The Changing Faces of Google Analytics
By Lorianna Sprague, SEO Specialist
Some of you may have noticed, beginning in May of this year, that Google Analytics began changing the look and feel of their user interface. They ran a series of webinars to introduce both website owners and agencies to the new layout. Check them out for a seriously detailed tutorial (seriously means 6 videos at an hour a piece).
So, what’s changed? Here’s a quick list of the most obvious differences in the analytics interface:
- Visitor and Goal Flow Visualization – using Sankey diagrams
- Multi-Channel Funnels – to see what channels your customers interacted with in the 30 days prior to converting
- Real Time Reporting – updates your site’s activity continuously so you can see the results of your campaigns unfold in real time
- Mobile Reporting – gives you a more detailed look at how mobile users are interacting with your site so you can optimize for those users and improve conversions over time
- Integration with Webmaster Tools – which gives website owners and agencies access to the top 1000 keywords that landed people on a website over a 30 day period; this is the work around for the lack of access to keyword data through the Traffic Sources section of Analytics (see below)
- Limited Display of Keyword Traffic Sources – (based Google users who are logged in while searching) the good news is that what you lost in “keyword’ Traffic Sources, you have gained back in Webmaster Tools; if you have not integrated your Webmaster Tools account with your Analytics, now’s the time
- Advanced Segmentation – and the ability to define your own segments based on what matters, such as removing brand terms, or creating a segment to view traffic for only visitors who know about your company or brand
- Site Speed
- Social Interactions
- Better reports, and so much more.
Web Talent’s Lancaster, PA SEO Meet Up will be discussing the New Google Analytics in 2012. Join the Meet Up and comment here to let us know what parts of the new Google Analytics you would like us to explore.
