After collecting and transforming the data, it's time to consult and analyze it. This is done through the Google Analytics interface or through the Google Analytics reporting APIs.
Analytics reports combine different dimensions and metrics in order to show the information and allow a better analysis of what is happening on the Web. Thus, in a standard report we will see in the first column the values of a dimension and from there, in consecutive columns, the corresponding metrics.
Como hemos comentado al principio, existen dos posibles formas de consultar los datos almacenados en una propiedad de Analytics, mediante la propia interfaz de informes que nos proporciona Google Analytics y con la cual podremos organizar, segmentar y filtrar los datos mediante las herramientas que la propia interfaz nos proporciona, o mediante la API (Interfaz de Programación de Aplicaciones) de informes de Analytics, que nos va a permitir extraer los datos directamente de Analytics para, mediante aplicaciones personalizadas, poder crear nuestros propios cuadros de mando e integrarlos dentro del cuadro de mando general del negocio.
En la mayoría de los casos, cuando solicitamos los datos a Analytics tanto desde la interfaz como desde llamadas a la API de informes, este nos devolverá todos los datos de forma casi inmediata. Sin embargo, si se solicitarán datos complejos, o el número de estos es excesivo, Analytics utiliza un muestreo de los datos para ofrecer los resultados.
By means of this sampling Analytics will be able to deliver this data faster and thus not penalize the visualization of the same. But don't worry, this will happen if Analytics encounters a volume of half a million sessions or tables with more than 50,000 records if the account is standard, i.e. the free one, increasing this limit to 75,000 in the case of premium accounts.
In summary, it is important to understand the components of the Analytics reporting system. Knowing how these reports are generated and how you can create custom reports using APIs will help simplify the process and integrate web analytics into the rest of your company's reporting.
In the next few articles, we'll take a closer look at both forms and go over how sampling works and how you can customize it.
I invite you to leave your impressions and/or doubts in the contact form and to suggest new topics that you would like me to cover in these tutorials. I will be happy to answer you by email and write in this blog.
