Slides from my first talk at SMX München on March 17, 2015. The talk was about inspiring a critical approach to the metrics and dimensions we access through tools like Google Analytics. Sometimes we have to tweak the data collection mechanism to get more relevant results in our tools. In fact, I want to say that the quality of data in these platforms is directly proportional to your understanding of how the data is collected and aggregated. So be critical! Make the most of the metrics and dimensions, and ensure that the data you're using to grow your business is relevant.

1. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLONETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
BE CRITICAL
GOING BEYOND THE DEFAULTS WITH GA AND GTM
SMX Munich, 17th March 2015

2. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLONETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
SIMO AHAVA @ NetBooster
Head of Analytics, Nordics
Google Developer Expert 2014-2016
Twitter: @SimoAhava
Google+: +SimoAhava
#SMX | @SimoAhava
www.simoahava.com

3. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO 3
The Rant
AGENDA
OVERVIEW
#01
The Workaround
The Takeaway
#02
#03
#SMX | @SimoAhava

4. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
THE RANT
#SMX | @SimoAhava

5. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Google Analytics is a tool
designed to work for
9,163,750*
different businesses
* Author’s estimate, not an official figure

6. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
It is thus conceivable
Google does not know
what your business KPIs
are

7. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
2,578,000
DEAR BOSS,
Last month, the number of Sessions on our site was…
…which is an uplift of +2.78% compared to the previous month.

8. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
21.20%
DEAR BOSS,
Last month, the Conversion Rate for eCommerce on our site was…
…which is an uplift of +5% compared to the previous month.

9. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Reporting on a single metric or snapshot of a funnel
is like telling only the punchline of a joke.

10. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Reporting on a single metric or snapshot of a funnel
is like telling only the punchline of a joke.

11. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Raw (hit) data
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

12. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Schema
Raw (hit) data
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

13. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Schema
Raw (hit) data
Sessionized data
1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1
0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 0
0 0 1 1 1
1 0 0 0 1
0 1 1 1 1
1 1 0 0 1
0 1 1 0 0
1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

14. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection
/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the
schemas of said platform.

15. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection
/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the
schemas of said platform.
Sessionization schema

16. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection
/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the
schemas of said platform.
Event tracking schema

17. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection
/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the
schemas of said platform.
Transactional schema

18. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
This has two major implications on how we process,
analyze, and report on the data.

19. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
All sessionized
data is
arbitrary

20. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

21. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Fictional

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#SMX | @SimoAhava
Fictional
Fictional

23. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Fictional
Fictional
Fictional

24. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Fictional
Fictional
Fictional
Fictional

25. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
How can an arbitrary,
fictional metric ever be
a good KPI?*
* Rhetorical question, it can’t

26. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Data quality is
something you
work towards

27. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Stay away from
aggregate metrics.

28. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Stay away from
aggregate metrics.
Segment, customize,
combine, visualize.

29. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Aggregate
Segmented
User-centric
Cohorts
Predictive
21.20%
Our website’s eCommerce
Conversion Rate for January
was…

30. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Aggregate
Segmented
User-centric
Cohorts
Predictive
12.57%
Visitors who landed on our site
through our January Facebook
campaign had an eCommerce
Conversion Rate of…

31. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Aggregate
Segmented
User-centric
Cohorts
Predictive
19.20%
Visitors with no previous
transactions who landed on
our site through our January
Facebook campaign had an
eCommerce Conversion Rate
of…

32. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Aggregate
Segmented
User-centric
Cohorts
Predictive
New customers via Facebook
vs.
Old customers via Facebook
vs.
Overall eCommerce Conversion Rate

33. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Aggregate
Segmented
User-centric
Cohorts
Predictive
This data, combined with
information from our sales
engine and CRM, gives us the
following optimization
opportunities…

34. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
THE WORKAROUND
#SMX | @SimoAhava

35. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
We need to collect
data in a meaningful
way.

36. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Sometimes it means
we need to tweak the
data collection
mechanism.

37. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Take Bounce Rate,
for example.

38. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

39. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

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#SMX | @SimoAhava

41. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

42. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Remember, Bounce Rate
is a heavily sessionized
metric that is not inherently
good or bad.

43. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

44. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
After X seconds on the
page, send a pulse to GA
which negates the bounce.

45. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Google Tag Manager
1. Create new Timer
Trigger
2. Set Interval to X ms
3. Set Limit to 1
4. Fire Event Tag with
this Trigger

46. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

47. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
However, you’re playing
into the hands of the
schema overlords.

48. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Instead of trying to get
Bounce Rate lower by
tweaking a metric, how
about improving internal
linking?

49. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
…or measuring calls-to-
action?

50. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
…or combining dwell time
with scroll depth?

51. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
http://cutroni.com/blog/2014/02/12/advanced-content-tracking-with-universal-analytics/

52. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

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#SMX | @SimoAhava

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#SMX | @SimoAhava
Adapted for Google Tag
Manager:
https://github.com/sahava/content/

55. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
1 Universal Analytics Tag 1 Custom Event Trigger 9 Data Layer Variables

56. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
OK, this is better for
understanding intent (and
content)…

57. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Reader
Scanner
Scanner
Reader
Reader
Intent Content
53 % read
89 % read
60 % read
21 % read
85 % read

58. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Bounce Rate became more
meaningful for users and
content.

59. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Come to my session tomorrow at 11:15am!
If this strikes true,

60. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
…But let’s take a more
focused example.

61. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Page Views measures the
number of times pages are
viewed.

62. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
…or does it?

63. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Visible Hidden

64. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Visible: document['hidden'] = false
Hidden: document['hidden'] = true
Visible Hidden

65. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Visible: document['hidden'] = false
Hidden: document['hidden'] = true
document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', function()
{
dataLayer.push({
'event' : 'visibilityChange’
});
});
Visible Hidden

66. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Upon Page Load
Visible Hidden

67. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Upon Page Load
If Page IS Visible, send Page View
Visible Hidden

68. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Upon Page Load
If Page IS Visible, send Page View
If Page IS NOT Visible, do not send Page View
Visible Hidden

69. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Upon Page Load
If Page IS Visible, send Page View
If Page IS NOT Visible, do not send Page View
If Visibility changes to Visible, send Page View
Visible Hidden

70. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava

71. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
http://goo.gl/SdAjo5

72. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
We just made a metric
more meaningful.

73. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
THE TAKEAWAY

74. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Takeaway 1/5
Be critical: Sessions is the product of an algorithm, and it doesn’t
(necessarily) represent your business life cycle.

75. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Takeaway 2/5
Be critical: Even non-sessionized data like Pageviews might be
flawed.

76. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Takeaway 3/5
Be critical: Fixing data collection so that it measures your business
objectives more accurately requires work.

77. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Takeaway 4/5
Be critical: HTML5 is ripe with APIs that might, or might not, help you
tweak the data stream.

78. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
#SMX | @SimoAhava
Takeaway 5/5
BE CRITICAL!
Data quality is directly proportional to how
well you understand the data collection.

79. NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO
THANK YOU
Twitter: @SimoAhava
Google+: +SimoAhava
www.simoahava.com
[ See you tomorrow at 11:15am! ]
#SMX | @SimoAhava