How to Learn Google Analytics and Apply Its Analysis Tools

Since its launch in 2005, the free web analytics tool Google Analytics has consistently demonstrated its massive potential to stimulate the business industry’s analytical response. Learning Google Analytics, either through Google Analytics courses or through other forms of Google Analytics training, is to learn the most-used analytical tool in the world. 

If you want the best courses and resources for learning Google Analytics, then this guide has got you covered.

What Is Google Analytics?

Easy to use and available around the world, Google Analytics helps you analyze your website’s traffic by providing custom reports on page views, clicks, and impressions and presenting them in convenient pie charts and histograms.

With Google Analytics, you not only can analyze your website’s performance, but you can also use this information to make your website rank better on Google. You can even track conversations on how people find your website. And you can use Google Analytics and Google AdSense together to increase your revenue.

The current version of Google Analytics is Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The platform has a specific process for dealing with incoming data, which we outline below. 

●      Collection. GA4 first takes in site data, such as unique and returning visitors, and then sends this information to your user account.

●      Configuration and Processing. Once it has collected the data, GA4 then converts it into a form that the analytics program can read. 

●      Reporting. In this final step, GA4 runs the analytics report and sends it back to your user account for easy access. 

What Jobs Use Google Analytics?

People with Google Analytics skills have lots of opportunities across many industries, including options for self-employment.

Jobs in data analytics are growing fast. Google Analytics experts can go into a number of high-paying professions, such as:

• Campaign Analyst. These folks are in charge of making sure that a digital marketing campaign is executed to the client’s satisfaction. They use analytics data to determine realistic benchmarks for a campaign’s success.
  
  
• Portfolio Analyst. An employee in this role is responsible for keeping a company’s investments trending in the right direction. He or she uses insights from Google Analytics to make buying and selling recommendations.
  
  
• HR/People Analyst. Such analysts are responsible for evaluating, collecting, analyzing, and reporting back on human resources processes and issues. 
  
  
• Pricing Analyst. Pricing analysts are responsible for handling complex data sets and setting competitive market prices for a company’s products. They collaborate with sales and marketing executives to develop a marketing strategy for the company and meet revenue goals. 
  
  

Steps to Learn Google Analytics

Setting up Google Analytics can be a bit of a hassle, but for all the valuable information it will place at your fingertips, it’s totally worth it. 

While there’s no single correct way to learn Google Analytics, below are some key steps that a new user should follow. 

Step 1: Get Started with Google Tag Manager

Google offers a free tag management tool known as Google Tag Manager. Do yourself a favor and install it. This tool reduces workload in the importation and processing of site data. 

Step 2: Set Up Your Google Analytics Account

After setting up Google Tag Manager, use your website name and URL to create a Google Analytics account. Just remember to keep your tracking ID private.

Step 3: Take on Personal Projects

Taking on personal Google Analytics projects will help you build knowledge of its functions and the components. This is a great opportunity to learn at your own pace before embarking on more formal training.

Step 4: Sign Up for Google Analytics Courses

Since self-study can only go so far, you should seek knowledge about Google Analytics from professionals and experts. There are various online courses and resources, including Google Analytics for beginners, that can help you improve your qualifications for data analyst jobs.

Step 5: Go for a Google Analytics Certificate

Earning a certificate from a recognized vendor identifies you as a Google Analytics pro and unlocks access to the industry. It can make you eligible for various job posts and high salaries that would not otherwise be open to you.

The Best Online Courses to Learn Google Analytics

Some Google Analytics courses require a longer commitment than others. Beginners are advised to choose an in-depth course, whereas professionals looking to upskill can choose a more specialized course. 

Most courses, regardless of the level, offer certificates of completion that students can add to their resumes. The best online courses to learn Google Analytics are listed below.

Google Analytics Certification

• Provider: Udemy
• Time: 2 hours
• Level: Beginner to intermediate

This is one of the best online courses for learning Google Analytics. This course is designed to provide all the knowledge and skills you need to pass Google’s official certification exam. It is well-known for providing the best overview, with a format geared toward making the information stick in students’ minds.

Free Google Analytics Training & Tutorials

• Provider: LinkedIn Learning
• Time: Self-paced
• Level: Beginner to advanced
  
  

With over 300 options to choose from, these courses cover a wide range of Google Analytics tools and features, from SEO, to site search, to analysis of user behavior. Whatever your career path, you’re sure to find the practical experience and in-demand skills you need at LinkedIn Learning. 

Beginning, Intermediate, and Advanced Google Analytics Courses

• Provider: Google Analytics Academy 
• Time: Self-paced 
• Level: All levels
  
  

Like other courses on this list, these courses promise a level of Google Analytics training that will provide you with career-ready skills. The certificate you get at the end of the course will let you market yourself as a professional Google analyst.

What sets Google Analytics Academy apart is its hands-on practical sessions for setting up an account. Beginner courses include things like how to implement tracking code, run basic reports, set goals, and track how a campaign is doing. The more advanced options cover data collection, configuration and processing, and more complex analytical functions.

Business Analytics Specialization

• Provider: Wharton University (Coursera)
• Time: 6 months
• Level: Intermediate
  
  

Business analytics is one of the most in-demand skills in the industry. Designed to make you an expert, the courses in this specialization include full lessons on business operations, decision-making, data analytics, and human resources.

Why Learn Google Analytics?

As long as Google remains the top search engine, Google Analytics will be a valuable tool for business managers and data gurus everywhere. A career in this field offers a promising future that one can’t afford to miss out on.

It’s never too late to start learning Google Analytics. With these analytics tools at your disposal, you can help companies track web traffic, learn about user behavior, and chart their path toward becoming a more successful business.