We'd like to share with you all the details about this Data Studio template we built so you can test the Context Connector for Data Studio we recently launched.

It's pretty straight forward, but there are a couple of things that are worth a blog post ;)

Please, get in touch with us if you'd like to ask or share anything. You can find our email at the end of the post.

Where do the data come from?

There are two data sources.

  1. Google Analytics Demo Account with Google Merchandise Store data.

  2. Data from a Context demo user.

Elements in the report

Date selector

We chose "Last 30 days, excluding today".

Filter controls for Google Analytics data

In this case, we selected Device category, Default channel grouping & Product categories.

Add the dimensions that matter the most for your business.

Think on strategic geographic markets that you target, specific content groups that you have specially configured in your account... any dimension that gives you the understanding you need to properly monitor and optimize your business KPIs.

As per the style of these filter controls, nothing special. You can see how it's configured in this screenshot:

Style of filter controls for Google Analytics data

Scorecards for main KPIs

In this section, we have a nice piece of the analytics picture with a set of scorecards that cover critical parts of the acquisition and conversion funnel.

Of course, it's only an example and is based on the available data on the Merchandise store Google Analytics demo account.

The idea is to cover the main KPIs both in absolute and relative numbers. So, for each goal (Engagement, Registrations, Entered checkout, Purchase completed and Transactions), you can easily see performance for goals completions and goal conversion rates.

Score cards for main KPIs

Data setting for Scorecards

For each scorecard, we selected a specific KPI and for all of them, we selected Auto as the default date range and comparison data range versus the previous year.

Data Score cards for main KPIs

Style setting for Scorecards

The style is the same for all scorecards: compact numbers and hiding the comparison label, which is always vs the previous year.

The only one that's different is the Scorecard with bounce rate data, where we change the color of the comparison metric (showing red for positive change instead of green).

Style Data Score cards for main KPIs

Time series chart for traffic trends

Nothing relevant to add here. Feel free to pick your KPI to show the trend and the previous year comparison.

Time series chart to highlight days with annotations

Time series chart to highlight days with annotations

Here comes the tricky part of the report.

In order to show the days with an annotation in a time series chart, we had to pick the hacky way. Let me explain why.

The ideal scenario would be to blend both Google Analytics and Context data in the same chart.

This is 100% doable, but the problem comes when you try to apply interaction filters.

As metrics are associated to specific dimensions, any dimensions that you add without joining to the other data source, will only work with metrics from their initial data source.

In order to improve the filtering options in our dashboard, we added a time series chart to highlight days with annotations, with Context connector as the data source and "Day with the annotation" as our only metric.

Notice that we also activated the interaction filter:

Data for Time series chart to highlight days with annotations

Then, regarding the style, we cleaned up the graph a little bit:

  • eliminate the trendline
  • activate show points in the graph
  • linebreaks for missing data
  • show the axes

Style for Time series chart to highlight days with annotations - 1

  • on X-Axis set custom tick interval to 1 and the Range to "Range by date Range". You will need to do the same in the other graph so they are perfectly aligned.
  • set grid color to transparent
  • set axis color to white
  • set chart background color to transparent
  • set chart border color to transparent

Style for Time series chart to highlight days with annotations - 2

  • eliminate the legend

Style for Time series chart to highlight days with annotations - 3

Filter controls for Context data

Filter controls for Context data

For annotation source and category we went with a List type filter control:

Source and category filter control

While for description we went with a Search all type filter control, which makes all your annotations database ready to query. Select Description "contains" and enter whatever you are looking for :)

Description filter control

Data table with all the annotations from Context

This one is also pretty straight forward. You only have to add the available dimensions you're interested in the table.

Context Data table with all annotations

Two things to highlight here:

  1. Remember to set the URL dimension as URL type, so you can jump straight to the URL where you can find additional info about your annotation.

This is especially important when you are automatically adding Bitbucket deploys as annotations, for example, as you will be able to jump straight to the deploy and see all the relevant information with a single click.

URL dimension as URL type

  1. You want to make the annotations table interactive, so remember to activate the interaction filter again.

Make annotations table interactive

And that's it! What do you think? Do you find it useful?

We know that this can yet be improved... so we invite you to share your opinions and thoughts with us. Feel free to drop us a line at info [@] sweetlabs.io and we'll be happy to discuss further improvements with you ;)