Top five website metrics that matter

Modern analytics tools give you access to hundreds of metrics. The challenge isn’t a lack of data; it’s knowing which numbers genuinely indicate whether your website is performing well. The most useful metrics are the ones that:

• Show whether your website is delivering on its purpose
• Give you confidence to prioritise what to change
• Reveal where improvements will have the biggest impact

So, which metrics are actually worth paying attention to start getting real value from your website analytics? Let’s use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to illustrate what to look for.

1. Conversions (your definition of success)

Before looking at any other metric, it’s essential to define what success looks like for your website. In GA4, conversions are based on events. A conversion might include:
• Contact form submissions
• Brochure or report downloads
• Newsletter sign ups
• Clicks to email or phone
• Booking or enquiry confirmations

Why it matters:
Conversions tell you whether your website is supporting real business outcomes and not just attracting traffic.

What to look for in GA4:
• Which events are marked as conversions
• Conversion volume over time
• Which pages and channels drive the most conversions

2. Top performing pages (where value is created)

Not all pages play the same role on your website. Some attract awareness, others support consideration, and a few are critical for conversion.

Why it matters:
Understanding which pages perform best helps you identify what content, messaging or structure resonates most with users.

What to look for in GA4:
• Pages with the highest engagement and conversion contribution
• Pages that consistently attract traffic over time
• Pages that support key journeys, even if they aren’t the final conversion point

This insight can guide content investment and prioritisation.

3. Landing pages (first impressions that matter)

Landing pages show where users first enter your website, often before they see anything else.

Why it matters:
If users land on pages that don’t match their intent, they are unlikely to continue their journey.

What to look for in GA4:
• Most common landing pages by traffic source
• Engagement levels on key landing pages
• Alignment between landing pages and campaign or search intent

This can highlight opportunities to optimise entry points or create more targeted landing experiences.

4. User journeys and drop off points

GA4’s Explore feature allows you to visualise how users move through your website.

Why it matters:
User journeys reveal how people actually use your site, which often differs from how you expect them to.

What to look for in GA4:
• Common paths users take from entry to exit
• Where users drop off before converting
• Unexpected loops or dead ends in journeys

These insights help identify friction, confusion or missed opportunities in the experience.

5. Traffic sources and channels (how users find you)

Understanding how users arrive at your website is essential for evaluating marketing effectiveness.

Why it matters:
Different channels attract users with different intent levels. Knowing which channels perform best helps inform investment decisions.

What to look for in GA4:
• Performance by channel (organic search, paid, social, referral, direct)
• Which channels drive the most engaged users and conversions
• Reliance on a single channel versus a balanced mix

This can inform SEO priorities, paid media spend and content strategy.

Turning metrics into action

Metrics only become valuable when they inform decisions. The goal isn’t to track everything; it’s to track what helps you improve.

By focusing on conversions, key pages, entry points, user journeys and traffic sources, you can build a clear picture of how well your website supports both user needs and business goals.

In practice, these metrics work best when reviewed together, not in isolation. Patterns across them often reveal the most meaningful insights.