Performance Marketing with Google™ Analytics: Practical Strategies for Maximizing Online ROI

Chapter 6. Basic Analysis Features and Concepts

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Nine Tips for Becoming an All-Star Analyst

• Navigating the Google Analytics Interface

• Working with the Google Analytics Standard Reports

Chapters 4 and 5 explain the essentials of how to deploy and configure Google Analytics. This chapter focuses on how to start analyzing data by walking you through the basics of using the Google Analytics interface. You'll see how to use features such as the Calendar and Data Table, as well as where to find the information you need among the many standard reports in Google Analytics. If you already have experience using the Google Analytics interface, you may want to skim through this chapter and focus your attention on the advanced features covered in Chapter 7.

Nine Tips for Becoming an All-Star Analyst

Before we jump into the Google Analytics interface, here's a quick word of advice on how to approach your analysis: Google Analytics contains lots of information, only some of which is relevant to your activities. Staying focused and avoiding the trap of report-surfing, where you browse your data aimlessly, can be tricky. The following tips will help you stay focused and build credibility as an analyst:

1. Get your Google Analytics implementation right. Don't start drawing conclusions from your Google Analytics data until you've followed all the instructions in Chapter 5, preferably with help from a developer. The worst thing you can do is report inaccurate numbers from Google Analytics and ...