March 4th, 2012
Google Analytics Enhances User Interface
Google Analytics just gave its user interface a minor facelift and some enhancements to improve usability. Google received a number of feedbacks on how to make the Google Analytics UI more comprehensive and easy-to-use for new users. Google has put a premium on details such as more icons and an improved Metric Group selection. In its blog post, Google said:
“The primary goal of this update is to bring more attention to the things that matter — your data, and how you analyze it. We improved legibility of score card and table data, and refined our color palette to draw attention toward data instead of navigation elements.”
The icons received a more detailed look and is now situated prominently on the sidebar. Aside from that, new thumbnails are added like Home, Custom Reporting, and Standard Reporting. Check out a detailed image of the graph area from MarketingLand.com:
1.) Increased visibility of “compare to metrics” option.
2.) Goals tab is more prominent and easy to use, this is a heavily used navigation option.
3.)The data grouping options (Day, Week, Month…) were brought outside the drop down, making it easier to use.
4.) Better looking graphs: the points got smaller and more linked to the lines. The graphs does not use Flash anymore, i.e. they can be seen also on iPads/iPhones.
5.) The strip with the totals are now below the graph, which is more intuitive.
6.) The types of data visualization above tables are much easier to use outside a drop down.
January 26th, 2012
Google’s New Privacy Policy Signals Product Integration
Google’s great integration scheme will take place in March. The new privacy update will finally allow its products such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google+ to be integrated and complement user experience. Google is condensing its 70 privacy settings and turning it into a single comprehensive and more transparent document. This move will enable users to use Google products through an integrated user platform.
Google aims to provide user more transparency and options, as well as, improve usability with Ads Preferences Manager and Google Analytics Tool. The great thing about the announcement is that Google will not share your personal information without your permission.The Google+ Search Plus Your World initiative last week plays a crucial role in Google’s worldwide privacy revamp.
Google knows how to put a premium on content. Nothing is random in today’s social web. What Google is doing now is a more tailored social search for results, ads, and other relevant things for you. The only thing we’re anticipating is for Google to launch an Open Graph of sorts for developers to be prolific on Google+. With tons of user information in their database, will Google eventually allow Google+ to be more open for marketers and businesses to utilize?
