Using Google Analytics to Help Clients
Google Analytics is generally thought of as a quantitative data tool that can reveal how people view a page, for how long, and what they may have clicked on. These data can be difficult for people to relate to without a personal story attached to them. Thankfully, we have more qualitative data through the feedback form at the bottom of each page. The feedback comments are collected in Google Analytics and enable us to compare quantitative data with feedback from site visitors. Originally intended to gather insights on missing information or broken links, the form has become a way to understand how our website is (or isn’t) responding to people’s needs.
Enter 2020: Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) was created when COVID-19 closed schools across the country. Many children were not able to attend school in person to receive free or reduced-price meals. To address this important nutritional need, eligible families received a one-time payment of $365 per child on EBT (food stamp) cards. The EBT cards function like credit cards and are accepted by certain businesses. 3.4 million California families applied or received benefits by mid-July 2020.
Many people understandably don’t need to know that the state government managed P-EBT or that everyday EBT cards are the responsibility of county government. In mid-May 2020comments regarding P-EBT cards began flooding our agency’s website feedback form. These daily comments nearly outnumbered what we received in an entire month, pre-pandemic.
A couple of things quickly became apparent from the comments. People were struggling to activate the cards with Personal Identification Numbers (PIN). This is an example of the PIN related comments, “The p-ebt cards info states to call the 1–877 # and make [a] pin. There is no way to make a pin or talk to someone live. It also states to go on the website that also states [its] invalid. How do we make pin ???”
We forwarded the comments to our Communications Team, who manages website content. Hundreds of comments were forwarded to our state colleagues in Sacramento overseeing the P-EBT program. Based on the client feedback, the state government sent us revised instructions. They included helpful tips for navigating the online phone system, which we put on our site immediately.
Generally speaking, when a visitor to our site leaves a comment in the feedback form, they are probably sharing an issue many others have experienced as well. The comments are also helpful to illustrate to our colleagues the frustrations are clients may be experiencing. An analytical tool like Google Analytics was incredibly helpful in allowing us to understand and respond to such needs.
Originally published by Allen Meyer, Visual Designer, Innovation Office, San Francisco Human Services Agency on May 25, 2021.
