Google Analytics – A basic guide to the results pages

Life cycle

Acquisition Overview

In Google Analytics, the Acquisition Overview is a report that provides insights into how users find and arrive at your website. It helps you understand which channels drive the most traffic and engagement, allowing you to optimise your marketing efforts.

Key Metrics in the Acquisition Overview

1. Traffic Sources – Breakdown of where users come from, such as:

• Organic Search (Google, Bing, etc.)
• Direct (Users who type your URL or use bookmarks)
• Referral (Traffic from other websites)
• Social (Traffic from social media platforms)
• Paid Search (Traffic from Google Ads or other paid campaigns)
• Email (Visitors from email marketing campaigns)

2. User Engagement – Metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session help analyse how visitors interact with your website.

3. Conversions – Shows how well each acquisition channel leads to goals or transactions (such as purchases, sign-ups, or form submissions).

Why It Matters

• Helps you determine which channels bring the most valuable users.
• Allows you to optimise marketing strategies based on performance.
• Provides insights into audience behaviour and conversion potential.

User Acquisition

In Google Analytics, User Acquisition refers to how new users find and arrive at your website or app. It helps you understand which marketing channels, campaigns, or sources bring in first-time visitors.

Key Aspects of User Acquisition:

1. Traffic Sources – Identifies where users come from, including:

• Organic Search (Google, Bing, etc.)
• Paid Search (Google Ads, Bing Ads, etc.)
• Direct (Users who type the URL or use bookmarks)
• Referral (Traffic from other websites)
• Social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)
• Email (Traffic from email campaigns)

2. New vs. Returning Users – Focuses specifically on new users who have never visited the site before.

3. Campaign Performance – Measures the effectiveness of paid and organic campaigns in attracting new users.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps determine which marketing efforts are successfully bringing in new visitors.
• Assists in optimising budget allocation for paid campaigns.
• Provides insights into audience behaviour and potential for conversions.

Traffic Acquisition

In Google Analytics, Traffic Acquisition refers to the sources and channels that drive all visitors (both new and returning) to your website or app. This report provides insights into where your traffic is coming from and how different channels contribute to user engagement and conversions.

Key Aspects of Traffic Acquisition:

1. Traffic Sources – Identifies where your visitors originate, such as:

• Organic Search (Google, Bing, etc.)
• Paid Search (Google Ads, Bing Ads, etc.)
• Direct (Users typing the URL or using bookmarks)
• Referral (Traffic from other websites)
• Social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)
• Email (Traffic from email marketing campaigns)

2. Engagement Metrics – Includes bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session to analyse user interaction.

3. Conversions & Performance – Measures how effectively different traffic sources lead to goal completions (e.g., purchases, sign-ups, form submissions).

Difference Between User Acquisition & Traffic Acquisition:

• User Acquisition focuses on how new users find your site.
• Traffic Acquisition includes both new and returning users from all sources.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps you understand which channels drive the most valuable traffic.
• Allows you to optimize your marketing efforts based on performance.
• Provides insights to improve user engagement and conversions.

User Acquisition Cohorts in Google Analytics

In Google Analytics, User Acquisition Cohorts refer to groups of users who share a common characteristic based on when they were acquired (i.e., when they first visited your website or app). The Cohort Analysis report helps track user behaviour over time, making it useful for understanding retention, engagement, and conversion trends.

Key Aspects of User Acquisition Cohorts:

1. Cohort Definition – Users are grouped based on their first visit date (e.g., users acquired on a specific day, week, or month).

2. User Behaviour Tracking – Measures actions such as return visits, purchases, and engagement over a set period.

3. Retention Analysis – Shows how many users from an initial group return over time, helping assess long-term user engagement.

Example Use Case:

• A business launches a marketing campaign on March 1st and wants to see how many users from that campaign return to the website after one week, two weeks, and so on.
• The Cohort Analysis report will show retention rates, helping evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign in attracting loyal users.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps measure customer retention over time.
• Identifies how long users stay engaged after their first visit.
• Assists in evaluating the impact of marketing campaigns and strategies.

Engagement Overview in Google Analytics

In Google Analytics, the Engagement Overview report provides insights into how users interact with your website or app. It helps track key engagement metrics to understand user behaviour, session quality, and overall user experience.

Key Metrics in Engagement Overview:

1. Engaged Sessions – The number of sessions lasting 10+ seconds, having a conversion event, or at least 2 page views.
2. Average Engagement Time – The average time users actively engage with your site or app.
3. Engagement Rate – The percentage of engaged sessions compared to total sessions.
4. Event Count – The number of tracked user interactions, such as clicks, scrolls, video plays, or form submissions.
5. Conversions – The number of times users complete a key action (e.g., purchases, sign-ups, downloads).

Why It’s Important:

• Helps measure the quality of user interactions.
• Identifies which content or features keep users engaged.
• Assists in optimising website/app design for better user retention.

What Are Events in Google Analytics?

In Google Analytics, events are user interactions with your website or app that can be tracked independently from page views. Events help measure how users engage with your content beyond just visiting pages.

Examples of Events:

• Clicks – Tracking button clicks, link clicks, or menu interactions.
• Video Plays – Monitoring when users play, pause, or complete a video.
• Form Submissions – Measuring when users submit a contact form or sign up.
• Scroll Depth – Tracking how far users scroll down a page.
• Downloads – Logging when users download files like PDFs or images.

Events in Google Analytics 4 (GA4):

• GA4 uses an event-based tracking model where all interactions are recorded as events.
• Events can have parameters, such as event name, value, or category to provide more details about the action.

Why Events Matter:

• Help analyse user behaviour beyond just page visits.
• Provide insights into interactions that lead to conversions.
• Allow businesses to optimise engagement and improve user experience.

Pages and Screens Report in Google Analytics

In Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the Pages and Screens report provides insights into how users interact with individual pages on your website or screens in your app. It helps track user engagement, identify popular content, and optimise performance.

Key Metrics in the Pages and Screens Report:

1. Views – The total number of times a page (website) or screen (app) was viewed.
2. Users – The number of unique users who visited a specific page or screen.
3. Views per User – The average number of times each user viewed a page or screen.
4. Average Engagement Time – The time users actively interacted with a specific page or screen.
5. Event Count – The total number of events triggered on a page or screen (e.g., clicks, scrolls, video plays).
6. Conversions – The number of goal completions (e.g., purchases, form submissions) associated with each page or screen.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps identify high-performing and under performing pages/screens.
• Provides insights into user engagement and navigation behaviour.
• Assists in optimising content to improve retention and conversions.

Landing Page Report in Google Analytics

In Google Analytics, the Landing Page Report provides insights into the first page users see when they enter your website. This helps you analyse which pages attract visitors and how well they engage with your site from their entry point.

Key Metrics in the Landing Page Report:

1. Sessions – The number of times users started their visit on a specific landing page.
2. New Users – The number of first-time visitors who entered through a particular page.
3. Engagement Rate – The percentage of engaged sessions (sessions that last at least 10 seconds, have a conversion, or multiple page views).
4. Average Engagement Time – The average time users spend actively interacting with the landing page.
5. Conversions – The number of goal completions (e.g., purchases, sign-ups) that started from the landing page.
6. ounce Rate (GA4 Equivalent: Engaged Sessions vs. Non-Engaged Sessions) – Measures how many users left the site without meaningful interaction.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps identify the most effective entry points to your site.
• Reveals which pages need optimization to improve engagement.
• Assists in refining marketing strategies by analysing traffic sources.

Retention Report in Google Analytics

The Retention Report in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) helps you understand how well your website or app retains users over time. It shows how many users return after their first visit, providing insights into user loyalty and long-term engagement.

Key Metrics in the Retention Report:

1. User Retention – The percentage of users who return to your site/app over different time periods (e.g., day 1, week 1, month 1).
2. New Users – The number of first-time visitors to your site or app.
3. Returning Users – The number of users who return after their first visit.
4. Engagement Rate of Returning Users – Measures how engaged returning visitors are compared to new visitors.
5. Lifetime Value (LTV) – The total revenue or engagement generated by a user over their lifetime.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps measure customer loyalty and long-term user engagement.
• Identifies if users find your content valuable enough to return.
• Provides insights for improving retention strategies, such as email marketing, personalized content, and push notifications.

User

User Attributes

The User Attributes Overview Report in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) provides insights into the demographics and characteristics of your website or app users. It helps you understand your audience better, allowing for more targeted marketing and content strategies.

Key Metrics in the User Attributes Overview Report:

1. Demographics – Includes user data such as:

• Age (e.g., 18-24, 25-34)
• Gender (Male, Female, Other)
• Interests (e.g., tech enthusiasts, travel lovers)

2. Geographic Data – Shows users’ locations (country, region, city).

3. Language Preferences – Displays the primary languages spoken by users.

4. User Distribution Over Time – Tracks how user demographics change over different periods.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps businesses target the right audience with personalized content.
• Assists in optimising marketing campaigns based on user demographics.
• Provides insights for improving user experience by tailoring content and design.

Demographic Details Report in Google Analytics

The Demographic Details Report in Google Analytics provides insights into the age, gender, and interests of your website or app users. This report helps you understand the composition of your audience, which can guide content creation, marketing campaigns, and audience targeting.

Key Metrics in the Demographic Details Report:

1. Age – The age groups of your users, typically segmented into ranges (e.g., 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, etc.).

2. Gender – The gender distribution of your users (Male, Female, Other).

3. Interests – Displays categories of user interests, such as:

• Affinity Categories (e.g., tech enthusiasts, travel lovers)
• In-Market Segments (e.g., people actively looking to buy specific products or services).

4. Sessions – The total number of sessions for each demographic segment.

5. Engagement Metrics – Metrics such as bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session to measure engagement by demographic groups.

6. Conversions – The number of times specific user groups completed a goal or action (e.g., making a purchase, signing up).
Why It’s Important:

• Identifies audience trends, helping to understand who is visiting your site and how they engage.
• Helps target marketing efforts more effectively by creating personalized content for specific demographic groups.
• Optimises user experience, allowing businesses to tailor site design and messaging to specific audience segments.

Audiences Report in Google Analytics

The Audiences Report in Google Analytics provides insights into specific groups of users who share common characteristics or behaviours. It helps you understand how different audience segments interact with your website or app and how effectively they contribute to your business goals.

Key Metrics in the Audiences Report:

1. Audience Definition – Audiences are defined based on user characteristics, behaviours, or specific conditions such as:

• Demographics (age, gender)
• Acquisition source (e.g., users from organic search, social media)
• User behaviours (e.g., users who completed a specific action, like making a purchase or viewing a specific page)

2. Users – The number of users in each defined audience.

3. Sessions – The number of sessions by users within each audience.

4. Engagement Metrics – Includes metrics like bounce rate, session duration, and pages per session to evaluate how users within different audiences engage with your site.

5. Conversions – The number of times users from each audience complete a goal or action (such as a purchase, sign-up, or form submission).

Why It’s Important:

• Helps track performance of specific audience segments over time.
• Allows businesses to tailor marketing campaigns to the behaviours or characteristics of key audience groups.
• Improves personalization by understanding which audience segments are most likely to convert.
• Supports decision-making by providing data on which user groups are most engaged and profitable.

Tech Overview in Google Analytics

The Tech Overview report in Google Analytics provides insights into the technology users are using to access your website or app. This includes information about the devices, browsers, operating systems, and network connections that your visitors use. It helps you understand how technical factors impact user experience, performance, and engagement on your site.

Key Metrics in the Tech Overview Report

1. Device Category – Breaks down users by device type, such as:

• Desktop
• Mobile
• Tablet

2. Operating System – Shows which operating systems users are using to access your site, such as:

• Windows
• macOS
• Android
• iOS

3. Browser – Displays the different browsers visitors use to view your website, such as:

• Chrome
• Safari
• Firefox
• Edge

4. Screen Resolution – Helps you understand the screen sizes of users, which is useful for optimising responsive design and user experience.

5. Network – Shows details about the networks users are connected to, such as their ISP (Internet Service Provider) or network domain.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps optimise your website or app for various devices, browsers, and operating systems, ensuring better user experience.
• Provides insights into performance issues tied to specific technology setups (e.g., users on older browsers may have trouble with certain features).
• Assists in making informed decisions about design and development to ensure your site is accessible and functions well across all platforms.

Tech Details Report in Google Analytics

The Tech Details Report in Google Analytics provides more in-depth information about the technology users are using to interact with your website or app. This report is a more granular version of the Tech Overview report, offering detailed insights into specific aspects like browsers, operating systems, devices, and screen resolutions. It helps you understand how users access your site and whether there are any technical barriers to a smooth user experience.

Key Metrics in the Tech Details Report:

1. Device Details – Provides data on the specific types of devices users are using, such as:

• Smartphones (specific brands/models)
• Tablets
• Desktops

2. Operating System Versions – Shows the specific versions of operating systems being used (e.g., Windows 10, iOS 14, Android 12).

3. Browser Versions – Lists the exact browser versions users are using to access your site (e.g., Chrome 90, Safari 14).

4. Screen Resolution – Displays the screen sizes or resolutions of users’ devices, which helps in optimising the responsive design of your site.

5. JavaScript and Flash – Details whether users have JavaScript enabled or if they are using Flash, which is important for compatibility and troubleshooting issues.

6. Network Domains – Identifies which networks or ISPs (Internet Service Providers) users are connected to, such as Google or Comcast.

Why It’s Important:

• Helps ensure that your site is compatible with various devices, browsers, and operating systems, improving the user experience.
• Identifies potential performance issues tied to specific technologies (e.g., older browser versions that don’t support modern web features).
• Assists with responsive design optimization, ensuring your website works well on different screen sizes and resolutions.
• Provides insights into network and connection issues that may affect load times or site performance for certain users.