For more on our analytics work, take a look at our recently-released White Paper, Universal Analytics: How Will You Get the Most Out of It?

To provide easy access to the data, we recommend each user to have their own dashboard configured just for them. The dashboard becomes the life raft in the sea of data. As long as you provide content managers with training (a paddle to continue the analogy), they will be able to monitor the data they need and navigate deeper when they need to.

Training is important. Google Analytics is known for being intuitive, but if you do not regularly log in, or have an understanding as to what the trends mean, or what is important, then content managers will most likely become overwhelmed with the possibilities, or begin optimizing for the wrong outcomes.  Set goals, identify key metrics, and provide regular guidance as to what matters and what doesn’t.

To encourage managers to develop a habit of reviewing the metrics, set goals, and benchmark content managers against each other and against past performance. Competition can be a major driving factor.

Lastly, provide content managers with clear approaches for improving their trends. It can be disheartening for a content manager to see their content under performing and not have the insight as to how to improve.

In summary, create custom dashboards for your content managers that:

1. Are segmented by user type, page type, and topic to display just the data relevant to their needs
2. Create benchmarks for various scenarios (such as a launch of a new initiative or an event) for managers to work towards and make comparisons for.
3. Automatically email them daily or weekly depending on your organizational needs.
4. Map to clear next steps for improving performance.