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How to measure your Data Studio Statistics

Use Google Analytics to monitor important Dashboards Metrics

Photo by Liv Bruce on Unsplash
Photo by Liv Bruce on Unsplash

Do you perhaps also have the Google Cloud with Bigquery as a Data Warehouse in use and as a frontend Data Studio? As a BI or IT department it would be interesting to know if your reports are really used by the users, right? Which reports are particularly popular, up to when data was downloaded. With Google Analytics you can do exactly that.

Step 1: Set up Google Analytics

The first step is to set up Google Analytics if you haven’t. The cool thing here, is that you only need a free Google Account. Afterwards, just click on Start measuring.

Set up Google Analytics - Image by Author
Set up Google Analytics – Image by Author

Google Analytics examines, among other things, the origin of visitors, the time they spend on individual pages, and the use of search engines, thus allowing better monitoring of the success of advertising campaigns. Famous KPIs are [1]:

  • Session duration
  • Bounce rate (If someone comes to a page and leaves without interacting)
  • Orders
  • Viewing contact information

and many more.

Step 2: Set up a Data Stream

The next step is to create a data stream and enter the URL of the report to be monitored.

Set up a Data Stream - Image by Author
Set up a Data Stream – Image by Author

The dashboard I wanted to measure is a simple test, where I wanted to analyze the drinking habits of the people of Iowa. The data source is BigQuery and a public data source that Google has kindly made available to all.

My simple Dashboard - Image by Author
My simple Dashboard – Image by Author

Step 3: Store the Measurement ID in the Report

The next step is to add the Measure ID from Analytics to the report setting of the Data Studio dashboard [2]. Here, you have to follow the steps mentioned below:

File → Reports Settings → Paste the Measurement ID

Step 4: Let’s test it!

It was a success! I see a test call and even with which devices, moreover where the person is located.

Summary

The interaction between Google Data Studio and Analytics is also quickly and easily integrated from the direction of Data Studio and Analytics. I find this feature quite useful for several reasons. First, as the department providing the reports, it can be quite useful to know who and how many users are accessing the reports. Often, these departments have to justify their existence. This would be a good tool to generate numbers and identify potential for improvement. Further analysis could also be done from where the reports are accessed and when data is downloaded. Here, I see all security monitoring aspects mentioned above.

Sources and Further Readings

[1] Google, Marketing Platform (2021)

[2] Mylluks Kertzel, Google Data Studio S.307–309 (2018)


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