I discovered Google Data Studio and it changed my life!

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Tips & tricks discovered during an intensive AFL Club dashboard build out

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Kristi Barrow

Former Digital Analytics Lead�AFL (Australian Football League)

Thank you

A big shout out to the Giants who agreed to let me show some of their data during this presentation

Please do not copy or reproduce any of this data

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Google Data Studio is an excellent tool to quickly create great looking reports and dashboards that can be viewed online and printed out. My key three takeaways:

• Admin: Accounts & Themes�Get it right, or deal with the headache that will come later
• Non Analytics Data�Not just limited to analytics. You can bring in all sorts of data
• Images & Links�Make your reports look heaps better
• Tips to Win | Watchouts

1. Agenda

Tip 1 Get your admin right

• For all Google tools, use the same account when connecting data sources, e.g.
• Google Sheets
• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Utilise themes where possible
• Plan ahead

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Data Sources & Themes

• Data Sources
• Set-up a master account to connect to all your data sources: E.g. analytics@yourcompany.com.au
• Report Editor
• Stick to the one same account to create your reports
• Before you copy/duplicate reports:
• set up your data sources
• create your calculated metrics
• Themes
• Set headers/footers as “Make report-level”
• Set theme colours (tables and graphs)
• Make printer friendly
• Check print preview
• “Google Data Studio PDF Export” extension
• Plan
• Check absolutely everything before your duplicate

Tip 2 Combine all your data

Data Studio will ingest all kinds of data including csv files, google sheets and Adobe Analytics!

• Google sheets is easy and quick
• Connectors are available for other data such as Facebook
• Replace that old powerpoint doc!

Non Analytics Data

• Google has many inbuilt connectors
• CSV upload, GA, Adwords, Search Console

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• Google Docs - the easiest way to update data!
• Others can easily update their data
• Be careful of dates. The American format seems to creep into everything!

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• Other connectors
• Check out the Partner Connectors

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Tip 3 Use images & links

You can include images in your reports to make them look heaps better

• Static (customise with logos)
• Dynamic (great for publishers and content heavy sites)
• Link directly to the content

Images and Links

• Add a Table�
• Create new metrics
• Image Thumbnail�IMAGE(Image Path, Image Title)
• Encoded Image Path�REPLACE(Image Path, ' ',"%20")
• Update Image Thumbnail�IMAGE(Encoded Image Path, Image Title)
• Linked Thumbnail�HYPERLINK(Page, Image Thumbnail)
• Article Link�CONCAT('http://www.gwsgiants.com.au', Page Name)
• Update Linked Thumbnail�HYPERLINK(Article Link, Image Thumbnail)

Feel free to get in contact. I’m always up for talking data and footy!

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Kristi Barrow�kristi.barrow@gmail.com�www.linkedin.com/in/kristibarrow/

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Thank you

• Different sharing options are available
• Use short URLs to link to reports:�http://giants.afl/report
• You can rename variables to be more meaningful (in reports and calculated fields)
• You can calculate metrics on historical data
• You can nest calculated fields within calculated fields
• Use filters to remove noise
• Use the Data Studio Help Forum

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Tips to Win

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• Once you rename a variable its original name is lost Fixed!!!
• Calculated metrics cannot be copied
• You can’t base reports off a template
• Formatting of dynamic text NA
• When things go wrong, sometimes it’s quicker to start from scratch
• Date Formats can be a pain
• Error messages are not helpful
• You can’t edit a data source connected by a different account

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Watchouts!