Jon Hibbitt, SiteVisibility's Technical SEO Analyst spoke at the Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce about getting started with Google Analytics

1. Jon Hibbitt – Technical SEO Analyst
@jonhibbitt

2. WHAT WE DO
SEO PAY PER CLICK(PPC)STRATEGY ANALYTICS & CRO
SOCIAL MEDIA PUBLIC RELATIONS DISPLAY
ADVERTISING
CONTENT
MARKETING

4. TODAY’S MENU
1. What is Google Analytics?
2. Build a Measurement Plan
3. Best Practice Account Set-up
4. Key Reports
5. Report Tips
6. Google Tag Manager
7. Questions

5. OBJECTIVES
1. Get accurate data
2. Have a clear measurement plan
3. Identify the reports relevant to your
business
4. Know what you can do and what
you need the developer to do
5. Be more confident in using the tool
6. Use the tool

6. BUSINESS ANALYTICS

7. WHAT IS GOOGLE
ANALYTICS?
A Free Analytics Service For
Measuring Online Customer
Behaviour

8. WHY USE GOOGLE
ANALYTICS?
“ The goal is to turn data into
information, and information into
insight ”Carly Fiorina – Former CEO of HP

9. HOW DOES IT WORK?
Collection
Processing Configuration
Reporting
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6081186?hl=en

10. WHAT
DOES IT
TRACK?
• Websites
• Mobile Apps
• Internet ‘Things’
https://support.google.com/analytics#topic=3544906

11. Map Your Business
Objectives to Analytics
MEASUREMENT
PLAN

12. DO IT GOOGLE’S WAY
https://analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/explorer

13. PLAN
• Document business
objectives
• Identify strategies and
tactics
• Choose Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs)
• Choose Segments
• Set Targets

14. 1
2
3
4
5
PLANNING PROCESS

15. My Business Exists To…Tactics
Strategy: Engage
Users
KPIs
Get more leads Increase online sales
Segments
Marketing channel (search, ppc, email, social)
New vs Returning Visitors
Geography (For brick & mortar businesses)
Drive
Store
Visits
Strategy: Sell
Products
Sell Online
Recency /
Frequency
Social Shares
Drive
Blog
Engagement
Revenu
e
£
Avg.
order
value: £
Find store
location
Printed
Coupon
PLANNING PROCESS DETAIL

16. 1.
DOCUMENT
BUSINESS
OBJECTIVES
• Get more leads
• Sell more products

17. Drive
Store
Visits
Drive Blog
Engageme
nt
2. IDENTIFY
STRATEGY &
TACTICS

18. Printed a
Coupon
Revenue
Shared Blog
Post on
Facebook
• Revenue
Printed Coupon
Shared on
Social
£
3. CHOOSE
KPIs

19. 4. CHOOSE TRAFFIC
SEGMENTS
Marketing Channel - Organic,
PPC, Email, Social
New vs Returning Visitors
Geography (For brick &
mortar businesses)

20. 5. BENCHMARK KPIs
Revenue
Average order value
Printed a Coupon
Recency & Frequency of Customer Visits
Social Sharing of Blog Posts
£
££

21. In Store Visits +15%
Revenue +20%
Average Order +15%
6. SET GOALS

22. 7.
MEASURE
& IMPROVE
In Store Visits +15%
Revenue +20%
Average Order +15%

23. On two occasions I have been asked, "Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into
the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?" ... I am
not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could
provoke such a question.
—Charles Babbage, Passages from the Life of a Philosopher - 1864

24. ACCOUNT
STRUCTUR
E
• ACCOUNT
• PROPERTY
• VIEW
• USERS
• PERMISSIONS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1009618?hl=en

25. ACCOUNT
SET-UP
Tracking
code
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1008080?hl=en#GTMvsGA

26. GA UA-TRACKING CODE
Paste it immediately before
the closing </head> tag
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1008080?hl=en

27. CHECK TRACKING CODE WORKS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1008083?hl=en

28. VIEWS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2649553?hl=en

29. SET-UP 3 NEW VIEWS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2649553?hl=en

30. UNFILTERED, TEST
& MASTER VIEWS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2649553?hl=en
• Unfiltered – Raw data
• Test – Apply filters /
changes here and test
• Master – Your working
filtered account

31. SET VIEW
SETTINGS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1010249?hl=en
• Website URL:
www.mywebsite.com or
mywebsite.com
• Timezone: UK – London
GMT+00:00 to include BST
• Currency: GBP
• Exclude all hits from known
bots and spiders - Check
• Site Search Tracking – Check

32. FILTERS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033162?hl=en
GA REPORT
C
A
B• Include – Only X
• Exclude – X,Y,Z
E.g. Include only UK
traffic
Exclude, Me, my web
designer

33. CREATE & MANAGE FILTERS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

34. USER
MANAGEMENT
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1009702?hl=en
• Account Level
• Property Level
• View Level

35. USER
MANAGEMENT
PERMISSIONS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2884495
• Manage Users
• Edit
• Collaborate
• Read & Analyse

36. KEY REPORTS

37. DIMENSIONS & METRICS
https://analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/course01/unit?unit=3&lesson=2
• Landing page
• Page Title
• Pageviews
• Bounce Rate
E.g. /shop/
Widgets | Offers – My Business
E.g. 738
34%

38. DIMENSIONS & METRICS
https://analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/course01/unit?unit=3&lesson=2
Dimension (Page) Metrics (Pageviews, Bounce Rate)

39. AUDIENCE
Where They Come From, What They Do, Key
Demographics

40. AUDIENCE
OVERVIEW
• Start point in
GA
• Overview of
traffic report
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012034?hl=en

41. DEMOGRAPHICS
&
INTERESTS
• Enable setting in Admin
• Better understand your
audience segments
• Not all visitors included
• Update privacy settings
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2799357?hl=en-GB

42. GEO
Where Did Customers Come From?

43. GEO
• Where visitors
come from
• Language
spoken
• Drill down into
City, continent,
sub-continent

44. BEHAVIOUR
Where and how do customers engage?

45. BEHAVIOUR
• New Vs
Returning
Frequency &
Recency
• Pages viewed
by age group?
• Why?

46. DASHBOARDS
Performance at a Glance

47. DASHBOARDS
• Add reports
‘widgets’
• Executive overview
of performance
• Which pages
deliver?
• Technical
Performance
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1068216?hl=en

48. SHORTCUTS
Organise Data Into Your Own Report

49. KEY REPORTING TOOL - SHORTCUTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2676996?hl=en

50. KEY REPORTING TOOL - SHORTCUTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2676996?hl=en#Create

51. SHORTCUTS
• Make sure rows is set
to maximum
• Save time consuming
drill downs into one
click reports
• Make more changes
and save

52. INTELLIGENCE REPORTS
Get alerts when something changes

53. KEY REPORT – INTELLIGENCE EVENTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1320521?hl=en

54. KEY REPORT – CUSTOM INTELLIGENCE
EVENTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033021?hl=en#create

55. KEY REPORT
CUSTOM
INTELLIGENCE
EVENTS
• Sessions > 50%
• Sessions < 50%
• Organic > 10%
• Goal completions…
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033021?hl=en#create

56. REAL TIME REPORTS
Great For Testing, Social Campaigns, PR
Releases

57. ACQUISITION
Where Are Customers Coming From? What
Channels Convert Well? Or Don’t!

58. ACQUISTION
OVERVIEW
• Which channels are
bringing in customers?
• Which channels are
converting?
• Which campaigns are
effective?

59. ACQUISITION - CHANNEL
PERFORMANCE
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

60. ADWORDS
Integrate with Google Analytics

61. ADWORDS
See PPC performance
in Analytics &
Analytics performance
in PPC
https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/1704341?hl=en-GB

62. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
Keywords & Pages - Organic Search Visits

63. SEARCH ENGINE
OPTIMIZATION
• Brand vs Non-
Brand
• Average Position
• Click Through Rate
(CTR)
https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1120006?hl=en

64. SOCIAL ANALYTICS
How Does Social Contribute To Conversions?

65. SOCIAL
ANALYTIC
S
• Measure
value of
social
• Set-up goals https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1683971?hl=en

66. CAMPAIGN TRACKING
Track Actions GA Doesn’t Auto Track

67. CAMPAIGN
TRACKING
• E-mail links
• Tweets
• Facebook Ads
• Affiliate Links
Use Google’s URL
Builder
‘Marketing’ own this
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en
http://www.mysite.com/signup?utm_source=newsletter-
20150726&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ga-training-
offer-20150726

68. CAMPAIG
N
TRACKIN
G

69. BEHAVIOUR
How Customers Interact With Your
Content

70. BEHAVIOUR
• Which page are most
popular
• Which pages are valuable
• Which website sections
are popular
• Drill downs through
sections
• Top landing pages
https://analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/course01/unit?unit=5&lesson=5

71. SITESPEED
Find the Speed Traps

72. SITESPEED
• Watch out for slow
browser load times
• Test in
www.webpagetest.or
g
• Follow Google’s
speed suggestions

73. • Understand what customers are looking for
• Create new content based on customer
searches
• Optimise navigation elements
SITE SEARCH
View Keywords Customers Enter On Your
Website
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012264

74. EVENTS
Track Key Interactions on your site
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033068?hl=en
• Track Downloads
• Video Plays
• AJAX calls
• Outbound Clicks

75. CONVERSIONS
Goals & E-Commerce Performance

76. GOALS
• Destination URL –
registration
completion page
reached
• Time based - 5
minutes on site
• Event fired – video
play, link click
• Always assign ££
values
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012040?hl=en

77. GOALS
• Set-up in Admin
section of GA
• Use template or
custom setting
• Follow process
• Max 20 per view
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012
040?hl=en

78. GOALS
• Name the goal
• Set type
• Next Step
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1032415?hl=en

79. GOALS
• Set Destination
• Give a value
• Verify goal to test it
works
• Or test in real time
report
https://support.google.com/analytics/answe
r/1032415?hl=en

80. GOALS
• Use Reverse Goal
Path to see user
journey to conversion
• Use Funnel
Visualisation to see
main pages leading to
conversion
• Set-up goal funnels to
optimise conversion
https://support.google.com/analytics/topic/1631741

81. CONVERSIONS
E-Commerce Performance

82. E-COMMERCE
• Ask your developer to set-up product tracking
• Turn E-Commerce on in view admin settings
• Enable Cross Domain Tracking if using third party payments
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1009612?hl=en#Enable

83. E-Commerce
• Compare product
sales by date
• Transactions (and
upsells) by ID
• Discover sales
cycle length
https://support.google.com/analytics/answe
r/1037249?hl=en

84. MULTI CHANNEL FUNNELS
E-Commerce Performance
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1191180?hl=en

85. MULTI FUNNEL
REPORTS
• See how different channels
contribute to conversions
• See channels ‘assisting’
conversions
• View top combinations of
channels leading to
conversions
• See time from first engagement
to conversion
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/119118
0?hl=en

86. KEY REPORTING TOOLS

87. REPORTING TOOLS MAP
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/2604608?hl=en

88. KEY REPORTING TOOL - ALERTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

89. KEY REPORTING
TOOL ALERTS
Status updates on the health
of your GA account
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6006306?hl=en

90. KEY REPORTING TOOL – DATE RANGE
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

91. DATE RANGE SELECTION
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

92. DATE RANGE SELECTION
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

93. DATE RANGE
TIPS
• Compare historic
activity
• Check seasonal
variations
• Conduct micro
analysis using hour
selector

94. KEY REPORTING TOOLS -
ANNOTATIONS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034823?hl=en

95. ANNOTATION TIPS
• Document changes to the
website
• Document campaign
launches
• Ask third parties to document
their work
• Note causes of spikes or
drops

96. KEY REPORTING FEATURES -
SEGMENTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3123951?hl=en

97. KEY REPORTING FEATURES -
SEGMENTS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3123951?hl=en

98. KEY REPORTING FEATURES –
SEGMENTS ALL SESSIONS VS
ORGANIC
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/3123951?hl=en

99. KEY REPORTING TOOLS – FILTERS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034836?hl=en

100. FILTER TIPS
• Start simple and
refine
• Use the advanced
selector to build more
complex queries
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1034836?hl=en

101. KEY REPORTING TOOLS – SECONDARY
DIMENSIONS
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6175970?hl=en

102. SECONDARY
DIMENSIONS
TIPS
Slice data at report
level for detailed
analysis

103. SHARE DATA
• Email
• CSV, XLSX, PDF,
Google Sheets
• Daily, Weekly,
Monthly
• For X period
• Export
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1038573?hl=en

104. KEY REPORT
ACQUISITION
CHANNELS
• Find out where the
traffic comes from
• Plot rows to visualize
• Channel performance
• Drill into data by
clicking channel
grouping links

105. Google Tag Manager
http://www.google.co.uk/tagmanager/

106. Google Tag Manager
• Less requirement for web developers to deliver
code changes for tracking
• Manage all tracking tags in one place online
• Enhanced Ecommerce tracking provides detailed
reporting on every facet of shopping and
purchasing behaviour, e.g. which products were
seen, added or removed from cart, initiated,
abandoned and completed transactions
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6014841?hl=en

107. Resources
Everyone was a beginner at some
stage. In every sector, everyday
there’s someone starting out who
wants to pick up the basics as
quickly and painlessly as possible.
Google Chrome
Google Tag Assistant
Google Analytics Debugger
Digital Analytics Fundamentals

108. SEO KPIs
Types of Goal
– Engagement
– Conversions
– Visibility
– Reputation
– Credibility and status
– Market leadership
– Competitive advantage
KPI’s
– Organic traffic
– Visitor numbers
– Volume of traffic achieved based
on keywords
– Click-Through-Rates
– Downloads
– Conversions
– Sales
– Website engagement etc.

110. EXERCISE
Create your measurement plan
• Business Objective
• Strategy
• Tactics
• GA KPIs
• Segments

111. SUGGESTIONS
• Business Objective – No1 low cost airline in Europe
• Strategy – Sell Services
• Tactics - Sell Online
• GA KPIs – E-Commerce - Revenue, Avg Order Value
• Goals – Newsletter, sign-ups
• Segments – Email, Organic Search, PPC