Analytics
Dimensions and metrics
The core distinction is between a dimension (a label describing data, such as source, country or device) and a metric (a number, such as sessions, users or revenue). Learn the common measures: users (distinct people), sessions (visits; one user can create many), pageviews, average session duration, bounce rate (sessions with no interaction beyond the landing page) and conversion rate. Traffic is grouped by channel: direct, organic search, paid search, referral, social, email. Goals and events record conversions such as form submissions, downloads or purchases.
Tagging, attribution and reporting
UTM parameters label campaign links so traffic is not lumped into direct: utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, plus optional utm_term and utm_content. Attribution decides which touchpoint receives credit; last-click is the common default and over-rewards the final click, so compare with first-click or linear models before cutting upper-funnel spend. Dashboards should show a small set of KPIs tied to objectives, not every available number. Data protection matters: collect only what is needed, honour cookie consent, and avoid exporting personal data to unsecured tools.
Traps in questions
- Users and sessions are not interchangeable; one user can open many sessions.
- A bounce is a session with no meaningful interaction, not simply an exit from any page.
- Direct traffic often contains untagged campaign links and app referrals, so "direct" does not always mean typed-in visits.
- Reports may show (not set) or (other) when data is missing or thresholds hide small rows.
- Sample or filtered data is not the same as the full dataset.
Rule of thumb
Tag every paid and owned campaign link with source, medium and campaign before launch; without tags, performance disappears into direct traffic and cannot be analysed.