Google Analytics Overview & Interview Prep
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics (GA) is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. It
helps businesses understand how visitors interact with their websites or apps, providing insights to improve
user experience, marketing strategies, and overall performance.
Key Concepts in Google Analytics:
1. Users & Sessions:
- Users: The number of unique visitors to your site.
- Sessions: A session is a group of user interactions within a given time frame (usually 30 minutes). A single
user can have multiple sessions.
2. Pageviews:
- The total number of pages viewed on your site. Repeated views of a single page count multiple times.
3. Bounce Rate:
- The percentage of single-page sessions where users left without interacting further.
4. Acquisition:
- Shows how visitors found your site (e.g., Organic Search, Paid Ads, Social Media, Direct).
5. Behavior:
- Analyzes what users do on your site - pages visited, time spent, events triggered.
6. Conversions:
- Actions that are valuable to the business, like form submissions, purchases, or sign-ups, tracked through
Goals or Ecommerce Tracking.
Google Analytics Glossary (Basic Terms)
Term Meaning
User A unique visitor to your website or app.
Session A group of user interactions within a 30-minute window.
Pageview Count of each time a page is loaded or reloaded.
Bounce Rate Percentage of sessions with only one pageview (no interaction).
Acquisition How users arrive at your site (e.g., Organic Search, Paid Ads, Referral).
Google Analytics Overview & Interview Prep
Behavior What users do on your site (pages visited, time spent, events triggered).
Conversion Completion of a desired action like purchase, signup, or form submission.
Goal A specific action you want to track as a conversion in GA.
Event User interactions that don't trigger page reloads (clicks, video plays,
downloads).
Segment Subset of data to analyze specific groups of users or sessions.
Real-Time Reports showing live user activity on your site.
Sample Interview Questions on Google Analytics Basics
Q1: What is the difference between a User and a Session in Google Analytics?
A1: A User is a unique visitor, while a Session is a group of interactions by a user within a 30-minute time
frame. One user can have multiple sessions.
Q2: What does Bounce Rate indicate?
A2: Bounce Rate shows the percentage of visitors who leave after viewing only one page without interacting
further.
Q3: How do Goals help in Google Analytics?
A3: Goals track specific actions like form submissions or purchases, helping measure conversion rates and
campaign effectiveness.
Q4: What is an Event in Google Analytics?
A4: An Event tracks interactions like button clicks or video plays that don't cause a page reload.
Q5: How can you verify if the Google Analytics tracking code is working correctly?
A5: By using tools like Google Tag Assistant or Real-Time reports to check if user visits are being recorded
properly.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Goal in Google Analytics
Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Goal in Google Analytics (Universal Analytics):
1. Log into your Google Analytics account and select the website property.
2. Go to Admin (bottom-left corner).
3. Under the View column, click Goals.
4. Click + New Goal.
Google Analytics Overview & Interview Prep
5. Choose a Goal Template or Custom and click Continue.
6. Name your Goal (e.g., 'Newsletter Signup') and select the Goal Type:
- Destination (reaching a URL)
- Duration (time spent on site)
- Pages/Screens per session
- Event (interaction)
7. Set the details based on your type. For Destination, enter the thank-you page URL.
8. Click Save.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up an Event in Google Analytics
Step-by-Step: Setting Up an Event in Google Analytics (Universal Analytics):
Option A: Using Google Tag Manager (recommended)
1. Open Google Tag Manager (GTM) for your website.
2. Click Tags > New > Tag Configuration.
3. Select Google Analytics: Universal Analytics.
4. Choose Track Type as Event.
5. Fill in the Event Category, Action, Label, and Value (optional). Example:
- Category: 'Button'
- Action: 'Click'
- Label: 'Signup Button'
6. Under Triggering, add the trigger that fires when the user interacts with the element.
7. Save and publish the container.
Option B: Manual JavaScript event code (if no GTM)
Add this snippet to the element's code:
ga('send', 'event', 'Category', 'Action', 'Label');
Example:
ga('send', 'event', 'Video', 'Play', 'Homepage Promo Video');
Step-by-Step: Creating a Segment in Google Analytics
Step-by-Step: Creating a Segment in Google Analytics:
1. Log into Google Analytics and go to any report (e.g., Audience Overview).
2. Click Add Segment at the top of the report.
3. Click + New Segment.
Google Analytics Overview & Interview Prep
4. Name your segment (e.g., 'Mobile Users' or 'Returning Visitors').
5. Choose conditions from the left menu, such as Demographics, Technology, Behavior, or Traffic Sources.
6. Use filters to define your segment's criteria (e.g., Device Category = Mobile).
7. Click Save.
8. Your segment will now be applied to reports for analysis.
Tips for Google Analytics Tech Support & Customer Training
- Understand the Customer's Business: Tailor your explanations and training examples to their industry and
goals.
- Use Simple Language: Avoid jargon. Explain terms clearly and visually (screenshots, demo sessions).
- Focus on Key Reports: Teach them how to read Acquisition, Behavior, and Conversion reports relevant to
their objectives.
- Show Real-Time Data: Use Real-Time reports to demonstrate immediate effects of changes or
implementations.
- Help with Troubleshooting: Guide them to check tag installation, browser permissions (cookies, JavaScript),
and common pitfalls like filtered traffic.
- Create Documentation: Provide easy step-by-step guides or cheat sheets for their reference.
- Practice Patience and Empathy: Customers may have varying tech expertise; stay patient and supportive.
- Highlight ROI: Show how Google Analytics insights can directly improve their campaigns or website
effectiveness.
