The SEO’s Guide to Google Analytics 5: Getting Used to New Features Part I

This is part one of three in a geeky Google Analytics version 5 series to help you get accustomed to the new Google Analytics and use the new neat reporting features to impress your clients and bosses.  In the next article, I will share my top 6 new features in Google Analytics version 5.  And in the final part of this series, we will get all super geek with your analytics by creating fancy SEO dashboards.  In this article, I’ll show you a few places you can look along to get used to the new layout and reporting features.

 

New Navigation (Top and Left):

The new analytics makes use of top and left navigation to help you get what you need quickly.

First and foremost, you’ll notice a new orange navigation bar with 3 menu items titled “home,” “standard reporting,” and “custom reporting.”  When you click on each tab you will get a new left-hand navigation menu.

Home

The home tab is going to provide you with links to access: real-time reports, intelligence events, and your dashboard(s) with all your pretty widgets.  Intelligence events were previously a beta feature of the older version of analytics.  This part of analytics gives you important breakthrough deltas in your metrics over time.

Standard Reporting

Most of the data and reports you were used to before can be found by clicking the “standard reporting” tab.  Here you will find things have been reorganized.  The nice thing about the current version of Google analytics is that if the restructured categories are giving you hassle, and you can’t find an old report, you can start typing in the search box above the left navigation and find your report that way.

 

Custom Reporting
Just like before, you can create your custom reports via the third top navigation option called “Custom Reporting.”  Your custom reports are now accessible here as opposed to on the middle left navigation in the old analytics.
If you recall, in the older analytics you could schedule your custom reports to be emailed to your client or whomever you report to.  This feature has been temporarily disabled, and no other reports you have set up to be emailed will go out after the end of January 2012.   But I read on the Google Analytics blog, that they will be bringing this feature back within the next several weeks, as this is a top priority.
On a brighter note, you can add custom reports as a widget on any of your dashboards.  Additionally as cool is that the widgets on your dashboard will link back to your full report if you click on the icon to the left of the gear icon (marked by the blue arrow).

So Where Have Sections/Reports Moved?

Some sections and reports have been renamed, so the easy “start typing your report name in the search and have it auto-populate,” will not work!  For instance, the old visitors section is now called the “Audience” section (blue). And the old “map overlay” report is now called the “location” report.  Similarly, the “browser capabilities” report is now found under “technology” (though you can find this one when you start typing in the search feature).  So certain things are just organized under new sub-headings.
If you have a question on where your old report is, ask by commenting below, and I’ll find it for you.

 

AdWords Metrics

AdWords reports are now included in the new Google Analytics’ “Advertising” area on the left hand navigation under “standard reports.”  There are a few additional reports in here as well that were not previously available for your AdWords campaigns.  They are worth going through.

Ecommerce

You’ll see that your ecommerce and goals are combined in one section called “conversions.”  Additionally, the new “multi-channel funnels” feature in Google Analytics is here as well.

What about Keyword Reports?

 

There are several ways to get keyword reports in Google Analytics version 5. For one, you’ll need to drill down a bit more than you might be used to (though you can take the shortcut and get to whichever report you need by typing your report in the search bar at the top left).

The keyword report you were accustomed to in the older version of analytics can now be found under Traffic Sources -> Sources -> Search -> Organic and is called the Organic Search Traffic report.

You can also access other keyword reports that incorporate Google Webmaster Tools keyword data in them!  Now you don’t need to go to two places as long as you integrate your Webmaster tools account.  You should see data from around mid October 2011 onwards; this is around the time this feature was implemented.

Once you’ve integrated your Webmaster Account, you’ll find this keyword report under Traffic Sources -> Search Engine Optimization -> Queries. Here, you’ll see information on impressions, clicks, average position, and Click Through Rate.   Geekier reporting tips to come in part 3 of this series.

SEO Geek Tip

 

 

To see which of your keywords are ranking pages 1 and 2 and which content ranks (your low hanging fruit) add a filter to this report to include all results with an “Average Position” of less than 21.  First click on “advanced” and then add your filter.  Click the “apply” button, and then you will see your top 20 ranking keywords/content during any given month.
Previous to 1/25/12, you would get an average position, but Google Analytics just announced that this will now reflect the first position your content ranks at any given time (so the filter above might be modified to position vs. average position).

Note – Something neat is you can now see a summary of organic visitors by geographical location as well as the impressions, clicks, and click through rate information from Google Webmaster Tools.

How to Edit Your Google Analytics Settings:

Instead of having your “analytics settings” at the top left, you now will see a graphic that looks like a bolt, which is where you can customize your Google Analytics account settings.