Google Analytics Customized Reports

Overview of Custom Reports in Analytics

Objective: In this module, you'll learn about custom reports. Custom reports allow you to create reports that show exactly the information you want to see, organized in the way you want to see it.

Designing a Custom Report in Analytics

When creating a custom report, think of a table. Dimensions are the rows of the table and metrics are the columns in the table. For example, if a report has two dimensions (source and keyword) in green and four metrics (pageviews, bounces, visits and revenue) in blue, then it will show pageviews, bounces, visits, and revenue for each source and keyword.

Building a Custom Report in Analytics

To get started, click on the Custom Reporting menu on the left hand side nevigation to get started. Once you're on the Custom Reporting Overview page, follow these steps:

1. Click 'Create new custom report.'
2. To name your report, just click on the title field, enter a report name and click 'Apply.' Make your name simple and easy to identify so that you'll be able to quickly find it in a list. You can also provide a name for the report tab. This is particularly useful if you add multiple tabs to your report.
3. The next step is to select the metrics and dimensions you want. Use the search box to find metrics and dimensions. You can also click a menu item to expand it and browse all of the available metrics or dimensions. To add a metric or dimension to the report, simply drag and drop it into the table.
4. You can add up to 5 dimensions for each custom report - one top-level dimension, and up to four sub-dimensions. The sub-dimensions allow a user to drill down to more detailed data. Some combinations of metrics and dimensions aren't allowed. If you see a metric or dimension greyed out, it's because the combination isn't available.
5. Once you have finished adding your metrics and dimensions, you can preview the report. Your preview will appear in a new window.
6. Click 'Create Report' to finish.

Viewing a Custom Report in Analytics

You'll see the new report listed under the Custom Reporting menu. Now that the report has been saved, you can access it anytime. In our example custom report, we can click any of the sources to see the keywords for that source. If one of the sources is 'google' and you click on it, you can compare the search keyword performance for the Google search engine.

Best Practices for Google Analytics Reports

Best Practices for Analytics Reports

• Create context for your data
• Look for trends
• Wait 24 hours after installing your Google Analytics Tracking Code before looking for the data in your reports