Google Analytics Dashboard
You have likely already discovered that I’m a piece of an analytics nut. Not best do I use Google Analytics however I additionally use numerous alternatives. I test out analytics blogs and feature used custom dashboards and reviews.
The one factor I haven’t accomplished – till now – is create my very own dashboard. I determined it turned into time to address the elephant with inside the room – care to enroll in me?
Step 1: Getting Started
I logged into my Analytics account, however the minute I began out I hit a snag.
Google’s very own manual says to click on the house icon to get to the dashboard tool, however that didn’t manifest for me. Clicking the house icon gave me a top level view of the 3 websites I control through Google Analytics. Instead, I clicked at the call of the webpage I desired, then went to the ‘My Stuff’ phase with inside the menu at the left. The first sub-phase turned into dashboards and I turned into prepared to get began out. I’ve already were given pretty some dashboards, however I went to the lowest of that phase to click on the ‘new dashboard’ button.
Step 2: Choose Your Options
Next, I were given the choice of including a starter dashboard or beginning with a clean canvas.
I took the second one alternative however here’s how the primary one seems in case you pick to head for it.
Step 3: Your First Analytics Widget
A clean canvas stays clean till you upload a few widgets. Clicking the ‘clean canvas’ button takes you to the widget editor so that you can do this. There are numerous show alternatives to your widgets (metrics, pie charts, timelines, tables, geo maps and bar charts).
But so as to your widgets to be beneficial you need to upload a few information, so that’s what I did next.
Step 4: Dimensions and Metrics
The widget editor offers you the threat to feature dimensions and metrics. A lot of human beings get pressured approximately the distinction among dimensions and metrics (I understand I did at first) however Google’s very own explanation is quite clear. Dimensions describe your information at the same time as metrics degree it.
Here turned into my first attempt. I requested Google Analytics to create a pie chart searching in any respect new visits and locating out how a lot of them used a selected cellular tool to go to the web page. Adding the scale and metrics mechanically populated the widget call area, though I had the choice to extrude this if I desired. I may also hyperlink to outside sources (that’s what DashboardJunkie does) in the widget.
Step 5: Using Filters
Another manner to refine Google Analytics information is with filters. I attempted this with a pie chart so I ought to see which cellular gadgets human beings use whilst journeying my web page.
Pie charts could have among three and six slices. If I desired to head similarly and be greater unique approximately character makes and models, I’d must pick any other manner to show the information.
Step 6: Adding More Widgets
Once I’d brought my first widget, I used the ‘Add Widget’ hyperlink on the pinnacle of the dashboard to feature a few greater.
This again me to the widget editor. I turned into additionally glad to discover that even after developing a widget I ought to nevertheless edit it. All I needed to do turned into hover my mouse close to the pinnacle of the widget till a pencil icon appeared. This allowed me to extrude metrics, dimensions and the widget title.
Here’s an instance of my new dashboard populated with some of widgets. You can drag and drop widgets and rearrange them so you have the maximum critical information you need to screen on the pinnacle of your dashboard.
Step 7: Adding Reports
You can enhance your dashboard even similarly through including reviews. All you need to do is visit the document phase of your sidebar, open a document after which click on the hyperlink that asserts upload to dashboard.
Then pick out the dashboard you need to feature the statistics to and it’s going to convert the document into any other widget.
When I attempted it, I were given a caution that due to the constraints of the widget now no longer all of the document information could be converted, however I nevertheless were given some thing beneficial.
Step 8: Exporting and Sharing
Once you’re glad together along with your dashboard setup then there are numerous alternatives for doing greater with it. For instance, you may click on the ‘share’ button to get a hyperlink you may supply others so one can use this dashboard configuration of their very own Google Analytics accounts. Your information remains private.
If a person stocks a dashboard configuration with you, you may click on the edit button, see what information they used to configure the widget and use this as a start line for a brand new widget of your very own. I’ve accomplished this with more than one the widgets I’ve brought to different dashboards.
You also can export the information as a PDF for fast use or have it emailed on your inbox (or all and sundry else’s) at exact intervals.
Assessing the Process
Overall, I discovered the manner of making a custom Google Analytics dashboard very easy. According to Google you may presently create up to twenty dashboards (that’s great) with as much as 12 widgets each (probable a piece limiting).
While I assume the capacity to feature custom analytics dashboards is a killer feature, there’s nevertheless one factor on my want list: the capacity to tug and drop widgets among reviews and profiles so that you don’t must begin from scratch each time. At the moment, you need to use the percentage hyperlink to acquire this, which appears a touch clunky.
What’s your enjoy of making custom dashboards in Google Analytics?
If you would like to speak to an expert on Google Analytics don’t hesitate to get in touch with Mobloggy. Their friendly and professional team will be more than happy to help.