Analytics Insights

First of all let me say thank you to Google Analytics for providing such a great FREE tool. 2011 has been a particular bumper year with the roll out of the new interface and many other great new features such as real time analytics, multi channel funnels, visitor and goal flows, search engine optimisation reports via integration with Google Webmaster Tools, site speed, social and mobile reporting.  

Its wonderful to be able to switch between profiles while retaining the current time period and report and the new dashboards are fantastic too. Plus find the ability to apply secondary dimensions to reports is very useful.  And I have just discovered the engagement report now gives a break down of of visit duration rather than just reporting the average.

So I don’t want this post to appear to be criticism.  I am a great fan - but if there was a Google Analytics Santa this is what I would be asking for Christmas:

1. The Blue Button: Make it possible for me to login without needing to click the blue button every morning..
2. Advanced Segments : those actionable data insights are generally found by comparing segments and its great to have so many in Google Analytics but can you make the list sortable alphabetically so I can find the one I am looking for.. And while you’re at it Santa, do you think I could have more than 100 and also make it possible to share them with colleagues  like in the old days.. And one other thing it would be great to be able to apply segments to additional profiles when I create them as you can with Custom Reports.
3. Goals: Can we be able to share goals with colleagues and be able to sort them alphabetically.
4. Goal Visualisations: I know this one is a big one especially as Google Analytics recently gave us goal flows but wouldn’t it be great to be able to apply and compare advanced segments with Goal Visualisations. 
5. Schedule Email Reports can we have this feature back please.
6. Profiles: Santa can you make it possible to have more than 50 profiles per account. 
7. Dashboards:  it would be good to share these as well.
8. Advanced Report Filters: its really useful to apply advanced filters to reports. Currently its only possible to use AND statements but sometimes I want to use OR as well. Regular expressions would be even better - you can already do this with profile filters and goal funnel steps and goal URLs.

Hopefully not too long a list - who knows what features will be launched in 2012.

Finally if you want to test your Google Analytics knowledge over the Christmas holidays - I recommend trying the Google Analytics Test a community learning project for practical Google Analytics.