All Google Analytics Users Now Get New Version

Apr 21, 2011 at 12:35pm ET by Pamela Parker

Google has released the latest version of Analytics to all users, introducing a completely redesigned interface, multiple customizable dashboards, event goals, more powerful custom reports, and a search term cloud visualization. When users log into Google Analytics, they can access version 5 by clicking on “New Version” at the top right of the page. (Toggling back and forth between versions will be possible for now.)

Google announced the new version, as a closed beta, back in March.

The company also promised new features “coming soon,” including the ability to export reports to PDF and e-mail reports. Currently, users aren’t able to migrate a custom report from the current version of Analytics to the new version, but that’s promised, as well. Linking a new AdWords or AdSense account is coming, as is in-page analytics, according to Google.

Besides the general snazzier, faster interface, the multiple dashboards feature is probably the most useful of the current additions, allowing site owners to develop a dashboard for each person, or department, involved with a site, given that they each may have different metrics they’re most interested in tracking. Users can now create up to 20 custom dashboards, with up to 12 widgets per dashboard.

Additionally, event-based goals — such as downloads or interactions — is a powerful addition. Google has long offered URL and engagement goals. With the new feature, one could keep track of every time a PDF white paper was downloaded, and even assign different values to white papers based upon the business value of each download. Users can also use this feature to see how many minutes a site visitor viewed a video.

Related Topics: Channel: Analytics | Google: Analytics

About The Author: Pamela Parker is a contributing editor for Search Engine Land and Executive Features Editor at Marketing Land. She’s a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since 1998, including a stint as managing editor of ClickZ. She’s also worked to help monetize independent publishers’ sites at Federated Media Publishing. She blogs about media and marketing at The River and about cooking, gardening and parenthood at Free Range. She can be found on Twitter as @pamelaparker. See more articles by Pamela Parker

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http://www.michael-martinez.com/ Michael Martinez

If only it were worth using. *sigh*
http://www.shaneeubanks.com Shane Eubanks

The new interface has some nice new additions, but there are quite a few issues with it…Rachael Gerson over at SEER Interactive laid out 15 issues with the new google analytics interface that I seriously hope Google reads:

http://www.seerinteractive.com/blog/new-google-analytics/2011/04/12/

I’ll personally be using the old version for as long as they allow…at least until a few of the major quirks are resolved.
http://www.seerinteractive.com Rachael Gerson

Thanks Shane! Google responded to me about the post just a few minutes after it went up, I posted their feedback in the comments. They’re being proactive about fixing things, I just can’t wait for everything to work!