5 Google Analytics Reports that Saved My Ass (and 1 that nearly kicked it)

5 REPORTS THAT SAVED MY ASS AND 1 THAT NEARLY KICKED IT

Ian Lurie @portentint ian@portent.com

portent.co/5savers

Yes, like this, no ‘m’.

NAMES CHANGED NUMBERS FUDGED

NAMES CHANGED NUMBERS FUDGED

I HAVE NO CLUE

IAN’S 4 LAWS OF ANALYSIS

THERE IS NO BAD DATA. ONLY BAD ANALYSIS.

DON’T MEMORIZE KNOW WHAT’S POSSIBLE

omg ian i can't remember all

this!!!

ANALYTICS ≠ REPORTS

ALL ANALYTICS CLARIFY RESULTS AFFECT ACTION

IF IT DOESN’T BAD THINGS HAPPEN

C.R.I.

5 REPORTS THAT AFFECT ACTION

(AND THEIR STORIES)

CHAPTER 1 THE ANALYSIS PARALYSIS WHIRLPOOL OF DEATH

help...

help...

VISITS UNIQUE VISITORS VISITORS PAGEVIEWS SEARCHES REFERRERS TIME ON SITE AVG PAGEVIEWS/VISIT BOUNCE RATE EXIT RATE ENTRANCES LANDING PAGES KEYWORDS CAMPAIGNS AD GROUPS DOWNLOAD TIME LOAD TIME OS PLATFORM FUNNELS NEW VISITS RETURN VISITS CITY STATE BROWSER PLUGINS

TOO MANY METRICS. NOT ENOUGH ANALYSIS.

“I’M GOING TO HOLD OFF UNTIL THIS ALL MAKES SENSE.”

PROBLEM LACK OF CLARITY =

C.R.I.

SOLUTION CUSTOM DASHBOARDS

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

DRAG

CLICK

RESULTS CLARIFIED

WE MOST CARE ABOUT THIS

RESULTS CLARIFIED

WE MOST CARE ABOUT THIS

WE CARE ABOUT THIS

A MORE SOPHISTICATED AUDIENCE WANTS MORE STUFF

WHY I LOVE IT DASHBOARDS BRING CLARITY

LOTS OUT THERE

CHAPTER 2 THE CONTENT DENIERS

everything looks fine from here. i don't see

any content problems.

1 BIG LIST 290,000 PAGEVIEWS

OMG MORE MORE MORE LISTS LISTS LISTS!!

1 BIG LIST 290,000 PAGEVIEWS

11 CONVERSIONS

160,000 UNIQUES 290,000 PAGEVIEWS

100 WAYS 1000 WAYS 10000 WAYS 100000 WAYS 1000000 WAYS 10000000 WAYS 1 * 10^10000 WAYS

PROBLEM LACK OF CLARITY = BAD DECISION MAKING

SOLUTION CUSTOM REPORTS + AVINASH KAUSHIK + ADVANCED FILTERS

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

TA-DA!

ADD ADVANCED FILTER

CLICK

ADD ADVANCED FILTER

CLICK

GREAT PAGEVIEWS. BAD CONVERSIONS.

WHY I LOVE IT CUSTOM REPORTS BRING CLARITY AND DIRECT NEXT ACTIONS

Eggs Milk Butter Ostrich Chicken Duck Goose Platypus

Large Small Angry Friendly Perry

Disguised Not disguised Fake Curse you

CHAPTER 3 THE MENUS ARE GONNA EXPLODE!!!!!

Drop downs go bye-bye

WE NEED THE DORP DOWNZ!!!!!!

Eggs Milk Butter

Eggs Milk Butter Ostrich Chicken Duck Goose Platypus

Yak Cow Wildebeest Giraffe of Magnesia -y substances

Eggs Milk Butter Ostrich Chicken Duck Goose Platypus

Large Small Angry Friendly Perry

Eggs Milk Butter Ostrich Chicken Duck Goose Platypus

Large Small Angry Friendly Perry

Disguised Not disguised Fake Curse you

MENU = 162 LINKS 1,600 LINES OF CODE 1-SECOND RENDER TIME TOTAL USER CONFUSION

Eggs Milk Butter Ostrich Chicken Duck Goose Platypus

Large Small Angry Friendly Perry

Disguised Not disguised Fake Curse you

No drop downs

Drop downs

SORRY, I’M REALLY ‘VISUAL’ -- NAMELESS CLIENT

PROBLEM

C.R.I.

SOLUTION DATE RANGE COMPARE

CLICK

No drop downs

Drop downs

BUT WHERE’S THE PROOF? THE COUSIN’S MOTHER’S BROTHER’S FATHER’S FRIEND FROM THE COFFEE SHOP SAID HE READ IN AN AIRLINE MAGAZINE THAT DROP DOWNS ARE IMPORTANT AND GENERATE MORE REVENUE. HE’D KNOW, SINCE HE RUNS HIS OWN BUSINESS AND BUILT HIS OWN WEB SITE USING DREAMWEAVER.

-- MS. ‘VISUAL’

ALAS

WHY I LOVE IT DATE RANGE COMPARISON EMPHASIZES CHANGE, WITH SEASONALITY

CHAPTER 4 LAST. CLICK. ONLY.

STOLEN FROM THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER BY PARAMOUNT PICTURES OH GOD PLEASE DON’T SUE ME

SOCIAL MEDIA IS JUST GETTING US FOLLOWERS. IT’S NOT HELPING US.

-- NAMELESS CLIENT

YEAH, BUT THAT’S NOT SALES.

-- NAMELESS CLIENT

PROBLEM LACK OF ATTRIBUTION = WRONG ACTION

SOLUTION RESEARCH + ASSISTS

google.com/think/tools/customer-journey-to-online-purchase.html

CLICK

CLICK

LONG TAIL

LOOK AT THE WHOLE LIST!!!!

10% OF CONVERSIONS ASSISTED BY SOCIAL

KEEP THE ADS

WHY I LOVE IT ASSIST ATTRIBUTION CLARIFIES SUCCESSES PREVENTS ‘OVER PRUNING’

CHAPTER 5 THE CPA ICEBERG

our cost per acquisition is great!

IS THE ADWORDS CPA REALLY OK?

CLICK

CLICK

WOO HOO!

PROBLEM SHALLOW ANALYSIS HIDES POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

SOLUTION ADVANCED SEGMENTS

CLICK

CLICK

CLICK

ALSO

DOH

SEGMENTING CONVERSION DATA FINDS HUMUNGOUS MONEY-WASTERS

BONUS ROUND

WELL, I'M DELIGHTED

PIVOT TABLES

MEH

CLICK

OOOOOH

ATTRIBUTION MODELING

IF YOU GOT IT, CLICK IT

PURE AWESOMENESS

NEVER EVER USE

NO CLICK!!!!!

BUH?

how does that equal 100%?

WHY I HATES IT DOESN’T ADD UP HARD TO INTERPRET JUST PLAIN WRONG 100% C.R.I. GENERATOR

IAN’S 4 LAWS OF ANALYSIS

THERE IS NO BAD DATA. ONLY BAD ANALYSIS.

DON’T MEMORIZE KNOW WHAT’S POSSIBLE

i'm chill

ANALYTICS ≠ REPORTS

ALL ANALYTICS CLARIFY RESULTS AFFECT ACTION

DON’T LET C.R.I. HAPPEN TO YOU.

@PORTENTINT IAN@PORTENT.COM

PORTENT.CO/5savers

THROW MONEY