Could my website do better?  What you really need to know about website analytics to see whether your site is performing 

1 October 2024

For funeral businesses investing in a digital strategy, website analytics are useful for assessing your site's performance. These tools may seem daunting at first, but MuchLoved’s experts can help you identify and focus on the most valuable insights.   

Which data is most valuable?

Services such as Google Analytics provide a wealth of information about a website’s performance.  The good news is that you do not need to look at all the data to gauge how your website is doing.  Based on our expertise in website SEO, and our experience in working with the funeral profession, we recommend that you focus on the following analytics: 

  • Source of traffic – Track how visitors are coming to your website, e.g. organic search (through Google or another search engine), direct traffic using a URL or bookmark, links from social media posts, referrals from other websites, or paid ads 
  • Traffic volumes Data allows you to track whether visitor numbers are growing over time and see details such as whether people return to your site more than once 
  • Search terms – SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) data shows which search terms are leading people to your website, e.g. funeral director in Amersham, funeral plan, or banana leaf coffins 
  • User behaviour – See which are the most visited pages on your website, such as the homepage, funeral notice or obituary pages, pricing or contact information 
  • Conversions - Google Analytics can track specific goals such as contact form submissions, or interest registered in funeral planning services 

Remember, the purpose of your website is simply to help people find your funeral service and provide answers to their questions.  Having content which attracts and engages potential clients is key and, by looking at the analytics, you can see whether your efforts are making a difference. By answering the questions they have, you are not turning them away from enquiring. You are gaining their trust, making them feel at ease with enquiring.

Are website audits worth the money?  

Every business with an online presence is a target for web design or SEO agencies, especially when the business is unlikely to have a dedicated internal resource.  We suggest some things to consider if you are approached by agency, or are considering engaging their services: 

  • Do they understand the funeral profession?  Your sector is very different from online retail, for example 
  • Companies often promise improvements to your website, but there is no guaranteed way to get to the top of search results or increase your website enquiries 
  • Technical enhancements, such as making your website faster, making it mobile friendly and fixing broken links creates a better user experience. Fixing the many technical aspects which help search engines read and understand your site is the main priority, but making isolated small improvements won’t necessarily translate into more enquiries.   

It’s important to weigh up carefully the benefits and risks associated with website audits – you can read more on this topic in our article Five tips for driving traffic to your website

How partnering with MuchLoved will help your website to perform better 

Our data shows that MuchLoved funeral notices can drive up to 5x as much organic traffic to a funeral website.  Why is this? 

SEO performance relies on frequently updated content and funeral notices are a great way to regularly, and easily, add content to your website.  Similarly, MuchLoved’s online reviews service delivers valuable, positive content to your site. 

By using MuchLoved’s tribute pages you will benefit from reciprocal links with our website.  Visitors can find a tribute page by searching with the name of the deceased person. Once on the tribute page, they can visit your website by clicking on your logo.  Our new funeral search will also help to drive traffic to your website. 

Call out your expertise and your people   

In our article Five tips for driving traffic to your website we talked about the importance of content which shows your expertise.  Include pages focusing individual topics that people will search for, such as funeral hymns, eulogies, and choices of coffins.  Each page will include the search term, with helpful content which attracts and engages potential clients as well as being favoured by Google for search results.  You can track hits to these pages with your analytics service. 

Make sure that your homepage includes a photo and welcome message and have an ‘About Us’ page that tells visitors about the people in your business.  This core content will help potential clients to get a feel for your business and what it would be like to use your services.  You might consider hiring a photographer as high-quality images of your people and services will make you stand out from the competition.     

Think of your website as supplemental to your work in the community 

Whilst your website is important for generating enquiries, it can never replace your work and connections in your local community.  For generations, funeral businesses have been at the heart of their communities and the internet has not changed the need to focus on local people.  Supporting local charities, putting on community events, or providing a forum for bereaved families to get to know each other, will all help to ensure you are the go-to funeral service in your area.   

Next Steps

We hope that this article will help you to understand your website and how it's performing and make an informed decision about whether agency support would be beneficial.   

© MuchLoved Limited 2024, Company Number 14965211.
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