Unit 4
Collection
-Custom dimensions & metrics are sent to Google Analytics as a pair of INDEX and VALUE parameters -Attached to other HITS, PAGEVIEWS, EVENTS or ECOMMERCE TRANSACTIONS
Dimensions
-Describe characteristics of your data -Dimension of SESSION=TRAFFIC SOURCE -Dimension of INTERACTION=NAME OF SOURCE
3. SITE SEARCH
-Determines combination of SEARCH TERMS to GOAL & REVENUE VALUE -Different from PER VALUE, since GOAL VALUE is attributed to the nearest search term LEADING UP to the conversion, not after -P1->P2->"Shoes"->$20->P3->Goal 1->"Flowers"->$25->P4 -Using this model, search terms attributed to Goal 1 were: -Shoes-$20 -Flowers-$25 CUSTOM DIMENSIONS are managed on the SERVER SITE and CUSTOM VARIABLES are managed on the CLIENT SIDE
1. PER REQUEST
-Gives aggregate values for single metric or metric/dimension pairing, most common & simple -PAGE URI-indicates path to page being accessed -CAMPAIGN -USER AGENT-browser info. for that user, via HTTP/GET
How you can you add data to Google Analytics from other sources:
-Linking your AdWords account to GA to import advertising data -By uploading a .csv file to GA to attach new dimensions like a Topic and Author to an existing dimension like Page Title -By using Cost Data Upload to import Click & Cost data from your Non-Adwords advertising campaigns
The Reporting APIs
-Made with help from a developer -API's help you save time by automating complex reporting tasks -Can use APIs to integrate your own business data with Google Analytics and build custom dashboards Must build your own applications -Needs to be able to write and send a query to reporting API -API uses query to retrieve data from aggregate tables and then sends a response Each query must contain specific info. including: -ID of view you would like to retrieve data from -Start/end dates for reports -Dimension/Metrics Can also specify filter (segment, metrics) and (order of the data, dimensions) Think of data that gets returned from API as HEADER and ROWS -HEADER describes the name and data type of each column, these are either dimension or metric names
Combining dimensions & metrics in reports
-Most commonly reported in a table with first column as dimension -Each dimension and metric has a SCOPE that aligns with a level of analytics -DATA HIERARCHY-->USER, SESSION, or HIT-LEVEL -Combine those that belong in the same scope EXAMPLE: the count of VISITS is a session-based metric so it can only be used with SESSION-LEVEL dimensions like TRAFFIC SOURCE or GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. It would not be logical to combine the count of visits metric with a HIT-LEVEL dimension like PAGE TITLE EXAMPLE: the metric TIME ON PAGE is a HIT-LEVEL metric. It measures how long users spend on a page of your site. It is not possible to use this metric with a SESSION-LEVEL dimension like TRAFFIC SOURCE or GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION In this case, you would need to use a SESSION-BASED time metric, like AVERAGE VISIT DURATION
Custom Dimensions have the following configuration values:
-NAME-name that will appear in the reports -SCOPE-specifies which hits the custom dimension will be applied -ACTIVE-whether the custom dimension or metric value will be processed
Custom metrics have the following configuration values:
-NAME: name that will appear on your reports -TYPE: determines how the custom metric value will be displayed in reports -MIN/MAX VALUE: values that will be processed and displayed in reports -ACTIVE: whether the custom dimension or metric value will be processed
2. PAGE VALUE
-Purpose is to answer question, "how useful was my page in relation to a GOAL or REVENUE VALUE?" -Referred to as "FORWARD LOOKING" model, because it applies to a page by looking forward to the goals and/or purchases that take place after the page was visited -P1->P2->$20->Goal 1 ($10)->$25->P4
Metrics
-Quantitative measurements of the data -How often things happened, TOTAL NUMBER OF USERS, AVERAGE # OF PAGES
By using Query Explorer, you can;
-See the data feed request constructed for you as you select different dimensions and metrics -Figure out exactly which metric/dimension combination works -Dial in the exact sorting & filtering that you need -Use the permalink for any query you build
Metrics: measure data
-Sum or ratio -SCREENVIEWS, PAGE PER SESSION, AVERAGE SESSION DURATION
You've discovered that Product Pages is missing from your reports. Which of the following could be the cause?
-The data from the Product Pages wasn't collected because tracking code wasn't placed on those pages on the site -A filter applied during processing was configured to remove Product Pages data from your reports
Adjusting the Sample Size
-Using a control in the reporting interface or by specifying the size when you query the API -If you INCREASE SAMPLE SIZE, includes more sessions, but will take longer -If you DECREASE SAMPLE SIZE, fewer sessions, reports generated faster
Reporting Overview
-You'll use Google Analytics reporting interface or Google Analytics reporting API's to retrieve data for reporting and analysis -First column in table you see is a dimension and the rest you see are metrics -Most often, you use INTERFACE, (think of as a layer on top of the data that allows you to organize, segment and filter data) -API (APPLICATION PROGRAMMING INTERFACE)-extracts data directly from Google Analytics -Sometimes GA will go through SAMPLING PROCESS, so that there is no long delay between when you request data and when you receive it
Report Sampling
-is a best practice that generates reports based on small, random subsets of data instead of using all your available data -Makes the process FASTER than using every single piece of data
3 Attribution Models
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Building Reports with Dimensions & Metrics
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Missed Assessment Questions
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4 Reporting APIs
1. CORE REPORTING API -Create custom reports by querying for dimensions & metrics 2. MULTI-CHANNEL FUNNELS REPORTING API -Access all the traffic source paths that need lead to a user's conversion 3. REAL-TIME REPORTING API -Report on activity occurring on your property right now 4. METADATA API -Access the list of API dimensions & metrics and their attributes
Popular Queries
1. TOP PAGEVIEWS 2. LANGUAGES BY COUNTRY 3. VISITS & PAGEVIEWS OVER TIME
Dimensions: describe data
BROWSER, EXIT PAGE, SCREENS and SESSION DURATION
When does this happen?
DURING PROCESSING with pre-calculated reports When you make CUSTOM REQUESTS (reporting interface or API's) Google Analytics inspects the set of aggregate tables to see if the requests can be met using data already processed in the tables -If it can't, Google Analytics goes back to the row session data to process your request on-the-fly -When that happens, Google Analytics checks to see how many sessions should be included in your request -If # of sessions is small, Google Analytics can calculate the data for your request using all of the sessions -If # of session is LARGE, uses SAMPLE DATA
Attribution Models
Different calculation types, answers question about: -CONTENT: how many times was a particular page viewed? -GOALS: which pages URLs contributed to the highest goal conversion rate? -ECOMMERCE: how much value did a given page contribute to a transaction? -INTERNAL SEARCH: which internal search terms contributed to a transaction?
The Sampling Limit
Google Analytics sets a maximum # of SESSIONS to calculate in reports -If you go over that limit, data gets sampled -To go below the limit, SHORTEN THE DATE RANGE, reduces # in reports -Google Analytics Premium offers Unsampled Reporting -Sampling in Reports -->THIS REPORT IS BASED ON N SESSIONS -If the data for a report you request is stored in a standard aggregate table, it will never be sampled in Google Analytics
Processing
Scope determines which hits will be associated with a particular custom dimension value -3 Levels of Scope: 1. HIT-value is applied to the single hit for which it has been sent 2. SESSION- value is applied to all hits in a single session 3. USER- value is applied to all hits in current & future sessions, until value changes or custom dimensions are made inactive
