Great marketing is all about tracking the right metrics. The newest web analytics dashboard by Google Data Studio lets you create custom reports that make your data immediately accessible.
If Google Data Studio is new to you, you’re in luck! We’ve put together a simple guide to building a great web analytics dashboard guaranteed to simplify your marketing analysis.
Decide on Web Analytics Dashboard KPIs
It’s easy to get lost in the data and track every metric Google makes available. As marketers, we’ve become obsessed with tracking every KPI (Key Performance Indicators) possible.
But you don’t have to. Before building out your dashboard, decide on a few core KPIs and a couple additional sub-KPIs that are important to your campaigns.
Core KPIs should be focused on your growth and retention metrics. Keep in mind that if it’s not tied back to revenue in some way, it shouldn’t be there.
Connect Google Data Studio
Now that you know the core focus of your dashboard, you can start setting it up.
If you already have a Gmail account, you’re halfway there. Go to the Google Data Studio website and create an account using your Gmail. If you plan to connect your Data Studio to Google Analytics, make sure you’re using the same email address for both.
Now that you’ve created an account, the next step is to connect all of your data sources.
The beauty of Google Data Studio is that it has over 135 partner connectors that pull in data from Facebook and Instagram ad analytics, Reddit insights, and even Amazon Seller data.
With all of your data sources connected, you’ll be able to start creating reports and building a dashboard.
Build Your Dashboard
Your data is officially connected! Now it’s time to build your dashboard.
If you want to get started quickly, you can use an existing template or build it from scratch with a blank report.
Once you’ve selected your template and made any additional setting and branding changes, you’ll want to select your Date Range.
Next up, you add your metrics. This is where your core KPIs come into the picture. You can choose from a variety of options like unique pageviews or average time on page so that you see the things that matter most.
Metrics to Include on Your Dashboard
When it comes to best practices, there are a couple of metrics that are great to have on your dashboard.
Audience Awareness
If you’re tracking a content or digital marketing campaign with the aim of building awareness, here are some essential KPIs to consider:
- Organic web traffic
- Engagement on social media
- Impressions and CTR (Click-Through-Rate) on Display Ads
CTA Engagement
If you’re looking to track how users are reacting to your CTAs (Call-To-Actions), here are a few metrics to add to your dashboard:
- Email signups over 90 days
- Social media followers
- Leads from various marketing avenues
Sales Conversions
Obviously, knowing how much revenue your marketing campaigns are generating is essential. Here are metrics to add to your dashboard for sales conversions:
- Revenue from product sales
- New customers
- Qualified leads
- Customer lifetime value
Google Data Studio was designed to make life easier for marketers everywhere. With these suggestions, you can setup a robust dashboard that gives your team at-a-glance data points to work with every day.
