How to Create Google Analytics Dashboard

Google Analytics is transforming the way that digital marketing professionals convert web data into actionable insights. In fact, digital marketing professionals can use Google Analytics dashboards to take the guesswork out of web data once and for all.

With Google Analytics dashboards, digital marketing professionals can visualize a massive assortment of web data. The dashboards also are easy to set up — here are instructions to help Google Analytics users craft dashboards from scratch:

1. Open Reports.
2. Select Customization, followed by Dashboards.
3. Click +New Dashboard.
4. In the Create Dashboard dialog, select Blank Canvas (no widgets) or Starter Dashboard (includes a default set of widgets).
5. Add a dashboard title.
6. Click Create Dashboard.

Ultimately, Google Analytics enables digital marketing professionals to add custom dashboard widgets — here are the steps to do just that:

1. Click +Add Widget on an existing dashboard; this opens the widget editor.
2. Select the type of widget.
3. Determine the widget’s metrics, dimensions and other options.
4. Enter a Widget Title.
5. Select Save.

Let’s not forget about the wide assortment of Google Analytics dashboard widgets that are available, either. Some of the most popular dashboard widgets include:

• Metric: Offers a numeric representation of a single selected metric.
• Timeline: Highlights a graph of a selected metric for a set period of time.
• Geomap: Displays a map of a certain region, along with a specific metric plotted on the map itself.
• Table: Includes up to two metrics that describe a selected dimension; a table is laid out in a tabular format.
• Pie: Illustrates a pie chart of a selected metric grouped by a dimension; a business user can move the mouse over a pie chart to view specific metric values.
• Bar: Reflects a bar chart of a selected metric grouped by up to two dimensions; like a pie chart, a business user can move the mouse over a bar chart to see specific metric values.

Google Analytics dashboards provide visual representations of complex web data. By doing so, the dashboards make it simple for digital marketing professionals to obtain deep insights into web visitors, social referrals and much more.

Furthermore, Google Analytics dashboards show which web content is hitting the mark with visitors and which requires improvement. The dashboards therefore help digital marketing professionals deploy fast, data-driven website improvements. Perhaps most important, Google Analytics dashboards are simple to deploy and available free of charge.

The dashboards can be crafted in just seconds and can be updated from any location, at any time. Plus, the dashboards guarantee digital marketing professionals won’t have to invest in costly web data analysis tools; instead, these business professionals can reap the benefits of Google Analytics without putting a major dent in their budgets.

Digital marketing professionals can transform Google Analytics dashboards into reports too. However, it is important to note that Google Analytics reports lack the interactivity of dashboards — something that limits the value of the reports themselves. Google Analytics dashboards are fully interactive, and digital marketing professionals can use them to visualize complex web data on any device.

On the other hand, Google Analytics reports are “static” PDF reports. Digital marketing professionals can use Google Analytics reports to view the information contained within Google Analytics dashboards, but the reports fail to provide the same level of interactivity as dashboards.

When it comes to Google Analytics, digital marketing professionals should be able to view web insights without limitations. Yet Google Analytics’ limited reporting capabilities make it difficult for digital marketing professionals to enjoy anywhere, anytime access to web insights.

At PPCexpo, we want to help digital marketing professionals maximize the value of Google Analytics dashboard and reports. In the next few weeks, we plan to introduce a service that brings the interactivity of Google Analytics dashboards into a report format.

Our service, dashboard in a file, empowers digital marketing professionals to create interactive PDF (iPDF) reports that contain Google Analytics dashboards. These reports ensure business users can view interactive charts, graphs and other visualizations from any location, at any time.

Thanks to dashboard in a file, digital marketing professionals should have no trouble reviewing web insights — even in areas where no internet connectivity is available. To find out more about dashboard in a file, stay tuned for additional details.