Set up Google target projects for Shopware

An important principle in the field of marketing is that you cannot measure activities without a specific goal. If you already have an online store, you will certainly have thought about your goals more than once. Higher visitor numbers, more sales and increased turnover are the most frequently chosen goals in the field of e-commerce. To monitor, control and, ideally, achieve your goals, you can connect Google Analytics to your Shopware store and set up target projects. Because only if you define your exact goals can you get started in marketing and create targeted campaigns online so that your store performs even better in the future.

1. What exactly is a target project?
2. What is a conversion funnel?
3. Conversion funnel examples
4. How do I link Shopware with Google Analytics?
5. How do I create a target project?
6. Target funnel - monitoring

Reading time 5 min

If you're new to the subject and are wondering what exactly a target project is and how it works, we'll give you a brief overview here. If you need more information about e-commerce and Shopware, simply visit our website or contact us personally. We at EXWE will be happy to help you and take your store to the next level!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A TARGET PROJECT?

Target projects help you determine how well you are achieving your goals with your online store. Examples of target actions are purchases in your store, a new registration for your newsletter and sending a contact form on a website to generate leads. If you configure target actions accordingly, you can use Google Analytics to obtain important information about the number of conversions and the conversion rate of your online store. With the resulting information, you can also see where you still need to optimize your store.

WHAT IS A CONVERSION FUNNEL?

The term conversion funnel refers to a tool from the B2B sector and sales. It is used to map potential customers through various steps until a deal is successfully closed.

Google Analytics measures the number of visitors to your site who fulfill the goal you have previously selected. You now have the option of stringing together several goals. This results in a goal path that your visitors can follow until your main goal has been fulfilled, such as placing an order in your online store. Google Analytics displays these goals in a row as a funnel and measures how many of your visitors have reached the different goal stations, when they entered and when they left. The values are shown in absolute figures and as a percentage.

To increase your conversion rate, you can optimize the individual funnel steps. Users need easy-to-understand paths to be guided from one goal to another. With the conversion funnel, you define the path that leads your customers through your store. The target projects primarily serve to monitor the success of your marketing concept. Depending on the company, goals can vary from more reach to a higher conversion rate. To better understand the process, let's take the following example.

EXAMPLE CONVERSION FUNNEL

Our goals are 1. visit to the website > 2. button "Contact us online" > 3. entry of contact details. This then results in a conversion funnel.

HOW DO I LINK SHOPWARE WITH GOOGLE ANALYTICS?

To use Google Analytics for your Shopware online store, you need to implement the Analytics tracking code in the store system. Shopware offers the "Google Integration" plugin for Shopware 5, but there are also plugins from third-party providers. We recommend using the Shopware Google Analytics plugin, which you can purchase for free in the store. The installation can then be carried out via the backend of your store. Under the menu item Basic settings > Plug-ins , you can now complete the necessary data and activate the Google Integration Plugin - you will need your Google Analytics ID for this.

HOW DO I CREATE A TARGET PROJECT?

Step 1: Log in to Google Analytics and go to the "Administration" tab. Here you select the property you want to edit (e.g. your online store).

Step2: Click on the item "+ new target project"

Step3: You can now select either a template or a custom target setup under "Target setup". To start with, we recommend a template such as "Create account" or "Place order".

Step 4: Now you can further describe your previously selected destination. You must now enter a name and click on a type (here: destination). Once you have done this, you can click on continue.

Step5: You will now be taken to the destination details. Here you enter the goal (e.g. "Regular expression" or "Is equal to". You can also assign a monetary value to the conversion, which we do not recommend at the beginning. The "Funnel" option should be activated. Now you can enter the name and URL of a website for each step.

Step 6: Once you have adjusted all the steps, you can click on save. The green arrows will show you whether you have entered everything. By clicking on the "Done" button, you have done it and set up your target project.

TARGET PROJECT FUNNEL - MONITORING

Once you have set up your goal funnel, you can view all activities via Google Analytics. Via the menu item Conversions > Funnel visualization, you can view a report on all interactions that the user performs on the way to your set goal, when your customers enter and when they leave. The values are also shown here in absolute figures and as a percentage. Have our tips & tricks helped you or do you need further assistance in setting up or supporting your online store? We will be happy to assist you with our expertise and develop the perfect individual solutions for your store - feel free to contact us!