How to Add a Secondary Dimension in Google Analytics Reports

To add a secondary dimension in Google Analytics reports, follow these steps:

1. Open a report in Google Analytics that supports secondary dimensions, such as the "Audience" or "Acquisition" reports.
2. Look for the "Secondary dimension" drop-down menu located above the data table.
3. Click on the drop-down menu and select the desired secondary dimension from the list of available options. For example, if you're in the "Acquisition" report and want to see the "Device Category" alongside the primary dimension "Source/Medium," select "Device Category" from the secondary dimension drop-down menu.
4. The report will update to display the selected secondary dimension, providing a more detailed breakdown of your data.

Here's a concrete example: Let's say you're analyzing the "Acquisition" report to understand which traffic sources drive the most visitors to your website. By default, the primary dimension is set to "Source/Medium." To gain additional insights, you can add a secondary dimension like "Device Category." This will show you not only which traffic sources are most effective but also which devices (desktop, mobile, or tablet) are commonly used by visitors from each source.

By utilizing secondary dimensions, you can uncover valuable information that might otherwise remain hidden in your Google Analytics reports. This feature allows you to break down your data into different groupings, enabling a more comprehensive analysis of your website's performance.

Examples of Secondary Dimensions in Google Analytics

Secondary dimensions can be applied to various reports in Google Analytics, providing deeper insights into your website's performance. Some common examples of secondary dimensions include:

• Device Category: This secondary dimension allows you to see which devices (desktop, mobile, or tablet) visitors use to access your website. When combined with the primary dimension "Source/Medium," you can determine which traffic sources bring in the most mobile or desktop users.
• Landing Page: Adding "Landing Page" as a secondary dimension to the "Acquisition" report shows you which pages visitors first land on when coming from different traffic sources. This information can help you optimize your landing pages for better user engagement and conversions.
• User Type: The "User Type" secondary dimension distinguishes between new and returning visitors. By applying this dimension to the "Behavior" report, you can compare how new and returning visitors interact with your website, such as which pages they visit and how long they stay.
• Browser: The "Browser" secondary dimension displays which web browsers visitors use to access your website. This information can be valuable when combined with the "Audience" report, as it helps you ensure your website is compatible with the most popular browsers used by your audience.

These are just a few examples of the many secondary dimensions available in Google Analytics. By experimenting with different combinations of primary and secondary dimensions, you can gain a more comprehensive understanding of your website's performance and user behavior.

For instance, if you want to analyze how different marketing campaigns perform across various devices, you can navigate to the "Acquisition" report, set the primary dimension to "Campaign," and add "Device Category" as a secondary dimension. This will provide a detailed breakdown of how each campaign performs on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices, enabling you to optimize your marketing efforts accordingly.

Leveraging Secondary Dimensions for Advanced Analysis

Secondary dimensions in Google Analytics offer a powerful way to conduct advanced analysis and uncover hidden insights. By combining different primary and secondary dimensions, you can answer complex questions about your website's performance and user behavior. Here are some examples of how you can leverage secondary dimensions for advanced analysis:

• Identifying high-performing content by traffic source: Combine the "Source/Medium" primary dimension with the "Page" secondary dimension in the "Behavior" report to determine which content pieces perform best for each traffic source. This information can help you optimize your content strategy and promote your best-performing content to the right audience.
• Analyzing user behavior by geographic location: Add the "City" or "Country" secondary dimension to the "Audience" report to see how user behavior varies by geographic location. This can help you identify regional differences in user engagement, conversion rates, and other key metrics, allowing you to tailor your website and marketing efforts to specific locations.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of internal site search: Combine the "Search Term" primary dimension with the "Destination Page" secondary dimension in the "Behavior" report to see which pages users visit after performing a search on your website. This can help you assess the effectiveness of your internal site search and identify opportunities to improve the search experience for your users.

By exploring various combinations of primary and secondary dimensions, you can gain a deeper understanding of your website's performance and user behavior. This knowledge can inform data-driven decisions to optimize your website, improve user experience, and achieve your business goals.

To learn more about the available dimensions and metrics in Google Analytics, refer to the official Google Analytics documentation.

Secondary dimensions in Google Analytics provide a powerful tool for uncovering valuable insights that might otherwise remain hidden. By understanding what secondary dimensions are and how to use them effectively, you can take your data analysis to the next level, making informed decisions to improve your website's performance and user experience. Experiment with different combinations of primary and secondary dimensions to gain a comprehensive understanding of your website and its users, and use these insights to drive meaningful improvements.