Introducing Click-to-Teleport Ad Extensions

Exactly one year ago we rolled out Teleport Search in select markets, expanding the Google Search results beyond providing links and allowing users to travel through time and space. Today, we’re rolling out this functionality to AdWords and DoubleClick with a new ad extension: Click-To-Teleport (beta)*.

While features like call extensions and location extensions have aimed at solving the "online to store" marketing objective for multichannel advertisers, Click-to-Teleport shortens the offline conversion funnel by allowing a user to teleport directly to your business location by clicking on your search ad.

You’ll additionally be able to tailor Click-to-Teleport extensions to your business goals by choosing to either:

• Optimize for closest location: Least disorienting for visitors, and helps you maintain a local feeling.
• Optimize for conversions: Teleports visitors to locations where your customers are most likely to convert.
• Rotate evenly: Teleports visitor to a random business location and helpful for avoiding overcrowded business locations.

Please be aware that while Click-to-Teleport is in beta, there is no “teleport back home” option for users. You are responsible for providing return transportation or calling a taxi for any teleport customer. At this time, Click-to-Teleport extensions are available in all countries and languages on Earth but are not compatible with our recently launched planetary targeting options.

To learn more, visit the Click-to-Teleport site.

Posted by David Kaufman, Teleportation & Time Travel Marketing Manager

*IMPORTANT: Though we have worked out most of the kinks with Click-to-Teleport, the technology is still in beta. Google will not be held responsible for any teleporting related injuries, unexpected time travel or any other teleporting risks, such as those demonstrated in The Fly.

Upcoming Webinar: Measurement and optimization on the GDN

Looking to measure and optimize your GDN campaigns? We'll be hosting a webinar on April 2nd at 3:00pm GMT to discuss how to create successful GDN campaigns. You can use the GDN to target specific sites, categories, topics and audiences, and in this webinar we'll discuss best practices surrounding the creation and optimization of GDN campaigns. This webinar will be presented by a UK-based Google Display Specialist and more specialists will on hand to answer any questions you may have.

Register now here! For upcoming live webinars and webinar recording links, please visit google.co.uk/ads/webinars.

Posted by Lauren Barbato, Inside AdWords crew

Measuring app engagement across device & platforms

There are more ways now to consume your favorite television shows, movies, and on demand content than ever before. People are turning to their smartphones, tablets, and Internet connected TV’s to watch what they want, when they want it. For broadcasters, agencies, and advertisers the question is how are users engaging with this media and how can it be monetized?

This measurement opportunity is what drove TV App Agency to be founded in 2011. The London-based software company designed a software application that works across a variety of viewing devices to help deliver on-demand media. They turned to Google Analytics as the platform to help them measure and analyze their data.

Why turn to Google Analytics?
TV App Agency opted to use Google Analytics’ server side APIs, which were more easily compatible with the on-demand media environment than JavaScript APIs. They were able to use their own in-house knowledge from previous mobile development to come up with a tagging strategy that highlighted exactly the data that mattered most to their business model. Learn more by reading the full case study.



“We are now able to track which adverts are being played and get an idea of which functions in apps are being used. Plus, the real-time reports show when people are actually using these apps.”
                          Bruno Pereira, co-founder of TV App Agency

Future Analytics goals

TV App Agency is working on expanding their Analytics to track more events, and understand more about viewer engagement from Analytics robust reports. By integrating Google Analytics they are able to offer richer data and analysis than other connected TV app developers, which gives them an incredible advantage in this exciting new space.

- The Google Analytics team

Updates to Google Merchant Center Terms of Service

(Cross-posted from the Google Commerce blog)

Back in January, we announced our new Google Terms of Service to provide a more consistent experience for users across Google's products. Starting today, March 29, Google Merchant Center will be covered by the new Google Terms of Service along with a short set of additional terms and conditions specific to Merchant Center.

While the substance in the additional Merchant Center terms and conditions remains unchanged from the previous version, the new additional terms and conditions are shorter and reworded to be easier to understand. We encourage you to take the time to review the new Google Terms of Service along with the additional Merchant Center terms and conditions.

Posted by Mayuresh Saoji, Senior Product Manager, Google Merchant Center team

A fast, accurate, and affordable way to do online market research

From international brands to local food trucks, every business wants to make important decisions with their customers’ feedback in mind. Which version of your new logo will people like better? How much interest do dog owners have in organic dog food? Is your brand awareness growing over time?

We now have a new option for companies looking to answer these types of questions and more: Google Consumer Surveys. Whether you’re a Fortune 500 company or a local bike shop, Consumer Surveys makes market research fast, accurate, and affordable.

You can create an online survey in minutes, have responses within hours and fully analyzed results in days. We do all the heavy lifting for you, finding interesting nuggets of information (or “insights”) and providing you with tools for digging deeper.

Here’s how it works: people browsing the web come across your questions when they try to access high quality content like news articles or videos. Answering the question gives them near instant access to the page they want. All responses are anonymous; they aren’t tied to users’ identity or later used to target ads. This provides an alternative to the traditional paywall model: site visitors don’t have to pull out a wallet or sign in, publishers get paid as their site visitors respond, and you gain insight into what people think -- for just $0.10 per response for the general US population or $0.50 per response for custom audiences.

We’ve already been working with a number of companies researching everything from online shopping behavior (Lucky Brand Jeans) to gluten-free baking mixes (King Arthur Flour), and using Consumer Surveys to track brand awareness (Timbuk2) and inform product development (479 Popcorn). Check out google.com/insights/consumersurveys to learn more.

Posted by Brett Slatkin, Software Engineer

6 Places to find inspiration

Every creative person has those days when you just can't focus on any ideas or have this aching creative block. There are times where you will need to dig deep to find inspiration for a project. This more than likely involves you leaving the confines of your desk or cubical to soak in some new surroundings.

Often times our simplest surroundings can spark an idea. Inspiration can come from anywhere, a blob of ketchup on your plate could be the shape of an icon you needed for a masterpiece logo, or the way you see something in the reflection of a window can be what you are looking for in a texture. We often find these ideas in the least likely spots.

Here are six inspiring places to pull great thoughts and ideas from:

1. Shoe Stores - There is such a variety of shapes, colors, textures and patterns, you'd be amazed at what inspiration you can get from shoes.
2. Kids Toy Boxes - There is so much life and positive energy in children and you can get a load of inspiration from their toys.
3. Construction Sites - Believe it or not there are a lot of ideas to be had from watching construction in progress...it's new life, masses of materials being shuffled, the sounds and experience can shake loose some really creative thinking.
4. Book Stores - There are many examples and design sources to absorb in your local bookstore. From the magazine rack to the fiction section you are liable to find something inspiring.
5. Community Park - It's always inspiring to be outdoors. Go to your local park and get some fresh air, listen to the birds, watch the kids play. That will clear the cobwebs out.
6. Home Improvement Stores - Last but not least your local hardware store. It may not seem like it but there are so many materials, shapes, and sizes you can pull inspiration from. Don't forget to hit the garden section as there are bounds of plants, colors, smells and attractive surroundings to take in.

As always if you have a project or concept you are stuck on, give us a call. We are always thinking of new ways to be creative and help out.

Until next time,
Jeremy

You've Gotta Be Flexible

I’m a runner.  I run about 25-35 miles per week.  And I stretch just about every day.  Why?  Because, to PREVENT trouble, you have to be flexible.

Here’s an industry example.

In December of 2011, we had a 2012 strategic marketing plan approved for a client.  It outlined the key objectives for the year and the tactics we would use to achieve them.  We had a month-by-month “map” of exactly what tactics we had planned.

In January, that same client stumbled into an outstanding opportunity … an RFP to be the “official” bank of the area’s largest college – and, coincidentally, the area’s largest employer.  By February, we had won the bid and this month we opened 2 new branches on the university campus.  This is in addition to a new branch that we opened in a different market this month.

The university project was certainly NOT in the plan.  And, though the other new branch was planned for, opening 3 new branches in one month was not!  To say the least, we had to reallocate some time and monetary resources.  

The lessons:

• As we wrap-up Q1 2012, relook at your plan and measure against your annual objectives.  How are you doing?
• Though is took a lot of hard work to put together, your plan is not etched in granite (if it actually IS, relook at your budget allocation!).  When you create your plan, you have to realize that it will likely NOT execute to the letter.
• Though the last 60 days have been crazy … because we have a well-conceived plan that is based in bank objectives, we are now starting to migrate back to executing it. 

Check your plan.  How are you performing against it for Q1?  What has had to change, or what do you anticipate changing in the next quarter?  Have you learned any lessons from your past tactics that can make the rest of the year stronger?

Just as flexible muscles prevent big trouble on race day …. A flexible plan can prevent big trouble to your marketing efforts.

For more on creating a marketing plan, click here for our 

Marketing Minute video blog, "Planning to Plan."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more?  Enroll in the MarketMatch eCollege!  Smart learning online sessions delivered five consecutive Tuesdays with CFMP credits, tactical advice and a game plan for success!

MarketMatch is a full-service marketing firm, dedicated to the credit union and community banking community.  We utilize knowledge-based strategies to help you FOCUS on the efforts that will generate the greatest  MOMENTUM for your organization and demonstrate RESULTS with our written ROI Guarantee.

Learn more here. (click here)

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Or email me directly (click here)

937-426-9848

Sharing Personalized Dashboards using the Analytics API

Web agencies often rely on Excel and Word to create analytics reports for clients. It’s a manual process that involves a lot of copy and pasting. Yet an agency’s main value-add isn’t report creation, but analyzing data and providing key findings and recommendations to clients. And while Google Analytics provides the tools to slice and dice the data, many web agencies also want to present clients with personalized reports, complete with the agency’s logo. And they want to be able to deliver and share reports without requiring users to log in, especially in large organizations where report distribution can become an onerous administrative process.

DashThis addresses these challenges with dashboards that combine simple automatic reporting with accessibility. Agencies spend less time creating reports and more time analyzing. Using the Google Analytics API, DashThis imports the client’s data and updates a set of dashboards with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for a specific job function or industry. The agency can also request a set of custom dashboards that meet exact specifications and requirements.

Alerts and warnings can be set to notify managers of changes in KPIs via email. All this is accomplished securely and without requiring the user to log in. There is also a white-label option for additional branding requirements demanded by agencies.

According to Kari Harju, CEO of SalesLion, an SEO and conversion agency in Helsinki, Finland. “Customers do not always understand how to read the results from web analytics products and see a tangible return on their investments. It's hard to show them without time consuming meetings. SalesLion opted for a custom dashboard to meet the needs of their clients. As a result of using DashThis, our clients now have a simple and easy way to understand what’s going on with their web properties as it relates to their KPIs”. SalesLion eliminated most of the reporting work, leaving more time to analyze, highlight key findings, and make actionable recommendations to clients.


DashThis was built by Trimali Technologies and uses the Google Analytics API. Stéphane Guérin, CEO describes DashThis’ experience with the Google Analytics API and the response from customers, “The API is really simple to use but extremely powerful. It allows developers to add even more value on a great tool such as Google Analytics. We’ve been able to develop strong business relationships with agencies and we’re proud to have made a tool that is useful for professionals. By opening the platform, Google Analytics allows smaller companies like ours to flourish in a rich eco-system.”


DashThis can be found in the Google Analytics App Gallery and on the DashThis website.
If you’re interested in developing solutions for the Google Analytics platform, visit Google Analytics Developers.


Posted by Pete Frisella, Google Analytics API Team

Put your business in fast forward with Google+

Today, we’re thrilled to share with you the story of musician and Google+ breakout star Daria Musk.

We often get asked for examples of how to use Google+ to engage with users. Lighting up Google+ with live concerts, as Daria’s done, can seem a song apart from selling wares such as designer laptop cases, hotel rooms or even car insurance -- but the principles of building an engaged Google+ community ring true across industries. Daria’s story is a shining example of what working with an active audience can look like.

Be authentic and committed
On March 13, Daria crossed the amazing milestone of having more than one million followers. That means more than one million Google+ users have added Daria to their circles, all in the space of about eight months.

Daria was looking for those listeners when she joined Google+. “I was dreaming maybe there’s this wider world that I can sing for,” she said. “Maybe my people are out there somewhere.”

Through posts and Hangouts, Daria has kept her fans engaged. Keys to success, Daria said, include starting with enthusiasm and authenticity. “Right now if you get on Google+ and you show that you’re doing something remarkable, they’ll notice you,” she said.

Being remarkable, Daria coached, includes being yourself and avoiding canned-message posts. Users can tell if you’re trying to make a real connection. Be genuinely excited to connect with them and they’ll connect back.

When users do notice you, make sure you commit enough time to connect back. Taking just 10 to 15 minutes to respond to comments can keep the conversation going.

Create a Hangout ritual

When it comes to connecting with Google+ users, Daria’s found the perfect vehicle: Hangouts, which allow Google+ users to connect over video chat, in real time, for free. For Daria, that has meant instantaneous global concerts that have included a round-the-world New Year’s Eve Hangout and a Hangout on stage at her TEDxTalk -- allowing her to share key moments with her “G+niuses, ” her followers.

For a successful Hangout ritual, follow Daria’s example and recommendations:

• Announce the Hangout: Be excited! Hang a virtual poster on your stream and tell users what you’ll be doing or discussing.
• Encourage participants: If you’ve noticed great comments, invite those users directly to get a lively discussion going.
• Follow up: After the Hangout, post a summary on your stream. What happened? What was discussed? What will you do with what you learned?

Get inputs -- and inspiration -- from your audience
For Daria, Google+ isn’t just a way to promote her music. It’s also a way to help shape it. The magic of Hangouts -- including watching a sunrise in Norway from her studio in the United States -- has inspired Daria to create additional “products” – her songs and music -- including tunes such as “+1 Me.” She even cut audio from the live Hangouts into her live album, "L+VE." What could you learn from your own customers?

Google+ makes Daria feel like an innovator -- and it’s open to anyone. All you have to do is sign up and start engaging. “We’re … making our own party,” she said, “and everyone’s invited.”

Join the party today. Create a Google+ page for your business at google.com/+/business.

Posted by Becky Bowman, Account Manager

New research: Organic search results and their impact on search ads

The Google Research team has a new study out today that examines how organic search results and ranking impact ad impressions and ad clicks. The team analyzed 390 Search Ads Pause studies and found, on average:

• 81% of ad impressions and 66% of ad clicks occur in the absence of an associated organic result on the first page of search results. All ad clicks in these situations are incremental.
• On average, for advertisers who appear in the top rank organic slot, 50% of ad clicks are incremental. This means that half of all ad clicks are not replaced by organic clicks when search ads are paused.
• For advertisers whose organic search results are in the 2nd to 4th position, 81% of ad clicks are incremental. For advertisers appearing in organic position of 5 or lower, 96% of ad clicks are incremental.

The numbers reported here are averages. As always, we encourage advertisers to experiment with their own accounts to determine their individual incrementality rate. This rate should be factored into ROI calculations.

You can read more about it and see the infographic on the Google Research blog here.

Posted by Christina Park, Product Marketing Manager

Helping the right customers find your business with our Help Desk Hangouts On Air Series

Join us every Wednesday at 11am PST on the Google+ Your Business page to learn about the tools that Google offers your business. This week, we’re excited to bring current AdWords users a Hangout On Air about using AdWords to introduce your business to new, potential customers. AdWords is an amazing tool to help customers find you, so we want to make sure you make the most of it! We will cover topics around defining advertising goals, effective account structures, important metrics, and useful reports and features to help you get the most out of advertising with us.

Here's how you can participate: Sign into

Google+ and add the Google+ Your Business page to your circles. Post questions ahead of time - just look for the post that we put up every Monday morning soliciting your questions. Then, on Wednesday, navigate to your Stream where you’ll be able to view our Hangout live with just one click!

We’re excited to see you, answer your questions, and teach you a little about AdWords!

Posted by Courtney Pannell and Dorian Storbeck, Global Online Advertising Associates

Think with Google comes to ad:tech SF to make the web work for you

More users. More screens. More content. Same time. Same customers. Same goals.



As marketers, it’s a challenge to stay up-to-date on the latest digital media innovations while continuing to manage effective, measurable campaigns. We at Google asked ourselves: how can we help you meet these challenges and move your customers from intent to action? How can we make the web work for you?

Next week at ad:tech SF we’ll answer these questions through a 4-part “Think with Google” series.

Tuesday, April 3rd

• Come hear from John Nicoletti, Director of Agency Development, on winning the moments that matter, making better decisions and operating more efficiently as you grow.
• Dive deep with Bill Kee, Analytics Product Manager, on ways to approach marketing attribution and what Google Analytics is doing to make attribution modeling more accessible.
• Learn about free tools available to help you plan for performance with Jordan Rost, Agency Lead.
• Close the day with Rikard Steiber, Global Marketing Director, Mobile & Social Advertising, on how to use Google+ Pages to maximize your business’ effectiveness and presence online.

Wednesday, April 4th
Global Google Analytics Lead Rachel Witalec will join the discussion on search tactics for making sure content gets found where and when you want it. If you’re investing time in digital marketing you won’t want to miss this.

The complete conference agenda is here. The sessions are open to ad:tech attendees.

Still haven’t registered? Sign up here with discount code GOOGLESF12TB and save 30% off a full conference pass.

Hope to see you there!

Posted by the Google Analytics team

Think with Google comes to ad:tech SF to make the web work for you

More users. More screens. More content. Same time. Same customers. Same goals.

As marketers, it’s a challenge to stay up-to-date on the latest digital media innovations while continuing to manage effective, measurable campaigns. We at Google asked ourselves: how can we help you meet these challenges and move your customers from intent to action? How can we make the web work for you?

Next week at ad:tech SF we’ll answer these questions through a 4-part “Think with Google” series.

Tuesday, April 3rd

• Come hear from John Nicoletti, Director of Agency Development, on winning the moments that matter, making better decisions and operating more efficiently as you grow.
• Dive deep with Bill Kee, Analytics Product Manager, on ways to approach marketing attribution and what Google Analytics is doing to make attribution modeling more accessible.
• Learn about free tools available to help you plan for performance with Jordan Rost, Agency Lead.
• Close the day with Rikard Steiber, Global Marketing Director, Mobile & Social Advertising, on how to use Google+ Pages to maximize your business’ effectiveness and presence online.

Wednesday, April 4th

Global Google Analytics Lead Rachel Witalec will join the discussion on search tactics for making sure content gets found where and when you want it. If you’re investing time in digital marketing you won’t want to miss this.

The complete conference agenda is here. The sessions are open to ad:tech attendees.

Still haven’t registered? Sign up here with discount code GOOGLESF12TB and save 30% off a full conference pass.

Posted by Katie Miller, Inside AdWords crew

Webinar tomorrow: Advanced audience targeting on the Google Display Network

This live webinar will outline how advertisers can use advanced audience targeting across the Google Display Network. We will discuss how to overlap and maximize AdWords products in order to reach specific target audience segments by using products such as remarketing, interest categories, topic targeting and more. This live webinar will be presented by a UK-based Google Display Specialist and more specialists will be on hand to answer any questions you may have.

When: Tuesday 27th March at 3pm GMT (10am EST / 7amPST)

Register now!

Posted by Katie Miller, Inside AdWords crew

Are you your own BRAND?

Do you have a brand vision? Are you consistent in promoting your vision? Do you know how to effectively communicate your vision? For some help in creating and maintaining your brand, the secret weapon is David McNally’s and Karl D. Speak’s book, Be Your Own Brand – Achieve More of What You Want by Being More of Who You Are.

As the authors explain in the book’s introduction: “Everyone has a brand, and anyone can be a strong brand. It doesn’t involve changing your personality – you can be an introvert or extrovert. And it’s definitely not about trying to be something you’re not. The difference between one personal brand and another is that the person with a strong brand utilizes his or her special qualities to make a difference in the lives of others.”

The book was originally written back in 2002, at a time when personal branding was not as evolved as it is today. But thanks to social media, we now have the tools to shine as individuals, which is completely different than when only businesses were the embodiment of a brand.

McNally and Speak define a brand as “a relationship – not a statement. It is not a matter of contrived image, or colorful packaging, or snappy slogans, or adding an artificial veneer to disguise the true nature of what’s within. In fact, a “branded” relationship is a special type of relationship – one that involves the kind of trust that only happens when two people believe that there is a direct connection between their value systems.” McNally and Speak clarify that a personal brand “is a perception or emotion, maintained by somebody other than you, that describes your outstanding qualities and influences that person’s relationship with you.”

Does your personal brand accurately reflect what you want it to? You need brand dimensions (the combination of standards and style that defines the unique attributes of your brand) and a personal brand promise (a concise, meaningful, and inspiring statement that sums up the relationship you have with someone else). Then, your personal brand has great potential. But you’re not done yet. McNally and Speak offer 11 guiding principles:

[1] Develop and refine your personal brand platform

[2] Be brand proud

[3] Audit your brand promise

[4] Be authentic

[5] Make sure the signals you send convey relevance to others

[6] Be consistent

[7] Make sure your package reflects your contents

[8] Brands are known by the company they keep

[9] Find alignment between your personal brand and your employer’s brand – if possible

[10] Start counting relationships as part of your asset base

[11] Go social or go home

What would you add to further develop a personal brand?

___________

Connect with David on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/EvenEagles

Check out David’s Blog: http://blog.transformcorp.com

Visit David’s site: http://transformcorp.com

Connect with Karl on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/speakk

Check out Karl’s Blog: http://www.brandtoolbox.com/category/blog

Visit Karl’s site: http://www.brandtoolbox.com

New logo and website design to share: Life, Love and Waffles

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working with a smart, sassy and savvy college grad named Teddie.  Fast forward to just a few years later - we have both grown so much.  Teddie is on quite an adventure right now - in Belgium! - and I know you'll want to come along and learn more about her fabulous journey.
I had the pleasure of designing her logo and blog.  She was a dream client and I really felt like knowing and "getting" her guided me in the design process.

Allow me to introduce you to Teddie's blog: Life, Love & Waffles.  Stop by for a visit, and tell her I sent you! xo

Laura is a marketing professional and blogger who has been active in social media since 2005.  If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to this blog via Email or  RSS. Laura can also be found on Twitter (@LauraCatherineO), Facebook, and LinkedIn.
 

Measure your website’s performance with improved Site Speed reports

In our continued effort to improve your experience of Google Analytics, we are excited to release an updated Site Speed report that distills all the key metrics into a quick & easy to read Overview report.

Site Speed Overview Report
The Overview report provides an at-a-glance view of essential information for measuring your site’s page loading metrics: Avg. Page Load Time by Browser, Country/Territory, and Page. Plus you can compare your site’s average performance over time to forecast trends and view historical performance. All of these tools can help you identify where your pages may be underperforming and adjust so more visitors land on your site instead of waiting in frustration or leaving.

Example of updated reports   

Previously there was only one Site Speed report, this has been renamed to “Page Timings”. On the Page Timings report, you can view your site's load times in three ways: use the Explorer tab to explore average load time across dimensions, use the Performance tab to see how the load times break down by speed ranges, or use the Map Overlay tab to see how the load times breakdown by geography.

Previous report, now Page Timings   

Speed metrics available in Intelligence Reports & API
The technical metrics included in the Page Timings report were launched a couple of months ago. So we’ve been working hard at making these metrics available in more of your favorite Analytics features. We’ve updated the Intelligence Reports to include the average site load times and all the Page Timings metrics. Now you can create custom alerts based on site speed metrics such as Avg. Page Load Time, Avg. Server Response Time. And view site speed metrics in the Analytics API and Custom Reports.

Site Speed Sample Rate
Small sites (<10K visits per day) can now increase the site speed sample rate up to 100% to get full samples for page load time. Note that the processing limit of up to 10K per day or 1% of pageview hits (whichever is greater) still applies.

- Mustafa M. Tikir, Google Analytics team

Better Insights with Flow Visualization Enhancements

We've been listening to your feedback about Flow Visualization, and we’re excited to announce a number of significant upgrades that are available to all our users starting today.

Events Flow
We’ve expanded the Flow Visualization family of reports to now include Events Flow! This new feature can be found in the Content->Events section:

What problem does Events Flow help solve?
Event-driven websites had a difficult time analyzing the impact from their visitors using flow visualization. These are websites that land users on one URL, where there are multiple elements on that page for a user to interact with  (such as videos, roll over buttons, or games). These sites tend to have very few pages and get most of their value from visitor interactions with events. The Events Flow report addresses this issue by showing the order of events in which your visitors engaged.

For those who have used Visitors Flow before, the feel of the Events Flow report will be familiar - it includes all the same interactions of hovering, clicking, and adding additional steps. You can also analyze the flow of events by grouping the nodes in any of the following 3 options: Category, Category/Action, or Category/Action/Label.  For more information about using the Events Flow report, view our help center or this how to video to see how we analyzed the events that occurred in our very own Flow Visualization reports!

Flow Visualization Date Comparison
You can now compare two date ranges for the entire family of Flow Visualization reports: Visitors Flow, Goal Flow, and even the new Events Flow. This feature will help you to gain insights on how your visitor engagement changes over different periods of time.

Example of Goal Flow Date Comparison

Now you can analyze and measure how changes to your pages and/or goal steps affect your visitors behavior. It optimizes your workflow by removing the need to perform manual calculations and open two browsers to view two flow visualizations side-by-side. You can now do them all in one screen.

Plus, you can also highlight connections and instantly update all the comparison numbers for that particular traffic. Below is a real-life example from our Google Store. We compared two time periods (where we have removed a particular goal step) and discovered that pageviews from Firefox went down 15%.

From an initial impression, one might have concluded that the removal of the goal step could have potentially lower the traffic. However by highlighting that flow we were able to isolate that traffic to see how many orders were successfully completed. That was how we learned the number of orders actually went up 67%, and the removal of the goal step helped increased our conversion rates!

This feature can be extremely powerful for gaining additional insights on how to optimize conversions and the website experience for your visitors. Learn more in our help center.

Additional Goal Types in Goal Flow 
Are you interested in seeing how users convert on non-URL goals? Now you can, we’ve added support for additional types of goals including time on site and engagement in the Goal Flow report. Head on over to the Goal Flow report to choose the goal(s) you’re interested in.

Here are links that will help you easily find these reports in your Google Analytics account.

• Events Flow
• Goal Flow
• Visitor Flow

We hope these enhancements make Flow Visualization even more comprehensive and allow you to gain deeper insights. Please reach out to us with questions and comments, and we are always happy to take additional feature requests.

- Jerry Hong, Google Analytics team