on page, which might indicate issues.
3. Identifying Broken Links with Google Analytics
a. Set Up Event Tracking
- Event tracking can help you monitor clicks on external and internal links.
- To set this up, add event tracking code to your links. For example:
javascript
<a href="http://example.com" onclick="ga('send', 'event', 'Category', 'Action', 'Label');">Link</a>
b. Analyze Event Reports
- Go to Behavior > Events > Top Events to see the events you’ve set up.
- Look for unusual patterns or high numbers of events related to broken links.
c. Use the In-Page Analytics Report
- Go to Behavior > In-Page Analytics.
- This report provides a visual representation of where users are clicking on your pages.
- Identify areas with high click rates leading to 404 errors or other issues.
4. Using Google Analytics and Google Search Console Together
a. Link Google Analytics and Google Search Console
- In Google Analytics, go to Admin > Property Settings > Search Console.
- Click “Add” to link your Google Search Console account.
b. Use Search Console Reports in Google Analytics
- Go to Acquisition > Search Console > Landing Pages.
- Look for pages with high impressions but low clicks, which may indicate issues with the page or its content.
- Use the “Crawl Errors” report in Search Console to identify URLs that return errors when crawled by Googlebot.
5. Fixing Identified Errors and Broken Links
a. Correct Internal Links
- Use the insights from the reports to find and fix broken internal links.
- Update or remove outdated links that lead to 404 pages.
b. Redirect Broken URLs
- Implement 301 redirects for broken URLs to relevant, working pages. This ensures that users and search engines are directed to the correct location.
- In your website’s .htaccess file (Apache servers) or using a plugin (for CMS platforms like WordPress), set up the redirects.
c. Update External Links
- For broken external links, either contact the external website to fix the link or update it to an alternative resource.
- If the external resource is permanently unavailable, remove the link or replace it with a relevant alternative.
d. Fix Site Errors
- Use the information from custom alerts and reports to address site errors.
- Common issues include server errors (500), unauthorized access errors (403), and DNS errors.
- Work with your web hosting provider or development team to resolve these errors.
6. Ongoing Monitoring and Maintenance
a. Regularly Check Reports
- Make it a habit to regularly review the reports in Google Analytics and Google Search Console.
- This helps you stay on top of any new issues that may arise.
b. Set Up Automated Reports
- Go to the “Customization” tab in Google Analytics and create custom reports to monitor specific metrics and dimensions.
- Schedule these reports to be emailed to you regularly.
c. Conduct Routine Site Audits
- Periodically conduct comprehensive site audits using tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and third-party tools such as Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
- These audits help identify new errors and ensure all links and site elements are functioning correctly.
Conclusion
Using Google Analytics to identify and fix website errors and broken links is essential for maintaining a healthy website. By setting up custom alerts, monitoring key reports, integrating Google Search Console, and implementing regular maintenance practices, you can ensure your site provides a seamless user experience and performs well in search engine rankings. Consistently addressing these issues will lead to improved user satisfaction, better engagement, and ultimately, higher conversion rates.