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      Google Analytics Terms

      Need some tips on understanding your Google Analytics report? See some helpful insights and definitions below.

      97Display now offers a Google Analytics Report, available through the 97 Portal! The Report is full of information about the users visiting your website, including what city they are searching from and what page of your website is the most popular with users. Below we define each of the terms found on your Google Analytics Report so that you can understand all the presented data.

      KEY TERMS & DEFINITIONS

      • Key Metrics - a metric is a quantitative measurement, such as an average, ratio, percentage, and so on. It’s always a number as opposed to text. You can apply mathematical operations to metrics. Within this report, we focus on the essential metrics that offer valuable insights into user behavior and how traffic is acquired on your website.
      • User - a person who interacts with an app or site whose activities you measure with Google Analytics.
      • Total Users - the total amount of users (visitors) that interact with your website in a given time period.
      • New Users - the number of users (visitors) that are interacting with your website for the very first time in a given time period.
      • Session - a group of user interactions with your website that take place within a given time frame. In Google Analytics, a session initiates when a user either opens your website in the foreground or views a page or screen. By default, a session ends (times out) after 30 minutes of user inactivity. There is no limit to how long a session can last.
      • Event per Session - an event allows you to measure a specific interaction or occurrence on your website. For example, an event can be measured when someone loads a page, clicks a link, or completes a purchase. The number of events per session denotes how many times users on average interact with your website.
      • Average Session Duration - the average amount of time that a user spends on your website during a session.
      • Average Engagement Rate - Engagement rate is the percentage of engaged sessions on your website. To be considered an engaged session, it must last longer than 10 seconds, have a conversion event (such as) or have at least 2 pageviews (meaning the visitor looks at more than one page, for example, your homepage and then your blogs).

      USER ACQUISITION

      In a Google Analytics report, channels group website traffic based on how users found your site. Here's what each channel signifies:

      • Direct: This channel represents users who typed your website address directly into their browser bar or accessed your site through bookmarks. There's no referral information associated with this channel.
      • Organic Search: This channel encompasses traffic coming from search engines like Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo when users land on your site through unpaid search results.
      • Organic Social: This channel specifically refers to traffic arriving from social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, but through organic means (e.g., someone sharing your content on their page and others clicking through). There are no paid promotions involved.
      • Paid Search: This channel specifically refers to traffic coming from paid search engine ads. Users clicked on your ad displayed on a search engine results page (SERP) and landed on your site.
      • Paid Social: This channel wouldn't be directly reflected in Google Analytics as a default category, but it represents website traffic driven by paid advertising on social media platforms. When users click on your sponsored posts, social media ads, or influencer collaborations, and reach your site, that traffic wouldn't be categorized under the standard organic social channel.
      • Referral: This channel captures traffic from other websites that link to yours. When someone clicks a link from another site and reaches yours, that visit gets categorized under Referral.
      • Unassigned: This channel includes sessions where Google Analytics couldn't classify the traffic source due to missing or invalid data. It might be because the user disabled cookies, or the source information wasn't properly captured.

      AUDIENCE & USER BEHAVIOR

      This section breaks down the behavior of the visitors to your website, such as the pages they’re most commonly visiting and the devices they’re using to access the site.

      New vs. Returning Users

      In a Google Analytics report, new and returning users are categorized based on how they've interacted with your website in the past:

      • New Users: These are users who have never visited your website before within the specified date range of your report. Google Analytics identifies them through cookies or unique device identifiers.

      • Returning Users: These are users who have visited your website at least once before, regardless of how much time has passed since their last visit. They'll be counted as returning users as long as they fall within the date range of your report.

      Where Are Users Visiting My Website From?

      Google Analytics employs a combination of methods to estimate the location of visitors to your website, but it's important to understand that it doesn't pinpoint the exact physical address. Here's a breakdown of the techniques used:

      • IP Address: Google Analytics primarily relies on the visitor's IP address to estimate their location. IP addresses are assigned geographically, so based on the IP address range, Google Analytics can infer the visitor's general location (city, region, country).
      • Geolocation Databases: Google Analytics maintains databases that map IP address ranges to geographical locations. These databases are constantly updated to improve accuracy.
      • User Location Sharing: If a user has enabled location sharing on their device or browser, Google Analytics might leverage that information for a more precise location estimate. However, this relies on user consent and isn't always available.

      Limitations to Consider:

      • IP Address Accuracy: IP addresses aren't foolproof for location tracking. They can sometimes be misleading, especially for mobile users who might be using cellular networks with dynamic IP allocation.
      • Privacy Regulations: Stricter privacy regulations around the world have limited Google Analytics' ability to collect and store user location data. This can impact the accuracy of location reporting.

      Events

      There are several types of events or actions that Google Analytics will track on your website. The most common types of events include:

      • page_view: each time the page loads or the browser history state is changed by the active site
      • session_start: when a user engages the website
      • first_visit: the first time a user visits a website
      • user_engagement: when the webpage is in focus for at least one second
      • scroll: the first time a user reaches the bottom of each page 
      • form_submit: when the user submits a form

      Source: About Events - Google Support

      FAQ

      1. How do I know if my website is performing well?

        1. There's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as a website's performance depends on your specific goals. However, Google Analytics offers a wealth of data points to help you assess your website's health. Here are some key metrics to consider:

          • Traffic: Track overall user numbers (Sessions) and see if they're trending upwards. Look at channels like Organic Search and Referral to understand how users are finding your site.
          • Engagement: Are users staying on your site for a decent amount of time (Average Session Duration)? Are they visiting multiple pages (Pages per Session)? A low bounce rate (percentage of visitors leaving after just one page) indicates users are finding what they need.
          • Conversions: Are visitors taking the desired actions on your site, such as making purchases, signing up for forms, or downloading content? Conversion rates will vary depending on your goals, but tracking them helps measure success. You can calculate conversion rate by dividing the total number of leads in a set time period by the number of total users in a set time period.

          By analyzing these metrics and setting benchmarks, you can identify areas for improvement and track progress over time. Google Analytics also offers features like Goal setting and Custom Reports to tailor your analysis to your specific needs.

      2. Can I speak with someone about these analytics?
        1. Of course! Our team of experts at 97Display is dedicated to helping you optimize your marketing strategies and achieve your goals. Whether you have questions about interpreting your Google Analytics Report or need guidance on improving your website performance, we are here to assist you every step of the way. Feel free to reach out to us at support@97display.com to schedule a consultation!