Marketing channels vary in their impact on your business, with some excelling at driving top-of-funnel traffic and others proving more effective at generating bottom-of-funnel sales. But do you truly understand which channels work best for each stage of the funnel? Despite many assuming they do, the data often reveals surprises. In this analysis, we'll explore the Google Merchandise Store property alongside our demo property.

When evaluating traffic channels, our primary focus will be on the acquisition reports, encompassing both user and traffic acquisition data. While these reports can be customized and renamed, it's crucial to distinguish between them due to differences in data.

As we delve into the user and traffic acquisition reports, we'll initially encounter sessions or new users at the top, sorted accordingly. However, our goal isn't solely to acquire new users or sessions; we aim to drive conversions occurring at various funnel stages. Therefore, avoid categorizing or sorting traffic sources solely based on their user or traffic volume. Instead, prioritize their effectiveness in generating the specific conversions you desire.

To achieve this, we'll examine event and conversion counts. For example, while organic search may attract more users, it may not yield as many conversions or events as direct traffic. Sorting by event count or conversions helps identify channels driving the most targeted events.

Additionally, remember to filter by the events you're optimizing for. If analyzing the middle of the funnel, focus on traffic sources leading to specific events like "begin checkout." This tailored approach ensures insights align with your objectives. The same applies to conversions. Simplify analysis by focusing on a specific conversion, such as a purchase, to reveal surprising findings like direct traffic driving the most conversions despite fewer sessions than organic search.

Apply this analysis across all funnel stages, examining events or conversions at the bottom, middle, and top. In our demo property, adding the session conversion rate metric provides deeper insights into channel efficiency in producing conversions relative to sessions.

Conduct this analysis for different events and consider total revenue and conversion rate to identify top-performing channels. Avoid overlooking channels highly effective at driving bottom-of-funnel conversion actions by solely comparing traffic-driving capabilities.

Utilize advertising reports, even without current ads, especially the conversion paths report, offering insights into channels influencing multi-touch conversion paths. Customize default channel groups and experiment with attribution models to inform marketing strategies, focusing efforts on channels driving desired goals at each funnel stage.

Whether increasing engagement at the top or driving conversions at the bottom, nurture both funnel ends. Analyze which channels provide engagement and leverage retargeting strategies to convert users later. Remember, nurturing both ends is crucial for holistic funnel success.