Without any warning Google has released a brand new interface for Google Analytics. It is evident that the new release is not focusing on adding extra features but concentrates in displaying the same information in a new light.
At start, the interface takes some getting used to as the Analytics team has really shaken things up. There is more information per screen and the graphical representation takes centre stage. When looking at the keywords report for example you see a graph but also visits, average time on site, bounce rate etc. This helps you to focus on the bigger picture whilst looking at the detail.
Most importantly you can now add favourite reports to the dashboard. You no longer need to drill down, just glancing over your reports on the dashboard you can get a good quick look over the activity. No need to explain what a relief this would be for people tracking conversions or focusing on different parts of their campaigns.
Google developers have come a long way to make Flash much faster. The display has been improved and loading times majorly reduced, making for an overall better experience.
Out of all the major changes, the calendar has been affected the most. Not only it does not get displayed on every page (some might not like this) but it is also easier to use. The previous interface was making it very difficult to select dates (Firefox).
In terms of new features, you can now schedule reports and email them to yourself. This is a major step towards the more advanced products on the market. Many figures have a thumbnail graphical representation next to them, making it very easy to spot trends without further click.
It seems that if Google Analytics takes any further steps in terms of goal and funnel tracking, other analytics providers will have to rethink their products if not their business model.
2 Responses
Didn’t really like the interface when first saw it but I am rethinking after this.
this sounds great!!!!!! I like the new features