Useful Tools and Resources from Google

1. Google Analytics Demo Account

If you want to experiment with Google Analytics features but you do not have a website with Google Analytics on it, or you don’t have all the features enabled, you can use the Google Analytics Demo account. The Google Analytics Demo account is a fully functional Google Analytics account with data from the Google Merchandise Store that any Google user can access.

https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/demoAccount

2. Google Analytics Academy

Get started with free online courses from Google Analytics Academy. Analytics Academy covers everything, from how to set your Google Analytics account and basic reports to the most advanced staff like Google Tag Manager.

https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/

3. Google Data Studio

Build your custom reports and dashboards free and very easy with Google Data Studio. Put all your data into one visual and interactive report or dashboard, which is easy to read and share.

https://www.google.com/analytics/data-studio

4. Analytics 360 Suite

If your company website has a significant amount of traffic and you are suffering from sampling in Google Analytics, then you can turn to Analytics 360 Suite. Analytics 360 is a paid measurement solution for enterprises that combines analytics, tagging, site optimization, data visualization, market research, attribution, and audience management.

https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics-360/

5. Google Tag Manager

With Google Tag Manager (GTM) you can keep all your website tags in one place and keep your source code clean as you have to add only one tracking code (called the container tag) on your website. Add new tags and create event tracking and conversion tracking with just a few clicks through GTM. One of the major benefits of using GTM is that you can test everything and ensure it is working properly in preview mode before it goes live.

https://tagmanager.google.com/

6. Google Optimize

Google Optimize is a free optimization tool from Google that allows you to test and experiment different variations of your website and then deliver a personalized experience that works best for each user.

https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/optimize/

7. Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor and maintain your site’s presence in Google Search results. GSC can help you better understand how your site is viewed by the search engine and give you tools to optimise your visibility in the search results.

https://search.google.com/search-console/about

        8. Google Campaign URL builder 

Google Campaign URL builder is a free tool that allows you to easily add campaign parameters to your URLs so you can track custom campaigns in Google Analytics.

https://ga-dev-tools.appspot.com/campaign-url-builder/ 

Who to follow on Twitter

• Justin Cutroni (@justincutroni)
• Avinash Kaushik (@avinash)
• Jeff Sauer (@jeffsauer)
• Tim Wilson (@tgwilson)
• Yehoshua Coren (@AnalyticsNinja)
• Kissmetrics (@Kissmetrics)

Keep up to date – hashtags

• #googleanalytics
• #analytics
• #measure

Useful websites for further reading

• Justin Cutroni – cutroni.com
• Avinash Kaushik – kaushik.net/avinash
• Daniel Waisberg – online-behavior.com
• Krista Seiden – kristaseiden.com

Coding Resources
For further help on coding, visit www.codecademy.com
LunaMetrics guide to regular expressions: www.lunametrics.com/regex-book/Regular-Expressions-Google-Analytics.pdf

Here is the link to the presentation Getting the most out of your Google Analytics Data by Julia Papageorgiou.

Many times, we come across a Google Analytics set up, where the account has been set up as a new profile under an existing Google Analytics account which also includes other websites, normally set up by either a website developer or an agency. We know this by checking in the source code, where very often we see a tracking code number ‘UA-6XXXXX1-35’which indicates you are profile number 35 on this analytics account.

Best practices with Google Analytics means that each website should have a completely NEW account, rather than a new profile, and that ownership and administration of this entire analytics account should be with you, the client, not the developer or any agency. This is important as it ensures that you own your website data – something which is essential if you ever need to change developer or agency for example but also more importantly, in order to allow you access to administrator features of Analytics. If you are set up as a profile, you will probably only have read-only user access.

If you are granted administrator access on a profile under their main account, this means that you will be able to see ALL profiles under the main analytics account, including other websites, rather than your website’s data only. Clearly this raises confidentiality issues so this is unlikely to be done, and it is, then you should be worried – as if you can see other website’s data, then they can probably see yours too!

Some of the features which you cannot access without Administrator Access on Google Analytics include:

• Connecting your account with Google Adwords for reporting cost data directly into analytics
• Connecting with Google Webmaster Tools for better reporting on SEO issues such as SEO queries, rankings
• Ability to add more users to view your analytics reports
And most important of all….
• Setting up goals for tracking conversions

Google Analytics goals can help you to track any enquiries or sales received via forms submitted on your site, or received on email. This allows you to better understand which marketing channels and activities are delivering results.
By configuring goals in your analytics, you will know which email newsletters, ads and campaigns bring direct results in terms of new business, additional leads, enquiries and also revenue, directly in Google Analytics. Before you carry out any SEO, PPC, social media or paid advertising techniques, we feel it’s very important that goals are configured on your site in order to measure and evaluate the results of the actions you take.

So, to sum up: We would strongly recommend that you ensure that you have your own analytics account for your website as opposed to a new profile on an existing account and always, always ensure that you have full Administrator level access. So that your website data is owned by YOU.