Google Analytics Redesign = Simplicity
I logged into Google Analytics this afternoon and was greeted with a notice at the top of my screen telling me about the new format for the reports. When I clicked into one of my reports, I saw it was completely re-designed. I like what they’ve done with it.
I have used Google Analytics for some time now. Its very popular among site owners because (1) it is a great analytics package and (2) it is free. There are some other notable analytics packages out there, but you might be surprised just how much loot you can throw into analytics. It absolutely floors me sometimes. For example, ClickTracks is a solution often recommended. I would love to give it a try, but come on! The pricing STARTS at $79/month, but for the kind of traffic I do collectively, it would run me $400-$500 monthly. If you use the more advanced packages, you can easily sink thousands into it. No thanks, Clicktracks.
Analytics is great, but I have found a few things about it tedious. For example, in the previous interface, I found it tedious to get good reporting on what keywords were bringing in the traffic. In the new interface, you click on “Traffic Sources” and the top 5 keywords are right on that page! Click on “view full report” and all the data is right there for you. I also like how they have put a one month traffic graph at the top of the screen. Its not real high, so it doesn’t take up the entire screen. However, a monthly graph tells you more about the trend of your traffic than the one-week range which was default in the prior interface.
The keyword here is simplicity. I am impressed with how Google has simplified the reporting interface for Analytics. The key stats are spelled out right there for you with little mini-graphs next to each. The report categories on the left are much more clear. I still get little “weirdisms” I haven’t figured out, such as the site overlay map showing wildly inaccurate click numbers on links. The best site overlay system I’ve used so far has been CrazyEgg. I wish Analytics could set up something that worked as well.
Overall, the Analytics re-design is a huge improvement, in my eyes. Very well done, Google!
You Might Also Like:
- Google Analytics AIR Beta Signup
- Google Free Tools Keep Getting Better
- Use of Web Analytics in Marketing
- Google Pay-Per-Action Launches
- Lazy Linkage: July 17, 2007
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
[...] I covered the re-design of Google Analytics back in May. Again, they have taken an already great tool and made it better. The reports are so much simpler to use than they used to be. All the graphs are Flash generated and load quickly. The put all the data people want most right in front of them, whereas it used to take many clicks and hunting to find what you needed. [...]