Significant Google Analytics Segmentation Enhancements

By June Li

It’s been a great eMetrics Marketing Optimization Summit in Washington D.C. with mind-expanding sessions and wonderfully open conversations.

But I have to say that Google’s announcement today was monumental.

Google Analytics evangelist Avinash Kaushik excitedly unveiled six new capabilities in Google Analytics, “Raising the Bar” as he said, yet again. His excitement was well justified.

The significant upgrades include:

1. New login interface that allows comparisons of all accounts
2. New “motion charts” that allow the correlation of multiple metrics in more than 2 dimensions, with a slidebar, facilitating dynamic analysis.
3. Adsense data now available in Google Analytics
4. Custom reporting, with a report builder and the ability to store different reports for different manager levels, as you desire
5. Advanced visitor segmentation
6. The Google Analytics API - export data to databases or to create your own custom dashboards

All these capabilities are available now. More details on the Google Analytics Blog, including demos (thank you, Jeff).

As those in my WAA BaseCamp session on Monday and eMetrics session yesterday have probably noted, segmentation was, in my opinion, one of the major deficiencies in Google that would cause most enterprises serious about web analytics to outgrow Google Analytics in 12-18 months. This barrier may have now been overcome.

Thank you Avinash for creating your “list”, pushing for the changes, and to the Google Analytics development team for taking this live.

Comments

[Kathryn Lagden]

I'm looking forward to taking those motion charts for a spin. I saw a video demonstration and I think they will really help us get a better understanding of keyword data (among other things).

Thanks June - look forward to hearing more from your sessions in Washington!

[Kathryn Lagden]

I'm looking forward to taking those motion charts for a spin. I saw a video demonstration and I think they will really help us get a better understanding of keyword data (among other things).

Thanks June - look forward to hearing more from your sessions in Washington!

[Kathryn Lagden]

I'm looking forward to taking those motion charts for a spin. I saw a video demonstration and I think they will really help us get a better understanding of keyword data (among other things).

Thanks June - look forward to hearing more from your sessions in Washington!

[June Li]

Hi Kathryn,
Just got back from eMetrics late last night. Will definitely post.

BTW, the new Google features aren't in everyone's profile yet. They'll be rolled out progressively soon.

~June

[TraiaN]

Hi June Li,

Advanced segmentation was a missing feature of Google Analytics. All other enterprise analytics tool were offering it, but now Google is giving it free. You can now dissect data much easier (segmentation was possible even before in GA, with custom filters and profiles, but now it is much easier). I am planning to create a series for segments idea. The first segment we have described on Google Analytics Segmentation page is called keywords with conversions. Please have a look - www.pitstopmedia.com/sem/google-analytics-advanced-segmentation-ideas

Feel free to visit our blog and if you have any ideas on what segments could be useful, leave a comment and we will try to write a post on that one.