Analytics
-
Vanity Metrics: What They Are and Why You Should Avoid Them
Vanity metrics make you look good to others but don’t inform future strategy. Here’s how to tell them apart from the numbers that actually matter.
-
Getting Started with R
I started teaching business school courses in 2017–18 and chose R as my teaching tool for analytics. Here’s what I learned about what works when introducing a scripting language to students with no coding experience.
-
Building Your Custom Connector on Google Data Studio
Google Data Studio’s most powerful feature is the ability to create custom data connectors to access proprietary datasets. Here’s how to build one from scratch.
-
Data, Reporting and Doing What’s Right
Data is being used to showcase that value has been generated — and the most beautiful reports are created to do it. If you dislike data pukes, you would be aghast at some agency reporting in India.
-
Data the New Oil
Data and business analysis was until recently a support function. That has changed — data is now being presented and sold as the main product itself.
-
Why You Need to Stop Tracking These 5 Metrics
Going digital grants brands access to substantial data volumes. That abundance often leads teams into an obsessive pursuit of metrics without questioning whether those metrics actually matter.
-
More Information About Samara Oblast
I previously wrote about bot traffic leaving referral signatures on websites. The bots are still active — Samara Oblast, Russia sends as much traffic to my site as Mumbai.
-
2018, the Year of Numbers
13 Llama Studio began as a full-service agency accepting all projects. While that kept the business active, it diverted focus from what I actually care about: working with numbers and analytics.
-
Using Intelligence Reports in Google Analytics
Google Analytics continues to evolve, gradually bringing premium features to free-tier users. Intelligence Reports let you ask questions in natural language and receive meaningful analytical insights in return.
-
Shiny Tools Don’t Make a Purpose
I recently bought a Fitbit. Colleagues asked if it had changed me. The honest answer was no — and the reason applies to every analytics platform, dashboard, and tracker.
-
Data Anomalies in Search Console
Organic traffic has been a key growth driver for online businesses. Search data is always incomplete — here’s how to work with the gaps rather than pretend they don’t exist.
-
A Success/Failure Method for Analytics
Analytics exists to identify wins, celebrate them, find the rules that produce more wins, and fix failures. Simple in theory. Consistently ignored in practice.
-
Importance of Context in Analysing Data
Understanding the context under which data was collected is as important as going through spreadsheets or presentations. Data without context leads to confident wrong conclusions.
-
Shifting from _utmz to _ga
The __utmz cookie no longer exists. A unique identifier still remains available — the _ga cookie’s client ID, which enables tracking users across multiple visits and channels.
-
Game Theory in Dating: More Towards Understanding Nash’s Equilibrium
Game Theory is compelling when applied beyond theoretical economics — to actual human interactions and collective behaviour. Dating platforms turn out to be a rich area.
-
Game Theory and SEO
In search rankings only one site can occupy the top position. SEO is a zero-sum game — which means game theory applies directly.
-
Taking a Look at Jetpack Stats
I prefer Google Analytics. But I wanted to give Jetpack Stats a fair assessment rather than a dismissive one. Here is what I found.
-
Using Data Studio to Create Beautiful Reports
In November 2016 Google Data Studio became accessible to all users in India. Here’s how to get started creating reports you can actually share with teams and clients.
-
Understanding the __utmz Google Analytics Cookie
A technical walkthrough of what the __utmz cookie stores, how to read it, and why it matters for understanding traffic attribution.