AlejoLab
  • Start
  • Blog

I knew much less about Google Analytics than expected

20/7/2013

0 Comments

 
A lot of people that have websites has used Google Analytics to track basic statistics. It's quite easy to implement and you get a lot of data. You know there are a lot of things that you can do with it that you don't know how to do. There are experts that can tell you how to set up a lot of options but, ey, that's a lot of information you are already getting there. I think I can life with this "basic" stuff.
Since I started AlejoLab I have been learning that what I don't know about GA is a lot more than I thought. If you are somehow like me, who have some general technical knowledge about the web and usually work out the problems by searching for references instead of learning how to do the things from the ground, then you will probably do like me. Like 4 months ago I would have say I knew 50% you need to know to get basic statisctics on GA, and how to use 2% of the features to make the most of it. That last part is what you usually that other things about custom dimensions, filters, custom reports, and so on. You know someone is going to need them, but they are probably professionals with very specific needs.
I thought I knew 50% you need to run the basic features and 2% of the total.
After this three months I have been learning a lot of new things about GA, sometimes not very practical things, but the realizations of the features I needed. Now I would say that I know 10% of the basics and 1% of the total.
Here are some of the things I have realized I didn't know about and I should. They may be basic or more advanced. I write them in a, sort of, chronological order.
  • How to track goals (basic if you are seeling something or have a subscribers list).
  • Integrating GA with AdWords (and your goals).
  • Integration GA with AdSense. More difficult than expected because they have to approve you account and domain before, and it can take weeks of obscurity.
  • Configuring the value of goals and campaigns correctly son you can say where is you money going and coming from without leaving GA (and doing all the math yourself).
  • Activate and link Webmaster Tools, to know which searches and keywords are diving traffic to your site.
  • How to correctly set up profiles and accounts.
  • Why managing your profiles efficiently can be extremely useful (and can save basic data you are losing without knowing).
  • Taking out your own internal visits (they tend to be a lot) that are messing up all the data.
  • Segmentating your users using filters.
  • The ability to track specific behaviours (looks easier than expected).
  • What the bounce rate really means.
  • How GA cookies work and how to customize them to track what you really need.
  • Recently GA has added to its API the possibility to perform split tests with the content (incrementing exponentially the possible uses of all the previous features).
  • ...

I guess what happens if you don't plan to learn about something and learn by using it just because it is there. At some point you start to consider to either delegate or learn the basics in a more structured way. As always it depends on your personal goals.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Alejo AC

    AlejoAC
    Indie game designer
    and Coach

    Like what you see?

    Archives

    April 2022
    November 2021
    April 2021
    December 2019
    June 2015
    November 2014
    September 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Artificial Life
    Building The Habit
    Business
    Comic
    Creativity
    Game Design
    Group Dynamics
    Log
    Marketing
    Meaningful
    Minecraft
    Nlp
    Oppa! Video Project
    Painting
    Performing Arts
    Productivity
    Projections
    Ptower
    Reading
    Wedding
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.