Casey Cheshire

Found this project through AnalyticsPros blog Analytics Prose and it pointed me to this blog post on Yoast.

It’s a quick little Google Analytics project that shows you what page your site was on when someone clicked to your site from the natural search results.

Image via CrunchBase

So someone searching for “Casey Cheshire” would find CaseyCheshire.com on the first page and in the first position.  Google Analytics won’t be able to tell you position, but with this filter setup, it’ll show you what page you were on.  Testing on your own will give you different results because Google has personalized search.

Step 1: Create a new profile. (Always do this so you don’t screw up your main profile. Once data is filtered, it cannot be reversed.)

Step 2: Create a filter that Includes only Organic traffic. (Instructions here.)

Step 3: Create a filter that Includes only Google traffic. (There are fixes to include Yahoo and MSN, but you’ll need to already be properly tagging this traffic with custom utm data.  It get’s more complicated, but is doable. ) (Instructions here.)

Step 4: Create a filter that does the Magic (…grabs the page result from the url).

Click here for a photo of what the filter should look like.

An important fact about what you’ll see in the results.  If you don’t see a result it means it was on the first page, 20 means it was on the third page.  Below is the page number & what result will show up in results.

1. no result
2. 10
3. 20
4. 30
5. 40
6. 50

Not perfect or Apple iPhone user friendly, but provides a glimpse into the SEO effect on your organic search.

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• What is Google Analytics (techtalkformoms.com)

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If you work with Google Analytics on a daily basis, I highly recommend you review the suite of training presentations at Google’s Conversion University.  Depending on how familiar you are with Google Analytics, you might find most of the information a review, but I’ll bet you money that you’ll learn something new.

The presentations are succinct, clear, and organized.  They’re an excellent free resource for online metrics.  Remember, you can’t improve your online analytics’ ability to drive smart decisions if you don’t fully understand the capabilities available to you.

Some super techie things I learned more about in Google Analytics:

• Advanced Segments are AWESOME! They’re designed to be a quick & easy solution to isolating segment reports.  You can do this same thing with additional Profiles but you’ll be creating tons of filters, waiting for new data, and permanently filtering raw data.  And we know that…
• Once you filter data, it’s filtered baby! No turning back.  It’s like enlisting with the Marine Corps or jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.
• Sub-domains? Multiple domains? Bring it!  There’s nothing to be afraid of with modifying Google Analytics code.  It’s very intuitive and the references for changes are thorough .
• There are reports you haven’t even dreamed of… Yes I had not even imagined they existed, but they do!  One of the best parts about going through the Conversion University presentations for the Google Analytics Individual Qualification is that it get’s you out of your daily usage ”comfort’ zone.  My advice? Follow along! You’ll be having “ahah!” moments just like I did with filter, segment, and custom report ideas.

Don’t just casually go through the presentations.  That’ll invite relaxed learning, and yes… MULTITASKING.  Try your best not to check your email (or Twitter) when watching the presentations.  I’d suggest simply following along and your best zone-in music on iTunes.

This certificate is the bonus to your goal of gaining a stronger background with Google Analytics.

The online test to qualify can be taken at the Google Testing Center and costs $50.  Happy Google Analyticaling!