Slide #8
Metrics and Dimensions in Google Analytics Here is how the basic report structure works in Google Analytics: A metric is defined as a numerical measure of the user interaction on your website. Metrics have the following characteristics: Metrics will always be expressed in the form of a number. Metrics are standalone entities. When you look at a metric in a standalone fashion it provides you with information about the site-wide performance.
Metrics will form the columns of a report structure in Google Analytics. Some of the common metrics you will find in Google Analytics are visits, pageviews, bounce rate, etc. Dimensions, on the other hand, have the following characteristics:
- Dimensions are non-numerical data fields.
- Unlike metrics, dimensions are not standalone entities, i.e., dimensions are not generally meaningful when viewed individually.
- Dimensions, when coupled with metrics, provide meaningful context to the data.
- Dimensions can be used to segment a metric.
Slide #12
What is goal? A goal can be any activity on your website that is important to the success of your business. For simplicity, a web page which displays a confirmation for submitting an order could act as a goal. Each time a visitor meets a particular criteria, a goal is recorded. During a single session, a goal can only be counted once.
Slide #13
Just after the birth of the Internet, IT technicians started maintaining server logs. The server log files store information about parameters such as: -The IP address of the visitor. -The browser identifier. -The operating system identifier. -The referrer (website from which the request originated). -People began developing scripts to extract relevant data from the server log files in order to compile useful information. In this way, web analytics came to life. -Unlike web reporting, web analytics is actionable. Web analytics helps in making informed decisions about changing your online strategy.