Google Analytics new interface

Google Analytics has been rolling out a new interface for months.  Google has introduced many new features with this update.  A couple of the most interesting are real-time results and reports on mobile.   The real-time results (found under the ‘home’ tab in the new interface) shows visitor data as it’s happening giving you instant insight into your website.

Google Analytics Real-Time results

Google Analytics Real-Time results

The mobile reports (located in the ‘standard’ reports) show the visits not only coming from mobile but the devises being used.  From the IPad to The Android now you can see what your visitors are using.  As mobile becomes more popular information regarding this market is invaluable.

mobile analytics

The new interface has been in beta and the past year a lot of tweaking has been going on.  Wide spread testing and feedback started in March with select users getting the roll-out.  Then later all users with a Google Analytics account were given the option to kick the tires.  I have been going through the new interface and most of the information is easily found.  This past month the new interface became the default when you login to your analytics account.  The old version of the accounts is still available by clicking a link at the top right.  You will still receive your PDF reports through the old interface as you always have.  At the moment the email option isn’t available in the new interface but it will be rolled out in coming weeks.

Google Search Page for the Lunar Eclipse …

Today June 15th is a total Lunar Eclipse. Google told me so … I didn’t know what the doodle was about today so I clicked through. When I did I scanned the results and found the best use of the description meta tag I’ve seen in a long time.

description tag on search page

When you click through it’s the Wikipedia page with the correct scientific information.
I have told many clients the description is your first impression on search pages. It needs to contain relevant, informative content. Think of it as a couple of lines of free advertising and think, in a couple of lines, what do you say to stand out from the crowd?