In an online world filled with competitors, success depends on how well you understand your audience and their behavior. Who are they? What are they looking for? How do they navigate through your site? Whoā€™s more likely to convert?

Luckily,Ā Google AnalyticsĀ is here to help. In short, it lets you keep track of every aspect of the customerā€™s journey and gives you insights on the following:

  • Number of new site visitors
  • Number of returning visitors
  • Where your traffic is coming from
  • Visitor geolocation
  • User behavior
  • Conversions and leads
  • Devices used to access your site
  • And much moreā€¦

An Introduction to Google Analytics

With Google Analytics, youā€™ll be able to understand your usersĀ on a whole new level, improve your marketing with detailed insights, and use Googleā€™s knowledge to get the most out of your data.

For beginners, you can find an in-depth explanation on setting up and using your Analytics accountĀ here, but if youā€™re short on time, hereā€™s a shortened version:

Step 1: After login, select the appropriate site you want to analyze ā€”> This will take you to the ā€˜Reporting Dashboardā€™.

Step 2:Ā On the Reporting Dashboard, youā€™ll find a collection of widgets that provide an overview of the reports youā€™re most interested in

Step 3:Ā Use the following reports to gain insights:

  • Audience Report: The Audience Report gives you insights into your audienceā€™s characteristics, like their location, whether theyā€™re new or returning, their browser/operating system, and a mobile overview.
  • Acquisition Report: The Acquisition Report provides you with insights into your siteā€™s traffic sources. More specifically, the different channels, source/medium, referrals, AdWords, SEO and social.
  • Behavior Report: The Behavior Report includes an overview of your usersā€™ behavior flow, site content, landing pages, exit pages, site speed, site search, events, etc.
  • Conversion Report: The Conversion Report gives you conversion insights and allows you to check the status and completion of goals.

Step 4:Ā Once you access your reports, you can export them in the following formats: CSV, TSV, TSV for Excel, Excel (XLSX), Google Sheets and PDF.

Google Analytics Features

Now that weā€™ve covered the basics of what Google Analytics does, letā€™s go over some key features andĀ terminology.

Data Collection and Management

Data collection and management features give you an overview of your customers so you canĀ better tailor your marketing strategy:

  • Collection APIs:

    Use Javascript libraries, mobile app SDKs (iOS & Android), and open measurement protocols for comprehensive data collection. (FYI, measurement protocols let you send data to Analytics from any Internet connected device, such as a kiosk, CRM, call center or a point of sales system.)

  • Tag Management Support:

    Analytics can be integrated into Google Tag Manager and Tag Manager 360, and is supported by all leading tag management systems.

  • Configuration APIs:

    Use configuration APIs to find new ways to manage your account.

  • Custom Variables:

    You can track structured or unstructured text or metrics with custom dimensions, custom metrics and calculated metrics.

  • Data Import:

    You can upload data from external sources and use it with Analytics data.

  • Native Data Onboarding Integration:

    Data onboarding integrations with AdWords, AdSense, Search Console, and DoubleClick AdExchange.

Data Analysis, Visualization and Reporting
Data analysis, visualization and reporting features help youĀ better understand your users:

  • Data Access:

    You have access to the web application, mobile application, email notifications and alerts, an external reporting API, and integrations to Google products like AdWords, Google Sheets, Firebase, AdMob, etc.

  • Filtering and Manipulation:

    In the tracking libraries, you can include, exclude and modify primary data fields.

  • Funnel Analysis:

    Tools for funnel analysis at your disposal are:

    • Shopping and checkout funnels to analyze a customerā€™s path to purchase
    • Custom funnels for your configuration
    • Multi-channel funnels to visualize and report on multiple campaign touch points along the path to conversion
    • App event funnels to configure visualization of in-app events into logical sequences
  • Mobile App Reporting:

    Available to you are key insights with app-specific metrics like mobile ARPU and ARPPU, configurable conversion events, and in-app purchase reporting.

  • Real-Time Reporting:

    You can get real-time reports on many metrics.

  • Segmentation:

    Built-in segments, over 250 signals, eCommerce data, etc. can be used to create different types of segmentation.

  • User Flow Reporting:

    You can track how your visitors navigate throughout your site and other channels with User Flow Reporting.

Data Activation

Data activation features help youĀ improve your marketing campaigns:

  • Audience Demographics:

    Demographics such as age, gender, interests, etc. can be used for remarketing purposes.

  • Intelligence and Anomaly Detection:

    Analytics offers automated anomaly detection and proactive alerts in areas like tracking, configuration, site health, product adoption, and product usage and product integration anomalies.

  • Multi-Touch Attribution:

    You can analyze the path to conversion across different marketing touch points.

  • Predictive Analysis:

    Predictive analysis capabilities help you predictions, such as which users are more likely to convert.

  • Publisher Integrations:

    You can integrate publisher tools to optimize publishing sites for user experience (UX) and monetization.

  • Remarketing Integrations:

    Analytics provides native integrations with display and search ads solutions like AdWords and the Google Display Network.

A Quick Recap

Like a good marketing agency, Google Analytics gives you all the insights you need to succeed online. Hereā€™s what we covered today:

  • Google Analytics gives you the tools needed to better understand your audience
  • TheĀ Audience ReportĀ gives you insights into your audienceā€™s characteristics
  • TheĀ Acquisition ReportĀ gives you insights into your siteā€™s traffic sources
  • TheĀ Behavior ReportĀ offers an overview of how your userā€™s behave on your website
  • TheĀ Conversion ReportĀ gives you conversion insights
  • TheĀ Data Collection and ManagementĀ features give you an overview of your customers so you canĀ better tailor your marketing strategy
  • TheĀ Data Analysis, Visualization and ReportingĀ features help youĀ better understand your users
  • TheĀ Data ActivationĀ features help youĀ improve your marketing campaigns
  • For enterprises and larger businesses that handle a lot of data, give Google Analytics 360 Suite a try
AUTHOR
Matthew Fritschie
Matthew is a content writer for Aumcore, a digital marketing agency based in NYC, and specializes in brand strategy and SEO services.
AUTHOR
Lindsey Sherman