Optimizing GA Dashboards to Visualize Video Insights
When paired with a real-time source of standardized, video data like Datazoom, Google Analytics transforms from a robust, customer data analytics tool into a cost-free alternative to other solutions for video QoE analytics.
Some media networks are making the change. You can too by following the high-level plan for getting set up with Google Analytics and Datazoom which you can read here.
This time, we’re going to introduce Google Data Studio as a tool for expanding upon the metrics computed by Google Analytics. Google Data Studio provides a platform for customizing the way matrics are calculated in more detail than Google Analytics’ more “out of the box” interface. Pairing a Datazoom + Google Analytics configuration with Google Data Studio yields a query function similar to systems like Splunk, New Relic Insights, and Datadog, which richer, more user-centric metrics can be designed.
Here, we’ll review some steps you can follow to get set up with a couple of basic metrics. You can use the same general ideas to write other useful metrics for your team.
Before we begin, please review and complete our Google Analytics Connector setup steps. This will ensure that you can take advantage of the full functionality of Datazoom’s free trial while utilizing Google Data Studio to understand your data. As well, click here to review some of the important differences and limitations between Google Analytics and Google Data Studio’s free and paid versions.
1. Link Google Analytics with Google Data Studio
Prerequisite: You will require a Google Analytics account and have deployed the requisite Global Site Tag (gtag.js) as per Google’s instructions before you begin.
Follow the steps outlined in this Connect to Google Analytics document. Once you’ve successfully completed the steps, you will see the following screen:
Click the “Refresh Fields” icon on the bottom left of your Data Source page in case there are any new custom dimensions or metrics that need to be included.
2. Creating the Metrics
Prerequisite: You will require a Collector for your video player and have its configuration deployed before you begin.
Prerequisite: You will require a Data Pipe with at least “timeSinceLastFluxData” and “Play Request” selected and enabled before you begin.
Create a metric for the number of minutes watched
Click the + next to “ADD A FIELD”
Enter Minutes Viewed in the upper left under “Field Name”
Enter timeSinceLastFluxData/60000
Click “Save” in the lower right
Create a metric for the number of play requests
Click the + next to “ADD A FIELD”
Enter Play Requests in the upper left under “Field Name”
Enter COUNT_Distinct(CASE WHEN Event Action = “Play_Request” THEN sessionViewId ELSE “” END)
Click “Save” in the lower right
3. Building the Report
Now that we’ve created two metrics, put them to use in a Google Data Studio Report. Click the “CREATE REPORT” button. You will see the following:
Click “ADD TO REPORT”. This will bring up a new report screen. From here you can begin to build visualizations using the metrics just created. Be sure to give your report a name so you can find it easily later. Click “Untitled Report” in the upper left to rename the report:
Click on the “Add a Chart” item in the toolbar and select the left icon under “Table:”
Enter “title” in the search field in the far right under “Available Fields”. Click and drag the resulting “title” onto the green dimension “Medium” to replace it:
Enter “Minutes Viewed” in the search field in the far right under “Available Fields”. Click and drag the resulting “Minutes Viewed” onto the blue metric “Pageviews” to replace it:
Click on the “Add a Chart” item in the toolbar and select the left icon under “Scorecard:”
Enter “Play Requests” in the search field in the far right under “Available Fields”. Click and drag the resulting “Play Requests” onto the blue metric “Pageviews” to replace it:
Continue using the tools in Data Studio to add a Date Filter and begin adjusting the size and layout of the report to your liking.
Click the “VIEW” button in the upper right to be taken to the report.
You can now view the number of minutes viewed by Title and the number of Play Requests in that time period:
Going Beyond
Below are additional examples of the types of reports you can build using the free trial Datazoom account and the free version of Google Analytics with Google Data Studio.
For a bit more detailed overview of these steps, and other resources for using Datazoom in tandem with other analytics systems like Splunk, New Relic, and Datadog, check out our documentation at the Datazoom Help Center.
With these resources, a world of insight is now at your fingertips:
Happy analyzing!
