Google Analytics Platform Principles
It’s back! The course runs from March 11 and closes on March 27, 2014 @ 11:59 PDT (deadline to qualify for a course completion certificate)
There is a Live Google+ Hangout on Air On March 18th.
For those who want a refresher course on the fundamentals of Google Analytics (GA) or even to prepare for this new course, check out GA’s Digital Analytics Fundamentals. This is totally free, thanks to Google!
In the new course, you will learn the four platform components of GA: Collection, Configuration, Processing and Reporting. Data can be collected through JavaScript tracking code for websites, SDK for mobile platforms and measurement protocol data collection for other devices like kiosks. The data is then configured and processed through four distinct transformation: the hits are changed to users and sessions, data from other sources (Google products and even outside sources) are combined, data is modified with configuration rules and finally it is “aggregated” through filters, goals and grouping. Finally, you will learn about the reporting of the analytics. The report combines different dimensions and metrics in GA’s reporting interface or an API through sampling.
Once you get the certificate, here’s a tip on how to save it. The Certificate is a Base64 Encoded PNG. When viewing your Certificate, right-click and select ‘View Image’ (Firefox works), it will open up your Certificate again. Copy the URL and save it into a text file. Whenever you need the cert just copy code from the text file and paste it into the address bar of any browser. It will render your certificate.
Incidentally, CMS Wire wrote a timely piece on “Top 10 Thing to Measure in Google Analytics.” They are: location, engagement, traffic behavior, traffic source, social media traffic, site content, bounce rates, site search. events and funnel. This course, and the previous, will surely aid in it.
