Everything You Didn’t Know
About Google Analytics
Hidden
Quirks
Misleading
Metrics
Tips &
Tricks
Hidden Quirks:
WTF is a Session?
H i t t Pageview Hit5 Pageview USERl (9 SESSION 1 Hit2 Event Hit3 Pageview © SESSION 2 Hit6 Hit 7 Pageview Pageview Hit4 Transaction HitB Event
/category /product /checkout
Session
/category /product /checkout
Session
(Source = Google)
Session
Google Analytics Home Reporting Custom1z atio11 Admin
-Ad'min:istrationdi stilled. net / http://www.distilled.net
PROPERTY
http://www.distilled.net
Ei) Property Settings
; ; ; Us er M anagem en1 .js Tracking Info Tracking Code Elata Collection User-ID Session Settings
Organic Search Sources
Referral Excl1Jsion List
Search Term Exclusion List
1
©
These settings only vork with the analytics.js version of the trackingga.js, customize these settings to maich your previous configl1ration
Referral Exclusion List .,
Exclude these domains from your referral traffic. Users arriving at your site vi,
+ ADD REFERRAL EXCLU&ON
Domain Name
/category /product /checkout
Session
(Source = Google)
Session
ZIii Google Ana[ytics Home Reporting Customization Admin Administration distilled.net/ http://www.distilled.net PROPERTY http:IJwww.distilled.net
BJ
Property S etti r1gs ; ; : User Management . js Tracking Info Tracking Code IJata Collection User-ID Session SettiRgs Organic Search Sources Referral Exclusion list Search Term Exclusion ListSession Settings
TimeoUJt H andiin g 1
S,essi on ti m eout
MINIMUM: 1 minute, MAXIMUM: 4 hours
Hours Minutes 0 .... 30 ..,. Campaign timeout MAXIMUM: 24 monttis Months Days 6 .... 0 ....
-
Cancel Hours 0 .... Minutes 0 ..../category /product /checkout Google Google Session (Source = Google) Session (Source = Google)
/category /product /checkout Google Paypal Session (Source = Google) Session (Source = Paypal)
Administration
d isU I led.net / http://www.d isti ed. ne
PROPERTY
http://www.distill ed. ne,t
Eil
Property SettingsW User Management • js Tracking rnfo Tracking Code Data Collection User-ID Session Settings
Organic Search Sources
Refe;rra Exdusi.011 List Search Term Exclusio11 List
I
These settings only work with the analyt.ics.js version of the tracking oode. If you're using the gajs©
version, configure these settit1gs in your code. If you're transitioning to analytics.js from ga.js, customize these settings to match your previous configuration for data continuity.Referral Exclusion L. st ?
Exclu.de these domains from your referral traffic. Users arriving at your site via any of these domains will not be count,ed as referral traffic in your reports .
+ ADD REFERRAL EXa.USION 0.. Search
Domain Name
distil I ed .net remove
Hidden Quirks:
Attribution
/category /product Google Session (Source = Google) Session (Source = Google) Direct 2-week holiday
Direct
Other Channels
Other
Ill Ill
....
.,•
••••••
Dashboards Shortcuts Intelligence Events Real-Time Audience-t..
Acquisition (i3 !3ehavior � Conversions � Goals � Ecommerce � Multi-Channel Funnels � Attrioution Model Comparison T ...Hidden Quirks:
Data Integrity
A couple of years ago, I decided to
make a website
Acquisition S01:1rce I Medium 7 Sessions " 4,,399 % o f Total: 100_D0% (4,399) 1. (direct)/ (n.one) 1,226, (27.B7'!r.)
2, flo ating-share-buttons.com / referra I 735 (16.7Hr,)
3. google / organic 303 (6.89'l;)
4. guardlink_org / referral 215, {4.89'") 5.. trafflc2cash .xy.z / referral 191 {4.34'!r.)
6, adf.ly I referral 189 (4.304')
7, get-free-social-traffLc_com l referral 145 (3.304',) 8. s i mple-share-bmtons_com / referra I 133 (3.02.'\\.) 9. get-your-social-button.s.info / referral 11001 {2.27'!r.) rn. www. event-tracki ng_com I referral
l
76, (1.7l<Jr.)Two easy ways to ruin GA data
● Measurement Protocol
● Using their tracking ID on some random pages on your
site
Ways this can be used against you:
● Competitors sabotaging your data
● Falsified data in pitches etc.
If you need to be sure, cross check
with logs
Hidden
Quirks
Misleading
Metrics
Tips &
Tricks
Misleading Metrics:
Time on Page
GA: “The average amount of time users spent viewing a
specified page or screen, or set of pages or screens.”
“Average Time on Page” =
(“Time on Page”) / (Pageviews - Exits)
Scenario Intuitive Time on Page Google Analytics Time on Page 0s: Pageview 10s: Social plugin
20s: Click through to next page
20s 20s 0s: Pageview 10s: Social plugin 20s: Leave site 20s 10s 0s: Pageview 20s: Leave site 20s 0s
“Average Time on Page”= (“Time on Page”) / (Pageviews - Exits)
“Average Time on Page”= (Total of 30s) / (3 Pageviews - 2 exits)
● Confusing prospective consultants in interviews
● Confusing conference attendees
● Seed for generating random numbers
Misleading Metrics:
Engagement Metrics
● Avg. Session Duration
● Avg. Time on Page
● Bounce Rate
● Pages/Session
● Exit Rate
● Social Interactions
● Scroll Depth
Hidden
Quirks
Misleading
Metrics
Tips &
Tricks
Tips & Tricks:
Transactions
Landing Page Sessions Revenue ,I,
1,424,389 £2,746,956.04 52,035
'II. of Total: ._,ofTotal: 100.00'lb 'II.of Total:
100 OO'lb (£2.746,956.04) 100 oo, (52.035) (1,424,389) 1. 2. /basket @ 28,583 (2.01'11,) £168,123.61 (6.12') 2,700 (5.19') 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. /checkout @ 4,063 (029') £.29,491.12 (1.07'11,) 488 (0.94"1,) 8. 9. 10.
/category /checkout Google Session (Source = Google) /product Session (Source = Google)
/category /checkout Google Session (Source = Google) /product Session (Source = Paypal) Paypal
/category sub.domain.com/checkout Google Session (Source = Google) /product Session
Tips & Tricks:
Landing Page 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. (not set) 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Acquisition
Sessions ,I, 'I(, New Sessions 80,282
'!(,ofTotal 100.0°'-(80,282)
3,548 (4.42')
68.66% Avg for View 68.66'!(, (0.0°'-) 1.89% New Users 55,122 'lr. ofTotal: 100.0°'-(55,122) 67 (0.12'11,) Behavior Bounce Rate 29.74%
Avg for View 29.74'1r. (0.0°'-)
/category Event Google Session (Source = Google) /product Session (Source = Google)
/category Event Google Session (Source = Google) /product Session (Source = Google)
Analytics.js
Ga.js
Tips & Tricks:
Sequences
Id Feet
____
aj_
C11noel Preview DemographicsTechnology
Behavior
Date of First Session Traffic Sources Enhanced Ecommerce Advanced Conditions Sequences Sequences
Segment your users and/ortnerr sessions according to sequential conditions. Filt.er Include .... Sessions .... Sequence start Any user interaction ....
S1i1EP1
?a.g,e .,.. exactly matches .... /checkout
is foUowed by ... STIEP 2 contains .... /faq Add step + Add Filter
'
L - OR AND ,-1 - OR ANDSegment is visible in any View Change
Summary 0.03%, of users Users 141 Sessions 141 0.02% of sessions s.equences Pag.e: "/chedout· Page: cont a ins '/f:a q'
Discovered via Goog1le, ret1.1rned via email
m
-
Cancel PreviewDemographics
Tecilnology
Behavior
Date of First Session Traffic Sources Enhanced Ecommerce Advanced Co11ditions Sequences Sequences
Segment your users and/or their sessions according to sequential conditions.
Filt.er Include ,.. Users ,.. Sequenc,e start First user interaction ,..
STiEP1
S01.1rce I Medium contains ,.. Google
is followed by ... ,.. STE.P2
Source I Medium contains ,.. email
Add Step
r
-
OR ANDr
-
OR ANID�,gmerrt is visible in any View Change
Summary I 1.05% o f users Users 4,402 Sessions 24,804 3.03% of sessions Sequences
Source/ Medium: comains 'Goo,gle" Source / Medium: comains ·em B ii"
Tips & Tricks:
THE MOST POWERFUL
BUTTON IN GOOGLE
StepO
r-:-1
6.3K sessions, ffs_,
1 • 6.JK Step, 1 3 .4K sessions, drop-offs ii /services/ ii JaboutJ,,
Define a pag,e group X
Match Type:j equals .... j
Ex press ion:
Nlame (optional): I
Apply
I
Detailed Resources
● Sessions
● Self referrals
● Metrics
● Cross domain/subdomain tracking
● Log File Analysis