7 Habits of highly effective Google Analytics User

February 15, 2009 by Anil
Filed under: Google Analytics, Web Analytics 

It was a while ago i wrote a post about 7 habits of effective omniture user, so here goes the 7 series again and this time for Google Analytics. These indeed are the best features of google analytics and probably must use in case you deal with google analytics day in and day out.

1.) Do Not Use Google Analytics Alone!

2.) Use Filters and Profiles Extensively

3.) Track Marketing Campaigns by GA

4.) Regular Expressions

5.) Custom Segmentation

6.) Track Outbound Link and Downloads

7.) Create Analytics Plan and Change Log Documents


1.) Do Not Use Google Analytics Alone!

Ok that certainly does not mean you dont use it :-) , But use it with other amazing google tools like  Google Adwords and Google Web Optimizer.

2.) Use Filters and Profiles

Profiles and Filters are the most robust features in Google analytics and a must use, here’s few tips to get started with filters and profiles.

Google Analytics Profiles:

  • Create a Master
  • Test
  • Campaign/Source/Medium

Content Profiles

  • Buyers
  • Browsers
  • Shoppers

Google Analytics Filters

  • Acquisition Filters
  • Internal traffic vs. External traffic

3.) Track Marketing Campaigns by GA

  • Use manual tagging for query parameters and not use “auto tagging”. (or use both)
  • Use Google URL tool builder to create URLs.

4.) Trouble Shoot your data

  • Check your reports for a line item named “(other).“
  • Check goal no. vs. No. of pv for goal page.
  • Use Charles to debug
  • Ecommerce : Orders in GA Vs. Accounts dept.

5.) Custom Segmentation

  • Use of _utmv via _utmSetVar
  • Only One custom segment can be build.
  • Use Concatenation strategy.
  • Tracking of Repeat Buyers.

6.) Link Tracking and Downloads

  • Use Onclick functions : urchinTracker() – (pageTracker for ga.js)
    • <img src=”/image.jpg” onClick=”javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview(’/image.jpg’);” />
    • <a href=”/schedule.pdf” onClick=”javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview(’/files/pdf/schedule.pdf’);” />PDF</a>
  • Caution : These are Pageviews use filter to exclude the traffic.

7.) Analytics Plan

  • Analyze the website.– Check for diff Domains,subdomains,dynamic content
  • Create and Configure profiles.
  • Create filters.
  • Create goals and funnels.
  • Create recommended profiles.
  • Edit the tracking code.
  • Modify the web site (if necessary; determined in step 2).
  • Add the tracking code to web site pages.
  • Tag marketing campaigns.
  • Enable e-commerce transaction tracking (optional).
  • Implement custom segmentation (optional).
  • Configure other administrative features.
  • User accounts and report access &Automated email delivery

References

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Comments

2 Comments on 7 Habits of highly effective Google Analytics User

  1. Google Analytics Variable List | Web Analytics India Blog on Mon, 23rd Feb 2009 6:22 am

    2. [...] 7 Habits of effective Google Analytics User Bookmarks: [...]

  2. Lav on Fri, 5th Jun 2009 2:33 pm

    3. Thank you very much for an insightful article on Google Analytics. I recently began using Analytics to monitor the traffic on my website, and I must say that it is definitely an exceptionally useful tool if used properly and a must for all web designers and developpers looking to improve their website performance. An addon to this article that would be interesting is how to track conversions with 3rd party shopping cart software such as paypal.

    But this article by itself is great and deifintely useful. Thank you!

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