Your new website just dropped or got a redesign. The design? Delicious. The UX? Slicker than a fresh jar of peanut butter. But here’s the real question: Is it doing its job?
A pretty website is sweet, but if it’s not pulling in traffic, keeping visitors engaged, and turning clicks into customers, then you’ve just got a good-looking brochure. Let’s change that.
This guide breaks down how to measure website success; what to track, why it matters, and how to make sure your new or redesigned site isn’t just eye candy. From organic traffic to conversions and bounce rate to engagement, we’re serving up candy-coated clarity without the confusion.
Start with the Numbers That Matter
Your new site might feel like a treat, but let’s look at the data to see if it’s satisfying your audience. Here are the must-track metrics for measuring website success:
- Organic Traffic: Are more people finding you in search engines?
- Engagement Rate: Are they sticking around or bouncing faster than a dropped jawbreaker?
- Key Events (aka Conversions): Are visitors clicking, calling, submitting forms, or making purchases?
- Core Web Vitals & Page Load Time: A slow site means lost visitors. Google doesn’t like molasses.
- Mobile Performance: If your mobile experience is clunky, you’re missing out on the majority.
When GA4’s not tracking the right stuff, you’re only getting part of the picture. And probably missing the sweetest parts.
Need help setting up GA4 the right way? Book a GA4 consultation so we can help get your data sweet, structured, and telling the full story.
Compare What Changed (and What Didn’t)
Redesign or brand new? Let’s clarify. If you revamped an existing website, you should have historical data to compare traffic, engagement, and conversion trends from the old site. At least, that’s the ideal scenario.
But if this is your first real website (or if GA4 wasn’t set up correctly before the redesign), we’re starting with a clean slate. And that’s okay. It just means you will just focus on how to measure website success from this point forward.
How to Check the Data That Matters
Redesigns can shake up your traffic and conversions. That’s why it’s important to compare pre-launch vs. post-launch data.
- Check Traffic Acquisition reports in GA4 for changes in organic traffic.
- Use Explorations to compare key landing pages before and after launch.
- Track Engagement by page URL to see where visitors are spending time (or not).
- Look at Conversions by traffic source to see who’s really taking action.
To truly measure website success, you need more than traffic numbers, you need context. A drop in visitors could mean you’re filtering out unqualified clicks. But if your core actions, like clicks, calls, and conversions are down too, it’s worth investigating further.
Tasty Tip: More traffic means nothing if people aren’t making conversions. Money comes from action, not just views. And you want your website to have positive ROI, right?
Set Goals That Actually Mean Something
Not sure how to measure website success in a meaningful way? Start by setting SMARTER goals:
- Specific: The goal is clearly defined and avoids vagueness.
- Measurable: Progress can be tracked and evaluated using quantifiable metrics.
- Achievable: The goal is realistic and within reach, considering available resources and time.
- Relevant: The goal is aligned with overall objectives and priorities.
- Time-Bound: A clear deadline is set for achieving the goal.
- Reviewed & Revised: Progress is regularly evaluated, and the plan is adjusted, as necessary.
Even sweet ideas need structure. Want more qualified leads? Say how many, by when, and how you’ll measure that delicious success.
Example SMARTER Goal: Increase contact form submissions on the Services page by 25% within 90 days of launch by improving the CTA placement, streamlining the form, and tracking key events in GA4. Progress will be reviewed monthly and adjustments made as needed.
Trouble in Candyland? Here’s How to Fix It
If something’s off post-launch, here’s where to look:
- Traffic dropped? Check redirects, lost keywords, or missing pages.
- Engagement dipped? Maybe the new layout is confusing, or the copy lost its punch.
- Conversions flatlined? CTAs might be hidden, forms too long, or the flow too clunky.
The good news is that these are all fixable. That’s what optimization is for.
What Happens After the Launch?
Check out our case studies to see how sweet the results can be when strategy meets design.
The Post-Launch Candy Checklist
Still wondering how to measure website success weeks after launch? Use this checklist to stay on top of things:
- Check your GA4 metrics weekly for the first 30/60/90 days
- Prioritize mobile UX since it’s where your visitors live
- Use heatmaps or path explorations to spot navigation issues
- Add fresh, optimized content to support rankings
- Make small tweaks and track performance shifts
Tasty tip: Optimization does not happen just one time. Websites need consistent care to stay sweet. Think tweaks, tests, and updates on repeat.
Let’s Make Your Metrics Tasty
Whether your site is brand new or freshly redesigned, its performance should never be a mystery. If your numbers aren’t adding up, it might be time to tag in a team that knows how to make analytics, SEO, and conversions work together like candy and caramel.
Here’s how we can help:
- GA4 event tracking setup
- Website redesign audits
- Ongoing support to keep things fresh and fast