Google Analytics Adds Visual and Real-time Data Tracking

Google

Google Analytics is improving how you can learn more about your website’s traffic, visually and in realtime.

Senior Vice President of advertising at Google Susan Wojcicki said that the move seeks to answer website owners’ desire to learn how users actually move around the website and if they’re converting. The new feature announced at Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco aims to answer that.

Google used the historic Napoleon's 1812 campaign into Russia for its visual representation. Yes, they did deep down into history and borrowed Charles Minard's popular visualization of the event. The representation showed geography, time, and troop strength of Napoleon’s army. Google used it as an inspiration probably because «probably the best statistical graphic ever drawn.»

The new Google Analytics can show you how many visitors are online, ergo real time. Administrators with Analytics account can also see real-time reports. Through this, your website’s performance is immediately reflected on your analytics. This metric may brought upon a new way on how website owners optimize their website for better user experience and high conversion rates. Real-time tracking will allow site owners to see what the user has done while he’s on the website: including twitting the page he visited.

Google not surprisingly isn’t the first company to offer this feature. Companies such as Woopra, Tynt, StatPress, Charbeat and a few others have long been allowing users to see real time data and site statistics.

These features will not be available on all Google Analytics account. Source said that it will take weeks before every GA user can take full advantage of the visual and real-time data tracking feature.

Google on the other hand will be releasing a premium version of Google Analytics. Premium users gets to access advances analytic metrics, improved data processing power, 24/7 support. Premium accounts cost $150,000 per year.

You can learn more about the new Google Analytics through Google Susan below: