When generating reports in Google Analytics or viewing your data in a dashboard, you might want to see statistics for a single publication rather than all your publications combined. For example, if you wish to understand how a specific publication or campaign is performing.
The best way to do so in GA is by using segments. A segment allows you to filter statistics while displaying them on the same dashboard.
Here's how you can create a segment for a single publication:
- Click ‘+ Add Segment’;
- Then, click ‘+ NEW SEGMENT’;
- Name the segment, then go to the tab Advanced -> Conditions;
- Here you create a filter that includes sessions from a publication based on its SEO title, which you can find in Publitas under the publication's Settings menu: Select ‘Sessions’, ‘Include’, ‘Page Title’ and ‘Contains’.
- Then, enter the SEO title for the publication you’d like to review. Make sure the title does not include any page numbers*;
- Finish creating the segment by clicking Save. The new segment should now also be active.
* When entering a publication GA might show suggestions as you start typing. These suggestions will include page numbers. In order to create a segment for the entire publication, you should leave those page numbers out! For example, have a look at this suggested title from Google. The page numbers that need to be removed are indicated in red: "Example - Alfresco Emporium - Island Hopping - Page 16-17"
TIP: Since we’re using the publication’s SEO title to create a segment, you should avoid changing the SEO title once a publication is published. If you do change your publication’s SEO title, you’ll need to expand your segment with a second filter to support the new changes.
Adding multiple segments to compare publications
Publication comparison is one way to gain more insight into how your publications are performing. In GA this is very easy to do, as you can add multiple segments to your current view.
Simply click “+ Add Segment” and select the segments you’d like to compare.
Here’s how a comparison looks in a dashboard widget with two active segments:
