Google Analytics is a free tool offered by Google that provides insights on user identity trends and patterns in how visitors engage with their websites. Many businesses (including myself and most probably you, too) integrate Google analytics into their websites to keep track and give you a better understanding of your customers.
Then what’s the problem? Google Analytics records all the time you or your web developer spend working on your website as part of the data. This will cause you to misinterpret the data because it will look like you have a lot of traffic coming into your website, “visitors” spend a long time on your website looking at particular pages when in actuality it’s only you, your web developer, or somebody else on your team (awkward!).
Yup, all this time, you may have been interpreting the wrong data and results. Not worry though, today I am sharing with you a quick and savvy tip to block yourself, your web developer’s traffic, and everyone else working on the backend side of your website from Google Analytics to make your analytics reports more accurate.
Methods to Block Google Analytics from Tracking You
One of the easiest ways to prevent inflated Google Analytics data is to install an extension called Block Yourself from Analytics. This extension works for all major browsers; Chrome, Safari, Edge, Opera, and Firefox.
I’ve used this extension, both for myself and my clients and I can personally vouch for it.
How to install
On your web browser search for Block Yourself from Analytics
Click on the website and install the extension (e.g. Add to Chrome)
After installation, this extension will appear on your extensions list
Go to the website you want to be blocked from and click block analytics for this site.
This will block your activity for the website you manage. No more false stats and results in your Google Analytics data. Finally.
The only downside with this method is that if you won’t be able to receive any data from Google Analytics (in cases where you are testing if things are working and checking on Google Analytics). You may need to deactivate the extension first before you can do the actual testing.
ALTERNATIVE METHOD
Google Analytics has a way to block the recording of your data, however, it’s the least of my favorite. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.
It uses an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which you get from your internet provider. The shortfall of this is that most of the IP addresses you get are dynamic; they change periodically. This differs from package to package.
Therefore if you opt to use this method, and block your IP address on Google Analytics and then months later that IP address is changed, then traffic will no longer be blocked.
How to install
Type in on google “wha’ts my IP address”. Copy the numbers you get.
On Google Analytics: Admin > Account > All Filters
Select: Add filter
Enter a filter name (exclude my own visits / web developers traffic)
From select filter type drop-down, choose Exclude. From select source, choose Traffic from IP addresses. From select expression, choose that are equal to
Paste your IP address
Click save
I hope that you find this tip useful for you and your business in some way. Let me know how it goes!
Thoughts about detoxing from all social media platforms have been circling in my head. Yes, I’ve been thinking about quitting social media, and this time, I might take the plunge and do it. Permanently.
In the past, I occasionally would unplug and take a well-deserved break from the online world. The break had an astounding impact on my life. I felt relaxed, rejuvenated, and not so anxious. It really opened my eyes and made me aware of the feelings and motivations I had using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. But because of the nature of my business, I’ve always been pulled right back into it.
I recently came across a talk by Jacqueline (thanks to my lovely business partner, Abigail, for the rec), which reinforced my deepest desire that I need to finally part ways with social media. I had to sit down and think about what would happen if I decided to finally take that step and disconnect from the social media platforms that arent serving me and taking too much of my time.
Is social media working for me as a business owner?
Lastly, am I wasting time on daunting tasks when all that energy could be redirected and invested elsewhere?
There’s no denying that social media has become a significant part of modern life. I mean, with apps likes Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, we can stay connected with our loved ones, stay up to date with current affairs and discover inspiring and beautiful people from all over the world.
I spend way too much time on it, to a point where it affects my productivity and creativity. On a monthly basis, thinking about the kind of content I need to put out, strategies to increase reach and engagement, attracting more clients. The list goes on and on. In retrospect, all the time I spent on social media, didn’t reflect on the number of clients I was getting from IG or LinkedIn. Yes, I wasn’t attracting a significant number of clients, garnering attention, or generating revenue from these platforms.
Almost all of my clients are through word of mouth or my ever growing email list.
So what now?
I’ve decided to take control and bid farewell to these social media platforms and focus all my energy on creating and curating content that is meaningful and aligned with my values. Now that I own my time, I am going to be working on creating video content for both my Youtube channel (lets me connect with my clients & YOU easily) and blog. I will also be working on building and nurturing my email list.
I nearly gave up…running my own business, that is!
Being an entrepreneur is tough!! Super tough! And I would be lying if I told you I never had the thought of just throwing my hands up in the air and wanted to go back to being employed and working a 9-5.
These thoughts haven’t been around for a while, though…they were especially prevalent during my first 2 years of running my own business. They were frequently running around in my head, and I was second-guessing everything I was doing.
I was accepting clients everywhere, even the cheaper gigs that I felt were seriously undermining my value. But I was in a space where I felt I had to take all the work possible to be able to pay my bills and stay afloat.
I even applied for jobs, and I would get the interviews, but when I heard what the salary was, I just couldn’t justify it!
There were months when serious anxiety consumed me as I was working myself to the bone, NOT living the life I wanted.
I mean, I quit my job so that I could be around my children more…but at this stage, I wasn’t. I was working from 9 am until 2 pm (sometimes even after my baby would wake up at 5 am, and I eventually got him to sleep again, I was wired and would sit down at my desk and started working). Then once my child went to bed, I would work until midnight pretty much every single night.
HOWEVER, I had read that you had to really push through the first 2-3 years of running your business, so I saw it as a right of passage. If I got through these first years, then I would have made it.
So I put my head down and worked. And worked.
Now, I am at the point where I choose who I work with, the hours I want to work, and how much. Because I know I have put in the work to build my credibility and authority. I KNOW I am good at what I do.
So what helped me stay focused and push through the first couple of years?
I was lucky I grew up in an entrepreneurial environment where both of my parents had their own business. So for me that was the norm. That is what life was. I saw them designing their own lives.
I knew the first couple of years were going to be really tough. Knowing this and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel kept me focused and on point.
I learnt so much about my self worth in those first years. As soon as I recognised my value, realised I could say NO to a potential client where in my bones I knew would not be a good fit AND I increased my rates, my whole business launched forward!
The pathetic salary offerings for the 9-5 jobs were just NOT an option…I earn 5X the amount I would be receiving if I was employed….5X! And that is no exaggeration!
Last but not least…my why! Wanting to spend more time with my family and have the freedom to design my own life.
So if you are at the stage where you doubt your ability to run your own business and your inner critic is loud in your head, do this:
Take 10 minutes to reflect on your why – write it down, read it aloud and feel it. Really imagine what it would be like to achieve it, smell it, taste it and feel the energy bubbling up in your body.
Take a long hard look at what you do – write down EVERYTHING you do and you will be surprised how much value you give to your clients…then increase your prices! You will work yourself into the grave or into another 9-5 job if you don’t.
Network…yes not my favourite word as an introvert HOWEVER, that is where I got my best and biggest clients. Chat to people, join networking events, in person or online…you are putting your energy into the world and I promise you it will come back 10 fold and;
Lastly, reach out to other women entrepreneurs…I guarantee you they are going through the same thing or have come out the other end. Lean on a shoulder for support and when you have “made” it (although it is a continuous journey) pay it forward. Support another entrepreneur through their journey.
The entrepreneurial journey is hard as nails but so worth it! You can do it…keep going.
Women work best in a supportive environment which is why I joined forces with Abigail K from CAF-innate in creating a warm and welcoming community for women entrepreneurs over 40. A place where we nurture you and encourage you to tap into your innate personal and business confidence.
If you need support or just want to chat, come and join my community and me in our free monthly meet-ups. It’s an online space where you can get the support you need and meet other wonderful women on the same journey as you. You can join here.
Where are you on your business journey? Are you currently going through the beginning stages with a loud inner critic? Or have you moved past that and are on to the next phase?
Social Media, specifically Facebook, can take up so much time that could instead be used on being productive. Due to its’ nature, when I used to log onto Facebook, I would find myself scrolling and scrolling, and before I knew it – an hour and a half has gone by!
I tried avoiding the problem by not logging onto Facebook at all, but that proved to be difficult because I have to go into Facebook regularly to run my Facebook ads. I use the ad centre, and I also use the pages that I manage. I have minimal hours to work on my business because I have two small children; I’m limited to working in the mornings only.
When I do sit down to work, I have to stay focused so I can get things done without distractions (like the Facebook newsfeed). So I started researching and discovered a hack that I now use, which has saved me so much valuable time! So without further ado, let me tell you how it works.
The Hack
I found an extension on Chrome that eliminates the newsfeed on Facebook. You can use it for most of your social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, and Reddit – (I’m not sure what Reddit is, but the extension works for it too!)
Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to set it up
You simply need to search for News Feed Eradicator for Facebook
Once you have found it, you’ll click on add to Chrome.
Next, grant the permissions to install the extension and select which sites you would like to enable it for because it’s not just for Facebook.
Then, select Facebook. It will ask you again to allow these permissions, so allow them.
Note: I have it enabled permanently, but you can also choose to limit your newsfeed instead of completely removing it. Perhaps you want to allow it for 10-30 minutes a day, and then you want it to disable your newsfeed when your time is up – you can select that option too!
Your news feed will now be replaced with a cute little quote – it won’t distract you for hours, don’t worry – and you’ll get so much more done!
Being distracted for hours on end is a serious global issue, so I really recommend trying this extension out if you can relate to this. I hope it works for you, and I would love to hear what you think of it!
If you liked this blog post, I have loads more coming up!
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
In my last blog, I spoke about why every business needs email marketing platforms. If you haven’t checked that out yet, you can here.
A quick recap:
An email marketing platform is a must in all businesses – big and small. It’s an essential part of your toolkit as a business owner if you email more than ten people.
Besides your mailing list missing your emails, not using an email marketing platform can land up with your email address being blacklisted. You will also get useful reports and automation systems!
It’s a great platform for beginners because it is very intuitive, has a friendly brand, and is easy to use. If you want to send out regular mailshots to your contact list, it has a straightforward drag-and-drop email builder, which takes the complications out of creating beautiful email templates.
MailChimp is free up to 2000 contacts, which is a good amount. If you have a smaller customer base that you want to email regularly, it’s straightforward to import your contact list from Gmail or Outlook.
The Bad
The big disadvantage I find with MailChimp is the automation which is when somebody subscribes to a newsletter or downloads a lead magnet, and then they get automatic emails sent to them, such as a nurture email sequence to warm them up and get them to know your business. Although the platform has that functionality, I find it a little bit confusing and not so easy to use.
The Verdict
MailChimp is great if you want to send out regular email newsletters to your database. And, if you are a beginner and you’re not going to be setting up automation or just fundamental ones, it’s a good option.
2. MailerLite
The Good
This is my favorite email marketing platform because it’s basically the middle ground. It’s good for beginners, but it also has a powerful automation feature as part of it. It is effortless to use with clear navigation. The automation is simple to set up, and it’s very clear to see what you are doing. It also has a drag and drop, drag and drop editor. And, it creates stunning emails!
The Bad
It has fewer free contacts than MailChimp – It is free for up to 1000 contacts, which is not a major disadvantage if you have a smaller mailing list. I find that sometimes get stuck a little bit, and it’s slow to update the changes you make.
The Verdict
MailerLite is a great middle ground. The support response time is fast, so issues are resolved quickly.
3. ActiveCampaign
This one is a really big email marketing platform; it’s one of the biggest ones there are.
The Good
It has a super, super strong, fantastic automation.
The Bad
The automation is advanced, so a beginner might find it difficult to use. It is not very user-friendly; the navigation is all over the place. Also, I’m not too fond of the drag and drop editor. What would normally take me between 10-15 minutes on another platform could take me over an hour to do on ActiveCampaign. It gets stuck often, and it doesn’t save the changes you’ve made when this happens. For example, if you are uploading new images to the email and it gets stuck, you will lose those uploads.
And on top of that, there’s no free plan – you have to pay a minimum of $9 per month for 500 contacts. In fact, even if you have less than 500, you still need to pay the same base price.
The Verdict
ActiveCampaign is strong in advanced automation but apart from that, I’m not the biggest fan.
To Wrap Up:
Besides these three platforms, there are thousands more to choose from. In my opinion, these three would be the top contenders.
If you have any questions, you can let me know which platform you’re using if you are using one and you’re still confused. You can also reach out if you are struggling to decide which one is suitable for you. I’ll be happy to help you out!
An email marketing platform is a must in all businesses – big and small. It’s an essential part of your toolkit as a business owner if you email more than ten people.
So, first of all, what is an email marketing platform?
I never know what to call it or what the official term is – an email system, an email marketing platform, or a mailer program, but they all mean the same thing.
It is a platform that allows you to send bulk emails to a subscriber list, and it has a variety of functionalities. Instead of sending an email via Gmail, or your business email directly to a long list of people, you would use it to do this.
Why you should be using an email marketing platform
This is the most important reason. If you send a mass email out directly from your domain, there is an incredibly high chance that your domain will be blacklisted.
For example, let’s say your website is maryscoaching.com, and you go into your email, copy-paste a long list of email addresses, and send it to all of these at the same time. You run the risk of Mary’s coaching.com being blacklisted.
That means that all your future emails have a high chance of ending up in spam boxes; they will not be received on the other end. Using an email marketing platform will avoid that.
2. Receiving reports
With a platform, you can gain valuable insights like who opens the email, who clicks on the links, how well it’s being received, and what impact it’s creating. By receiving these reports, you can improve your future correspondence.
3. Automation
You can use automation to nuture a relationship with those on your email list. For example, if somebody subscribes to your newsletter, they automatically could get a welcome email from you. From there, you want to put them through something that’s called an email nurture sequence that will be informing the subscriber of who you are, what you’re selling, some client testimonials and address some objections that people would generally have in their head before they actually feel ready to contact you.
Then, there can be other automations such as if they’re downloading a lead magnet, what series of emails should they go through so that they convert to buying something or set up a call with you?
There are so many platforms – how do I choose?
There are so many platforms available on the internet, so which ones should you use? I mean, there’s MailChimp, Mailerlite, Active Campaign, ConvertKit, and a long long list of others. This is why I’ll be talking you through my three favorites in the next blog. I’ll tell you which I have had the most success with, and the advantages and disadvantages of each platform.
