Telling clients everything is going great? Best! Spending hours downloading CSV files and taking screenshots? Worst! Going over that report you spent hours on and realizing that no one understands it but you? The absolute worst! In this talk, you’ll learn how to make better reports — including automation, design, and goal setting. (Presented at MN Search, June 21 2019)

1. Reporting:
The Best & Worst Part
of Your Job
Dana DiTomaso
@danaditomaso #MNSearch

2. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

3. Why do we do this?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

4. We’re insecure?
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5. We can’t trust the results?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

6. We’re only reporting on one
tiny slice of the whole?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

7. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
We need to build a system.

8. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Why are we here?

9. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Are you going tactics-first?

10. Take a step back.
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11. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Where do you want to go?

12. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

14. How will you get there?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

15. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
If a tactic doesn’t relate back
to the charter, discard it.

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How will you know that
you’ve arrived?

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How are you going to
report on these goals?

18. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
The tools you use (mostly)
don’t matter.

19. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

20. Who do you need to reach?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

21. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
You are not the target market.

22. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Your competitors are also
not the target market.

23. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Who are your best
customers now?

24. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Talk to those people!

25. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
I am a ______
who wants to ______
so I can ______

28. Remember:
Not every touchpoint is a
“Branded Experience”
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30. What systems are involved at
each of these points?
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31. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Now you know what tools
need to talk to each other.

32. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
But you need a common thread.

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Enter Google Analytics’ Client ID.

37. This is a nice start.
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38. Save the CID as a session-scoped
custom dimension in Google
Analytics.
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39. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

40. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

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42. Now we need to move that CID
into other applications.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

44. What about getting other
application data back into
Google Analytics?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

45. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Did you know that you can
put anything you want in
Google Analytics?

46. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Let’s walk through an example.

47. Save the Google Analytics CID in
a hidden field in your form.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

48. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
When the opportunity is closed,
push the result back over to
Google Analytics.

49. You don’t need to be a developer
to make this happen.
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50. All you need is Zapier.
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51. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

54. Make a test Google Analytics
property just for yourself!
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

55. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Go back to your
touchpoints – what needs
to be pulled together?

56. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Tie survey responses
to purchases.

57. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Combine reviews with
in-store visits.

58. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Bring online and offline
purchases together.

59. Now your systems are
talking to each other.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

60. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Let’s make your reporting
process suck less.

65. Perhaps you
have a UTM
tagging
problem.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

66. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

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68. Thinking back to your
goal charter, what do you
need to include in the report?
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

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70. Resist the urge to use
lots of tables.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

71. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
You know you have the right
graph element when…

72. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
You can tell at a glance if
you’re on the right path.

73. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
You don’t have to be there
to explain the report.

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In fact, the report does
not require additional
explanation.

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The report can be used
for years to come.

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Good reports answer
a question.

77. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Are you comparing values?
- bar, combo, line, table

78. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
What is the distribution of your
data? Are there outliers?
- histogram, scatter

79. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Do you need to show how
different parts come together to
show a whole?
- stacked bar or area, pie

80. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
What is the relationship between
different influences?
- scatter, bubble

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Are we there yet?
- bullet

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Keep these design
guidelines in mind.

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Only answer one or a few
questions per page.

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Choose a report color and
orientation based on client needs.

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Give the data room to breathe.

86. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Explain everything.

87. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
Use the client’s own words.

88. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

90. But where is sessions
by channel???
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

91. #MNSearch @danaditomaso

95. Get the report:
kickpoint.ca/mnsearch2019
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

96. Ignoring what doesn’t help you is
just as important as watching
what does help you.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

98. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
You can also

100. #MNSearch @danaditomaso
One last GDS protip.

101. File > Report Settings
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

102. Now you can spend your
time on what matters.
#MNSearch @danaditomaso

103. Thank you!
kickpoint.ca/newsletter
Dana DiTomaso
@danaditomaso #MNSearch