The Ultimate Guide to Google Analytics in 2021
Posted: Sun Dec 15, 2024 6:58 am
Does Google Analytics (GA) confuse and intimidate you?
Good news: you're not alone, GA is really complicated.
In fact, when I first started dipping my toes into the GA waters, I wondered if I would ever get it right. There were so many concepts to learn and reports to run.
With a lot of reading and some trial and error it can be achieved.
I'm not saying I've reached total mastery, there's always something new to country b2b b2c email list learn, but I'm feeling a lot more comfortable and I want you to be too. So, here's the cheat sheet of everything I've learned over the years. This guide may be long, but it will take you from beginner to pro in about 6000 words.
4-steps-analytics
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics , or GA, is an analytics tool that gives you extremely deep insight into the performance of your website and/or app. It integrates with Google’s marketing and advertising platforms and products (including Google Ads, Search Console, and Data Studio), making it a popular choice for anyone who uses multiple Google tools.
Should I use Google Analytics?
If you want a lot of data and have the time and ability to analyze and act on it, GA is a great choice. However, GA takes time to set up, learn, implement, maintain, and use.
Other marketing analytics options , like HubSpot , can give you all the data you need with much less work.
Is Google Analytics free?
There is a free and paid version of GA (the latter is called Analytics 360). Small and medium-sized businesses will likely get all the features they need from the free version. Businesses should pay for an account if they need:
Advanced funnel reporting and attribution models.
Cumulative reports.
More views, dimensions, and metrics per property.
Unlimited, unsampled data.
Paying for 360 also gives you access to dedicated support, including your own account manager. This feature can make the subscription fee worth it.
And what about that subscription fee? It's not cheap. Analytics 360 starts at $150,000 per year (billed monthly) and increases after your site receives more than 1 billion monthly visits.
The cost of 360 will affect many businesses. However, if you have the budget for the service and an agency or in-house analyst to manage your analytics operations, consider investing.
Now, what steps will you need to follow when setting up GA? Good question.
Good news: you're not alone, GA is really complicated.
In fact, when I first started dipping my toes into the GA waters, I wondered if I would ever get it right. There were so many concepts to learn and reports to run.
With a lot of reading and some trial and error it can be achieved.
I'm not saying I've reached total mastery, there's always something new to country b2b b2c email list learn, but I'm feeling a lot more comfortable and I want you to be too. So, here's the cheat sheet of everything I've learned over the years. This guide may be long, but it will take you from beginner to pro in about 6000 words.
4-steps-analytics
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics , or GA, is an analytics tool that gives you extremely deep insight into the performance of your website and/or app. It integrates with Google’s marketing and advertising platforms and products (including Google Ads, Search Console, and Data Studio), making it a popular choice for anyone who uses multiple Google tools.
Should I use Google Analytics?
If you want a lot of data and have the time and ability to analyze and act on it, GA is a great choice. However, GA takes time to set up, learn, implement, maintain, and use.
Other marketing analytics options , like HubSpot , can give you all the data you need with much less work.
Is Google Analytics free?
There is a free and paid version of GA (the latter is called Analytics 360). Small and medium-sized businesses will likely get all the features they need from the free version. Businesses should pay for an account if they need:
Advanced funnel reporting and attribution models.
Cumulative reports.
More views, dimensions, and metrics per property.
Unlimited, unsampled data.
Paying for 360 also gives you access to dedicated support, including your own account manager. This feature can make the subscription fee worth it.
And what about that subscription fee? It's not cheap. Analytics 360 starts at $150,000 per year (billed monthly) and increases after your site receives more than 1 billion monthly visits.
The cost of 360 will affect many businesses. However, if you have the budget for the service and an agency or in-house analyst to manage your analytics operations, consider investing.
Now, what steps will you need to follow when setting up GA? Good question.