Google Analytics 2.0 [Paperback]

Jerri L. Ledford (Author), Mary E. Tyler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 27, 2007 | ISBN-10: 047017501X | ISBN-13: 978-0470175019 | Edition: 2

Site statistics give you raw numbers, but Web analytics crunch those numbers into meaningful metrics you can actually use. Here’s what's new in Google Analytics 2.0, such as cross-segment reporting and drilldown content that enhance analysis. Learn to set up Analytics and choose filters, explore goals and goal-setting, use customizable dashboards and date ranges, and master basic analytics and Web statistics concepts. Examine every aspect of available reports, learn to use those best suited for e-commerce sites, and more.

BONUS: Each copy of Google Analytics 2.0 includes a $25 Google AdWords gift card compliments of Google. With this $25 gift card , you can attract new customers to your website on Google's dime.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Site Stats on Steroids

Is your Web site serving its purpose? To find out, you need to analyze factors related to what the site is supposed to do. Site statistics give you raw numbers, but Web analytics are like site stats on steroids. Analytics crunch those raw numbers into meaningful metrics—information you can use.

If you read our first book on Google Analytics, you already know what this tool can do and why that matters. (If you didn't, don't worry; there's an overview here, too.) This edition shows you what's new in version 2.0, helping you uncover specific details and use them like never before.

• Master basic analytics and Web statistics concepts

• Set up Google Analytics 2.0, choose the filters you need, and explore goals and goal-setting

• Learn about new features that enhance analysis, including cross-segment reporting and drilldown content

• Take control of Google Analytics with customizable dashboards and date ranges

• Examine every aspect of the available reports, including visitors, traffic sources, content, and goals

• Discover the specific reports suited for e-commerce sites and how to use them

• Maximize the integration of Google Analytics with Google AdWords

• Boost your use of Regular Expressions, write your own filters, and quantify your goals

About the Author

Jerri L. Ledford is a freelance business technology writer with more than 700 articles, news stories, profiles, and reports to her credit. Her work has appeared in Information Security Magazine, IT Manager's Journal, Network World, CRM Magazine, and many others.

Mary E. Tyler is a contributing editor at OSTG/NewsForge, the world's largest source of daily Linux coverage. She's a former software and Web developer who specializes in Open Source, enterprise software, intellectual property, and anything Macintosh.

Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (August 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047017501X
• ISBN-13: 978-0470175019
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.7 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #676,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat useful basic guide for GA but lacking in areas, October 9, 2007

By 

Jesse Dacosta "Jesse DaCosta" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Google Analytics 2.0 (Paperback)

I have read a ton of guides and information on Google Analytics, have taken a 6 week training course (provided by ROI Revolution who happen to be mentioned in this book as it would have it) and have used it for my companies sites as well as some of my clients. I had never read the first version of this book due to the not-so-flattering reviews of it so I decided to take a look at the latest version to see what it had to offer and if it had any useful content I had missed.

After reading it I would say that it is a useful basic guide for anyone getting started with Google Analytics as well as for those looking to brush up on their knowledge and to have a handy guide. There are also some solid, advanced topics they cover in the book such as regular expressions, advanced filters, as well as many side bars and notes during chapters. However,some of these advanced topics feel like they have been thrust upon the reader under the assumption that the reader already has some understanding of some of the advanced topics. I feel as there was not enough back-story to properly introduce some of their advanced topics and many times the location of these advanced topics messed with the flow of the book; they were introduced at times when the section of the book you were reading was rather basic.

The flow of the book (and the interesting tone at some points) seemed a bit off to me and one of the biggest things in Google Analytics was completely left out or barely even touched upon and that was setting up tracking for an E-Commerce site. There is a lot that goes into this (though it is not necessarily difficult but there are many different variables and codes you will need to know and utilize) and you truly need to assess your website and how it is structured before setting up the tracking code, the hidden form and some of the other utm functions (too little time and space to explain all that here). I was very surprised, and quite dissapointed actually, this was completely left out as it it really is a huge part of Google Analytics. They also did not mention or explain many of the other different variables and codes that allow you to more fully take advantage of Google Analytics and make it work just right for you and your business.

Not a bad basic guide to have handy for understanding the reports and some other things but really surprised at how much they left out for the sake of some of the really basic stuff they left in or espoused upon way too much. There are other resources you will need to truly grasp the whole setup process for more complex websites; this book makes it all seem so simple and basic as it doesn't explain that all too well.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very useful for Google Analytics users, February 17, 2008

By 

Carsten Cumbrowski "Carsten aka Roy/SAC & Cir... (Fresno, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Google Analytics 2.0 (Paperback)

This is the updated version of the same title, which was released over a year ago. I complained about a few things, which were corrected or included in this updated version of the book. For this reason am I giving this version 5 stars instead of just 4 as I did for the previous version.

Also added were some tips that go beyond Google Analytics, including tips for the use of another free analytics tool that lets you analyse the web server log-files on your own server.

If you are a user of the free Google Analytics service, you are probably on a tight budget or just started out to get your head around the subject of web analytics. The features of Google Analytics multiplied over the past years since Google bought Urchin Software, which became Google Analytics.

You can hire Google Analytics certified consultants, but they are not cheap. You are better off to spend the few dollars on this book first, because with its help are you probably able to figure out most of the things yourself. You can still hire an expensive external consultant for the really tricky stuff afterwards.

If you are new to web analytics in general, I would also suggest to get Web Analytics: An Hour a Day to learn about web analytics in general. All software and tools are useless, if you don't know what you want to use them for.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Manual For Anyone Who Wants To Get The Most Out Of Google Analytics, November 13, 2007

By 

Cal Zant - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Google Analytics 2.0 (Paperback)

There is a ton of out-of-the-box functionality built into Google Analytics, but if a user never goes beyond that they will miss out on some of the biggest benefits that can be found in features like goals, and custom filters. These features can be used to track the success of your web site, your marketing efforts, and your products and services ... which could be important. This book presents these fairly complex concepts in plain language that anyone who is fairly technical can understand.

The book also explains how to setup profiles and other users so that multiple people in an organization can have access to the reports. This is pretty easy to do, but again the book explains it in such a way that almost anyone can understand the importance of assigning users to a particular profile and the differences in roles (i.e. reports only or account administrator).

It also walks you through each report section of Google Analytics, and gives you an overview of what each report is displaying, it's drill-down capabilities, and any assumptions or "gotchas" that might exist to help you understand the data behind the report. It also points out a few real-world business uses of a few of the reports, and how you can leverage a particular report to make business or design decisions ... which also could be important.

Overall, I think this is an essential manual for anyone who wants to get the most out of Google Analytics. Like I said, the software really has a lot of power and functionality out-of-the-box, but if you can go beyond that into some of the more custom features you will get a lot more value out of it ... and this book helps you get there. Its an easy, light read and most people can probably read it in just a few sittings. I would recommend it to anyone in your organization that is going to ever log into Google Analytics.

http://www.stuffthatjustworks.com/2007/11/11/GoogleAnalytics20.aspx