Essential metrics in Google Analytics

Google Analytics is an essential tool for any digital marketing strategy. According to a W3Techs survey, more than 85% of websites that use web analytics tools employ Google Analytics.

This platform provides valuable data on user behavior on your website, allowing you to make informed decisions to improve your strategy and increase conversions.

What are the key metrics in Google Analytics?

To get the most out of Google Analytics, it's essential to understand the key metrics that this tool offers. Here are some of the most important metrics:

1. Users and new users

• Users : Total number of visitors who access your website.
• New Users : Number of visitors accessing your site for the first time.

2. Sessions

A session refers to the set of interactions a user performs on your website in a specific period. This metric is crucial to understanding the overall activity on your site.

3. Page views and pages per session

• Pageviews : Total number of pages visited.
• Pages per session : Average number of pages a user visits during a session.

4. Average session duration

This metric indicates the average amount of time users spend on your site during a session. A long time can suggest that the content is relevant and engaging.

5. Bounce rate

Bounce rate is the percentage of users who leave your site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate may indicate issues with site usability or poorly relevant content.

How to use acquisition metrics in Google Analytics?

Acquisition metrics help you understand how users reach your website. These metrics are essential for evaluating the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

1. Traffic channels

Google Analytics divides traffic into several channels, including:

• Organic : Visitors who arrive through search engines .
• Direct : Visitors who enter the URL directly into their browser.
• Referrals : Visitors who arrive through links on other websites.
• Social : Visitors who come from social networks .

2. Campaigns

This metric allows you to track the performance of your specific marketing campaigns, such as Google Ads or email campaigns .

What are behavioral metrics and how do you interpret them?

Behavioral metrics provide insight into how users interact with your website. Understanding these metrics is key to improving user experience.

1. Landing pages and exit pages

• Landing Pages : Pages where users first enter your site.
• Exit Pages : Pages from which users leave your site.

2. Events

Events track specific interactions on your site, such as button clicks, file downloads, or video plays. Setting up custom events can provide detailed insight into user behavior.

Why are conversion metrics important?

Conversion metrics help you measure the success of your business goals. These metrics are essential for evaluating your website’s performance in terms of generating sales, signups, or other valuable actions.

1. Objectives

Set up goals in Google Analytics to track specific actions you want users to take, such as filling out a contact form or making a purchase.

2. Conversion rate

Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who complete a goal. This metric is crucial to understanding the effectiveness of your website and marketing campaigns .

How to interpret audience metrics in Google Analytics?

Audience metrics provide detailed insights into the characteristics of your website visitors. This data can help you tailor your content and marketing strategies to your audience's needs and preferences .

1. Demographics and interests

Google Analytics provides data on the age, gender, and interests of your visitors. This information is valuable for segmenting your audience and personalizing your campaigns.

2. Devices

Understanding which devices your users access your site from (desktops, mobile, tablets) allows you to optimize design and functionality to improve user experience.

How to use custom reports in Google Analytics?

Custom reports allow you to create specific views of data that are most relevant to your business objectives.

By customizing reports, you can focus on the metrics that really matter and gain deeper insights.

Steps to create a custom report

1. Access the custom reports section : In Google Analytics, go to the "Customization" section and select "Custom Reports."
2. Define metrics and dimensions : Select the metrics (quantitative data) and dimensions (data categories) you want to include in your report.
3. Set filters : Apply filters to include or exclude specific data based on your needs.
4. Save and view report : Save your custom report and access it at any time to analyze the data.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After leading several digital businesses and advising several other businesses, I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.