There are five main report types with quick links in the upper left menu on your dashboard. (Note: there will only be four if you are not using e-commerce.) Each of these contains reports that present you with an “overview” of your site’s data. Simply click on the menu title to expand it and view the additional reports available to you. The top report under each category will be the Overview report.
In our last post we reviewed the overview graphs that show at the top of each of these reports. Now we will get into the other details the overview reports provide.
High Level Data
The high level data report can be found just under the top graph. The example below is from the visitors report and gives you a 30,000 foot overview of visitor data. For a quick glance at some of the basics you might to keep an eye on such as number of visits, average page views and bounce rates this report will be an efficient use of your time. When you need more details and really want to delve into the data click on each item to get the full story.
Segmentation Options
Also under the top graph you will find segmentation options. Need to know how many French speaking visitors using Firefox and Windows Vista are coming to your site? Segment your reports to view data such as this here. But be warned, there is a lot of information here and digging it through it might get addicting. Having a plan in mind when you jump in can be helpful and be sure to use the information you get to improve your visitor experience.
Select Data from Specific Reports
The bottom of the page will show select data that will depend on the overview report you are viewing. In the case of the example here, from the Visitors Overview, we are looking at browser and connection speed statistics. As with all the reports, the option to dig further is available.
What Else Can I do from the Overview Report Page?
The comparison option from the date range selection box is very useful to look at two sets of data and compare it. You can compare month to month, quarter to quarter, year to year or even day to day. Set your range and each of the reports on the page will feature data from that range.
Up Next: Specific Reports – Views
Mike Small
Mike Small leads the SEM and paid search efforts at WebShare. You can find out more about Mike here.
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