everything you didn’t know about google analytics · 2017-07-10 · multi-channel funnels...

Everything You Didn’t Know About Google Analytics

We place insane trust in Google

HiddenQuirks

MisleadingMetrics

Tips &Tricks

Hidden Quirks:WTF is a Session?

H i t t

Pageview

Hit5

Pageview

USERl

(9 SESSION 1

Hit2

Event

Hit3

Pageview

© SESSION 2

Hi t6 Hit 7

Pageview Pageview

Hit4

Transaction

HitB

Event

/category /product /checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

/category /product /checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

Session(Source = Self Referral)

Google Analytics Home Reporting Custom1z atio11 Admin -Ad'min:istration

di stilled. net / http://www.distilled.net

PROPERTY

http://www.distilled.net

Ei) Property Settings

; ; ; Us er M anagem en1

.js Tracking Info

Tracking Code

Elata Collection

User-ID

Session Settings

Organic Search Sources

Referral Excl1Jsion List

Search Term Exclusion List

1 © These settings only vork with the analytics.js version of the trackingga.js, customize these settings to maich your previous configl1ration

Referral Exclusion List ., Exclude these domains from your referral traffic. Users arriving at your site vi,

+ ADD REFERRAL EXCLU&ON

Domain Name

disti 11 ed. net

/category /product /checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

Session(Source = Self Referral)

ZIii Google Ana[ytics Home Reporting Customization Admin

Administration

dist i l led.net/ http://www.distilled.net

PROPERTY

http:IJwww.distilled.net

BJ Property S etti r1gs

; ; : User Management

. js Tracking Info

Tracking Code

IJata Collection

User-ID

Session SettiRgs

Organic Search Sources

Referral Exclusion list

Search Term Exclusion List

Session Settings

TimeoUJt H andiin g 1

S,essi on ti m eout MINIMUM: 1 minute, MAXIMUM: 4 hours

Hours Minutes

0 .... 30 ..,.

Campaign timeout MAXIMUM: 24 monttis

Months Days

6 .... 0 ....

- Cancel

Hours

0 ....

Minutes

0 ....

/category /product /checkoutGoogle Google

Session(Source = Google)

Session(Source = Google)

/category /product /checkoutGoogle Paypal

Session(Source = Google)

Session(Source = Paypal)

Administration

d isU I led.net / http://www.d isti ed. ne

PROPERTY

ht tp: / /www.dist i l l ed. ne,t

Eil Property Settings

W User Management

• j s Tracking rnfo

Tracking Code

Data Collection

User-ID

Session Settings

Organic Search Sources

Refe;rra Exdusi.011 List

Search Term Exclusio11 List

I These settings only work with the analyt.ics.js version of the tracking oode. If you're using the gajs

© version, configure these settit1gs in your code. If you're transitioning to analytics.js from ga.js, customize these settings to match your previous configuration for data continuity.

Referral Exclusion L. st ?

Exclu.de these domains from your referral traffic. Users arriving at your site via any of these domains will not be count,ed as referral traffic in your reports .

+ ADD REFERRAL EXa.USION 0.. Search

Domain Name

distil I ed .net remove

paypal.com remove

Hidden Quirks:Attribution

/category /productGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

Session(Source = Google)

Direct2-weekholiday

Direct Other Channels

Other Channels

Direct

Ill Ill

.... .,

• ••• •••

Dashboards

Shortcuts

Intelligence Events

Real-Time

Audience

-t.. Acquisition

(i3 !3ehavior

� Conversions

� Goals

� Ecommerce

� Multi-Channel Funnels

� Attrioution

Model Comparison T ...

Hidden Quirks:Data Integrity

A couple of years ago, I decided to make a website

Acquisition S01:1rce I Medium 7

Sessions "

4,,399 % o f Total: 100_D0% (4,399)

1. (direct)/ (n.one) 1,226, (27.B7'!r.)

2, flo ating-share-buttons.com / referra I 735 (16.7Hr,)

3. google / organic 303 (6.89'l;)

4. guardlink_org / referral 215, {4.89'")

5.. trafflc2cash .xy.z / referral 191 {4.34'!r.)

6, adf.ly I referral 189 (4.304')

7, get-free-social-traffLc_com l referral 145 (3.304',)

8. s i mple-share-bmtons_com / referra I 133 (3.02.'\\.)

9. get-your-social-button.s.info / referral 11001 {2.27'!r.)

rn. www. event-tracki ng_com I referral l 76, (1.7l<Jr.)

Two easy ways to ruin GA data

● Measurement Protocol

● Using their tracking ID on some random pages on your

site

Ways this can be used against you:

● Competitors sabotaging your data

● Falsified data in pitches etc.

GA data integrity is non-existent

If you need to be sure, cross check with logs

https://www.distilled.net/resources/guide-to-log-analysis-with-big-query/

HiddenQuirks

MisleadingMetrics

Tips &Tricks

Misleading Metrics:Time on Page

GA: “The average amount of time users spent viewing a

specified page or screen, or set of pages or screens.”

Define Average Time on Page

“Average Time on Page” =

(“Time on Page”) / (Pageviews - Exits)

Define Average Time on Page

Scenario Intuitive Time on Page

Google Analytics Time on Page

0s: Pageview10s: Social plugin20s: Click through to next page

20s 20s

0s: Pageview10s: Social plugin20s: Leave site

20s 10s

0s: Pageview20s: Leave site

20s 0s

“Average Time on Page”= (“Time on Page”) / (Pageviews - Exits)“Average Time on Page”= (Total of 30s) / (3 Pageviews - 2 exits)

● Confusing prospective consultants in interviews

● Confusing conference attendees

● Seed for generating random numbers

Usefulness of Average Time on Page

Misleading Metrics:Bounce Rate & Exit Rate

Engagement Metrics

● Avg. Session Duration

● Avg. Time on Page

● Bounce Rate

● Pages/Session

● Exit Rate

● Social Interactions

● Scroll Depth

● Micro-Conversions (e.g. signup)

HiddenQuirks

MisleadingMetrics

Tips &Tricks

Tips & Tricks:Checkout as Landing Page

Transactions Landing Page Sessions Revenue ,I,

1,424,389 £2,746,956.04 52,035 'II. of Total: ._,ofTotal: 100.00'lb 'II.of Total:

100 OO'lb (£2.746,956.04) 100 oo, (52.035) (1,424,389)

1.

2. /basket @ 28,583 (2.01'11,) £168,123.61 (6.12') 2,700 (5.19')

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. /checkout @ 4,063 (029 ' ) £.29,491.12 (1.07'11,) 488 (0.94"1,)

8.

9.

10.

/category /checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

/product

Session(Source = Google)

/category /checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

/product

Session(Source = Paypal)

Paypal

/category sub.domain.com/checkoutGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

/product

Session(Source = Self Referral)

https://moz.com/blog/cross-domain-subdomain-tracking-in-google-analytics

Tips & Tricks:Landing Page (not set)

Landing Page

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. (not set)

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Acquisition

Sessions ,I, 'I(, New Sessions

80,282 '!(,ofTotal 100.0°'-

(80,282)

3,548 (4.42')

68.66% Avg for View 68.66'!(,

(0.0°'-)

1.89%

New Users

55,122 'lr. ofTotal: 100.0°'-

(55,122)

67 (0.12'11,)

Behavior

Bounce Rate

29.74% Avg for View 29.74'1r.

(0.0°'-)

0.00%

/category EventGoogle

Session(Source = Google)

/product

Session(Source = Google)

/category

Event

Google

Session(Source = Google)

/product

Session(Source = Google)

Analytics.js

Ga.js

Tips & Tricks:Sequences

Id Feet ____ aj_ C11noel Preview

Demographics

Technology

Behavior

Date of First Session

Traffic Sources

Enhanced Ecommerce

Advanced

Conditions

Sequences

Sequences Segment your users and/ortnerr sessions according to sequential conditions.

Filt.er Include .... Sessions .... Sequence start Any user interaction ....

S1i1EP1

?a.g,e .,.. exactly matches .... /checkout

is foUowed by .......

STIEP 2

contains .... /faq

Add step

+ Add Filter

' L - OR AND

,-1 - OR AND

Segment is visible in any View Change

Summary

0.03%, of users

Users 141

Sessions 141

0.02% of sessions

s.equences Pag.e: "/chedout· Page: cont a ins '/f:a q'

Discovered via Goog1le, ret1.1rned via email m - Cancel Preview

Demographics

Tecilnology

Behavior

Date of First Session

Traffic Sources

Enhanced Ecommerce

Advanced

Co11ditions

Sequences

Sequences Segment your users and/or their sessions according to sequential conditions.

Filt.er Include ,.. Users ,.. Sequenc,e start First user interaction ,..

STiEP1

S01.1rce I Medium contains ,.. Google

is followed by ... ,..

STE.P2

Source I Medium contains ,.. email

Add Step

r - OR AND

r - OR ANID

�,gmerrt is visible in any View Change

Summary

I

1.05% o f users

Users 4,402

Sessions 24 ,804

3.03% of sessions

Sequences Source/ Medium: comains 'Goo,gle" Source / Medium: comains ·em B ii"

Tips & Tricks:User Flow Reports

THE MOST POWERFUL BUTTON IN GOOGLE

ANALYTICS

StepO r-:-1 6.3K sessions, ffs

_, 1 • 6.JK

Step, 1 3 .4K sessions, drop-offs

i i /services/

i i JaboutJ

,, Define a pag,e group X

Match Type:j equals .... j

E x press ion: Nlame (optional): I

Apply I - - - , . c-=

Takeaways

We place insane trust in Google Analytics

Some of its definitions are arbitrary

You can’t always trust it

Some metrics are basically useless

Detailed Resources

● Sessions

● Self referrals

● Metrics

● Cross domain/subdomain tracking

● Log File Analysis

@THCapper

Thank You

@THCapper