How to Use the Session Data Report

At the top of the report, you'll find scorecards displaying 'Total Users' and 'Total Sessions', along with the percentage changes from the previous month. These indicators help gauge overall traffic and user interest. Adjusting the date range filter at the top right allows users to view these changes over different periods, updating the percentage change and day count accordingly. 

The 'Session Trends Over Time by Acquisition Source/Medium' graph tracks daily session counts and compares them with the previous month, aiding in the identification of trends or anomalies over time. Additionally, the 'Distribution of Sessions by Source/Medium' pie chart shows traffic origins, such as organic search through Google or direct visits, highlighting the importance of SEO and search engine optimization best practices, including intersite linking strategies. 

Below the charts, the 'Acquisition Metrics by Page Path and Session Source/Medium' table provides a detailed look at traffic for specific pages. It shows the number of sessions, average time spent on each page, and engagement rates, which are essential for understanding which areas of the site are drawing more attention and which may require improvements. Hidden above the bottom table on the left are three dots that, when selected, allow for the exporting of data tables as CSV files. This feature is particularly useful as it provides a method to view all data that would be unavailable through a PDF download. 

At the top of the dashboard, the 'Page Filters' feature allows for the selection of different dimensions or time frames to focus on specific data. Adjusting these filters can help analyze data for a particular week or compare performance between different pages. Filters include: 

• Page Path: This refers to the specific URL of a page viewed during a session. It tracks the exact address that a user visits, which helps in understanding the individual performance of pages and the journey users take through a site. This data can reveal popular pages, pages that are potential drop-off points, and how different content performs.
• Page Path Group:This is a method of categorizing pages based on common characteristics or hierarchical structure. 
• Session Source/Medium: 
  • Source: This indicates the origin of the traffic. It can be a search engine (e.g., Google, Yahoo), a website (e.g., Facebook, an affiliate), or a domain (e.g., direct if the user types the URL directly or uses a bookmark).
  • Medium: This describes the general category of the source such as the type of traffic—whether it's organic search (unpaid), CPC (cost per click, paid advertising), referral (from another site), or none (direct traffic without a clear source).

Evaluate Traffic Sources:Understanding where your traffic comes from (like search engines or direct visits) can help you know where to focus your marketing efforts. For instance, if you get a lot of visitors from search engines, it might be worthwhile to invest more in search engine optimization (SEO).  

• Direct Traffic:Visitors who type your URL directly or have your site bookmarked. Direct traffic can be a blind spot in understanding visitor behavior. Without detailed tracking data, it’s difficult to know where these users are coming from or what marketing efforts led them to your site. This lack of attribution could mean missed opportunities to refine campaigns or understand which channels are most effective.
• Referral Traffic:Analyzing traffic from external sites or social media platforms offers insight into which partners, influencers, or content sources are driving visitors to your site. Identifying strong referral sources can help you enhance collaborations or increase presence on those platforms.
• Search Engine Traffic:If a significant portion of your traffic comes from search engines, investing in SEO to improve your ranking will drive even more visitors. Optimizing keywords, improving on-page content, and enhancing backlinks will help keep your site discoverable.