Categories: Google Analytics

[Video] Using Motion Charts to Plot Rows

If you haven’t yet taken advantage of the Plot Rows feature in Google Analytics, this demo provides an intro to this useful feature that allows you to dynamically chart individual rows in the main overtime graph. At the same time, we consider a limitation of this feature, namely, that for metrics such as users, sessions, and pageviews, which are expressed as whole numbers rather than percentages or ratios, it can be hard to decipher variations because the trend lines are plotted relative to the total metric for all rows.

At the core of this demo, we explore Google Analytics motion charts, which offer a solution for removing the total metric from the display, thus allowing the individual rows the amplitude they need for easy interpretation. We also review logarithmic scale for the Y axis, which can provide even greater clarity for the individual trend lines.

To wrap up, we briefly discuss Data Studio, and why in some cases we still might want to opt for row plotting with motion charts within the Google Analytics interface.

[videoembed url=”https://youtu.be/NfDSSdakouw”]

Matt Hoffman

Implementation Consultant While earning his collegiate degrees in Communications and Psychology, Matt would lock away in his room teaching himself code for “fun” and building crude websites in the early days of HTML. Upon graduating, Matt never pursued his accredited fields of study and chose to instead focus his career in the world of technology, amassing nearly two decades of professional experience in various areas of design, programming, and analytics.