Lockdown Learning: Google Analytics
Google Analytics is something that I have been meaning to learn a bit about for years. This week I finally got around to it.
I’ve been a fan of MOOCs for a few years now. ‘Massive Open Online Courses’ can be accessed by anyone with internet access and a desire to learn. They allow learners to dip their toes into a subject matter with minimal commitment. MOOCs also tend to be free of charge with some upselling if, for example, you want a certificate to document your learning.
Platforms I’ve used in the past include Futurelearn, EdX and the Law Society of Ireland. I can now add Google Analytics Academy to that list.
Google Analytics for Beginners
This was my starting point: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/course/6
There are four units:
- Introducing Google Analytics
- The Google Analytics Interface
- Basic Reports
- Basic Campaign and Conversion Tracking
Each unit comprising four or five lessons. Each lesson usually comprised a short video. At the end of each unit, there is a short quiz to test your knowledge.
These are multiple-choice and you can have as many goes as you need to get through. With a pass mark of 80%, this is a particularly welcome feature!
Advanced Google Analytics
The advanced course can be found here. The units covered are:
- Data Collection and Processing
- Setting Up Data Collection and Configuration
- Advanced Analytics Tools and Techniques
- Advanced Marketing Tools
The structure is similar to the Beginners course although there is a bias towards interactive learning where you are guided through a mock Analytics account. I can see what they are trying to do here but I found the interactivity didn’t quite flow as well. This level of learning requires a little more reflection and I feel the skills are something that I could develop over time through just ‘doing’.
Google Analytics Individual Qualification (GAIQ)
This aspect was altogether more daunting: 70 questions in 60 minutes with a pass mark of 80%. Unlike the tests in the Analytics courses, if you don’t pass you will have to wait a week before you can give it another go. Once you do, you’ll get a .pdf certificate to evidence that, apparently, you know your stuff!
Reflection
I am not convinced as to my expertise. It is a bit like my first day out of Pupillage… Gavan Duffy spent six months trying to put some manners on me but is only once the stabilisers come off that you can really learn to ride a bike. I’ll play around with Google Analytics in the coming months and see how I get on… thankfully, the course materials remain accessible as a reference point, much like a coffee with one's Pupil Master!