Organising your Google Analytics Account(s) – Give it an spring clean

So a new job and a new Google Analytics Account(s) to unravel. At first was just going to review my post from last year – Naming convention for Account, Property and View – Google Analytics (which i have) but it got me thinking as to steps you need to take when an account lands on your door-step.

Google Analytics Admin Screen

First up some basic analysis. Document number of accounts, properties and views, then against each of these note:

• Users
• Filters
• Segments
• Goals
• Events

NB: I’ve asked @GoogleAnalytics for this (export function) to be a feature on the home tab

Users

Looking within User Management, see how many users you have and who has what permissions. Really it should just be you with the “manage users” permissions and key super users with the “collaborate” permission. It should also be pretty locked down to those that understand metrics. One of the worst things is to have given access to someone who doesn’t get it, someone who could thus disseminate aggregated or incorrect data to senior management.

Filters

Basically give them the once over. A common filter is internal only/ external only often using a IP range. If you have this make sure its a true reflection. Another common filter is pages based on url. For me this isn’t the best use of filters (segments/ in report filters are better), but if you do use it again make sure that it reflects the current IA.

Segments

Again like Filters, mostly check these a) work and b) are relevant – see goals below.

Goals/ Events

This is the big one, especially as goals are capped at 20 😦 . Really interrogate this. Whilst its good to track everything, make sure its tracking whats right. Events can affect bounce rate (unless you use Tag Manager, in which case you can switch “Non-Interaction Hit” to True) so you want to ensure a bounce is a bounce. Any irrelevant events, just get rid of them.

With the limit on goals its important not to waste them. Google Analytics Goals should be linked to your goals in your measurement model. If you don’t have one, make one before you tackle this area in GA.

Again make sure the existing events/ goals still work. Tip – either user real time or download the Chrome “Event Tracking Tracker”

Take-away

1. Whilst we would all like to start afresh, sometimes we cant. I’m not a big fan of historical comparison because sites change, designs, IA and templates change, however at times its needed. Accept the situation but give it a good spring clean.
2. Always make sure an untouched view of your site exists no filters, no reports nothing. This will be your fall back. I’m always surprised how many people don’t have this!
3. If the current key view is full up (goals etc) create a new master view by copying it (not create new as this wont pull across existing data)