How do Beginners Learn Google Analytics?

As a beginner, studying Google Analytics may seem overwhelming. Instead of trying to learn everything all at once, it’s best to start with the essential fundamental skills and terminology. Luckily, the basic skills of Google Analytics are easily accessible, even for beginners. 

There are multiple ways to learn Google Analytics as a novice. The foundational principles can be explored through free resources like YouTube videos or other online tutorials. Basic skills can be gained through on-demand, live online, or in-person classes, and a deeper level of knowledge can be reached through a certification or degree program. Each of these methods will have pros and cons for beginners, so keep reading to learn more about making the best choice for you.

What is Google Analytics?

Used by skilled marketers the world over, Google Analytics is a web analytics service with basic analytical tools and statistics used for search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing. Free to anyone with a Google account, Google Analytics can help marketers and businesses gain a complete understanding of their customers across devices and platforms.

Google Analytics can sort and sift website analytics into dozens of different data dimensions and metrics, some of which are outlined below:

• Pages visited on your site
• How long each page is viewed 
• What browser viewers/visitors are using
• If viewers/visitors are on a desktop or mobile device
• What site they were on when they clicked over to yours
• Which forms the viewer/visitor submitted
• How many users are currently on your site

When Google Analytics is used at its full potential, it can help you track your website ROI (return on investment) for all of your online marketing efforts.You can also spot trends in user activity, how your pages and posts are performing, and make informed decisions based on how your site visitors engage with your website. Google Analytics allows you to make informed decisions based on the real, raw data.

Getting Started with Google Analytics

Good news: there isn’t much needed in order to start learning Google Analytics. While there are no strict prerequisites, there are some basic skills that you should be comfortable with before beginning Google Analytics training. Skills like critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving will help you interpret data and decide if a website is performing well and how to improve performance. Curiosity will also be key, as it can help drive you to dig through your findings, decipher their meaning, and continue to evolve your skills as the field progresses. 

The First Steps when Learning Google Analytics

Google Analytics covers a lot of topics, tools, and strategies, but it’s best to focus on the basics so that you don’t get overwhelmed and can have a firm foundation. Most courses will start with a brief introduction to data analytics and how Google Analytics can be used to better understand your data. You’ll then move on to basics of the tool:

• How to use the interface: setting up views with filters, navigating Google Analytics, understanding overview and full reports, sharing reports, and setting up dashboards and shortcuts. 
• The three basic reports: audience, acquisition, and behavior.
• Campaign and conversion tracking fundamentals: how to measure Custom Campaigns, track campaigns with the URL Builder, use Goals to measure business objectives, measure Google Ads campaigns.

While the specifics of each course may vary, they should all cover the above listed skills and techniques to help beginners get familiar and confident with the software. 

Free Google Analytics Tools for Beginners

Free resources are available for learning Google Analytics. YouTube boasts a wide range of tutorials and informative videos on all kinds of marketing subjects: from short five-minute episodes on the fundamentals to more in-depth breakdowns of advanced topics. YouTube is a great way to explore your initial interest or get answers to specific questions on Google Analytics. Other websites like Google and LinkedIn offer short free tutorials and trainings designed to help you grasp the history and basic principles of Google Analytics. 

Free resources are often your fastest option and can last anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Their brevity is one reason they are so popular for beginners, but the drawback of these courses is that they will lack the in-depth knowledge and real-time interaction with an expert instructor that more immersive programs offer. With that in mind, it’s best to use these resources as a brief introduction to make sure you’re interested in the subject (or as supplemental learning materials) as opposed to the sole source of your education. 

Live Google Analytics Training for Beginners

Noble Desktop’s Google Analytics Bootcamp will teach you all about this handy tool’s applications for marketing, including tracking data, interpreting reports, and optimizing performance. You’ll learn how to set up an account and understand what you should be tracking and discover the exciting features of GA4, including its data model and advanced methods for tracking events that matter to you. With the help of an expert instructor and hands-on learning, you’ll leave this training with a solid understanding of the tool and how to optimize its wealth of data to your advantage.

There’s also Google Ads Bootcamp, a hands-on training that teaches you to develop and manage successful Google Ads campaigns, generate leads and sales, track conversions, and improve your search engine ranking. You’ll get an introduction to paid advertising and walk away with an understanding of the essential elements needed to create successful paid campaigns via Google.

Noble’s SEO Bootcamp is another option. Designed for business owners, marketers, and front end developers who want to enhance their marketability, this course will help you get familiar with the fundamentals of SEO and gain an edge over your competition through hands-on lessons in search engine optimization and competitive keyword analysis. To help you get started, this course includes a 7-day free trial of Semrush, the top keyword research tool. This course is also a part of the Digital Marketing Certificate, should you choose to pursue that more in-depth option. 

The Next Step

If you’re mostly interested in social media platforms, Noble’s Social Media Marketing Certificate. You’ll learn to create effective strategies on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter to grow your online following and stand out in the marketplace. You’ll also create a professional portfolio that you can share with employers and clients and learn how to optimize your resume, LinkedIn profile, and social media accounts to highlight your experience and make yourself stand out as a job candidate. This court is part of the Digital Marketing Certificate and can count towards that training should you choose to continue your education. 

If you want to take your skills a step further, their Digital Marketing Certificate could be the right fit. You’ll gain the essential digital marketing skills to promote a business in today’s competitive markets by developing an actionable, multi-tiered campaign optimized through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, paid search, content marketing, and email marketing. You’ll also learn to increase your return on investment by determining key performance indicators, monitoring web analytics, tracking conversions, and creating reports with Google Analytics.