Google Analytics benchmarking compares a website’s statistics, such as page views and bounce rate, to those of similar sites. Reports show data for current and previous periods, broken down by geography and traffic source. Participation requires authorization to share anonymized data.
Google Analytics benchmarking is a process by which different aspects of a site are compared to other sites of a similar size or category. The statistics considered include page views, number of visits, bounce rate and duration of the visit. New visits and the number of page views per visit are also compared. The information is collected from site owners who have agreed to allow Google to collect, anonymize and then aggregate their web statistics with those of other participating sites.
The basis of comparison that will be used for a site participating in Google Analytics benchmarking depends on user preferences. One method is to compare your site to those with a similar level of traffic. This has historically been the default for reports. Another is to compare sites that fall into the same broad categories, such as travel, food, and parenting. This option can be clarified from the user’s account settings page.
A typical Google Analytics benchmarking report will show data for the current and previous period. It will also provide a column showing any changes for each category from period to period. The report also shows site metrics broken down by geography and traffic source.
While Google Analytics benchmarking can be a useful tool, it is also limited in scope. This is partly because the data is provided by a small number of websites. The information can also be misleading depending on the number of sites in a particular category. A ranking with hundreds of sites available for comparison will generally be more useful than one that only has results from dozens. Therefore, the value of the system usually depends on whether more or fewer users participate.
To participate in Google Analytics benchmarking, the user must join the program by authorizing the sharing of anonymised or anonymised data. Google offers multiple possibilities for data sharing, including allowing access to information for the purpose of developing new products as well as the option of benchmarking. A user can access the program from the data sharing or benchmarking pages in their account settings.
The Google Analytics benchmarking report was originally available via the Analytics page on the company’s website. This was changed when the company determined it was not a commonly used feature. Google and reg removed them from the site and instead began submitting the information in a quarterly report.
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