1 Learn the concept
When managing a website, you need to set benchmarks that let you compare your performance over time. A benchmark is a reference point: your own past results or an industry norm. This lesson shares best practices for setting site benchmarks for traffic, engagement and conversions.
2 See it in action
- Use your own past results as the first benchmark.
- Track traffic sources, engagement and conversion rate.
- Compare the same periods, such as month to month.
- Account for seasonal changes.
Worked example
Using a benchmark
Your conversion rate: 1.4 percent. Benchmark: 2.4 percent.
Gap: your site is about 42 percent below the benchmark.
Hypothesis: the checkout is too long.
Action: shorten the checkout and test.
Check: compare against similar businesses, not all websites.
3 Study an example
Example scenario
A site's monthly visits drop in summer. Because the owner has benchmarks from last year, she sees the drop is normal and does not change her strategy needlessly.
4 Apply it and download
- Record your current site numbers.
- Set targets for three metrics.
- Add them to the KPI dashboard.
Worksheet Marketing KPI dashboardOpen, print or save as PDF