Google redesigned its Analytics feature to help webmasters.

With businesses becoming more coherent in how they measure, evaluate and identify traffic patterns on their websites, tools like Google Analytics become paramount to online marketing. Fortunately for new and existing users, the platform recently went through a redesign and structural makeover, bringing once disjointed features together into a seamless interface.

In earlier stages of Google Analytics, reports were separated into three categories: Home, Standard Reporting and Custom Reporting. The latest version of the tool puts features like Dashboards, Shortcuts, Intelligence Events and Real Time under the Reporting tab, instead of the Home tab. More, the Real Time function has become an integrated part of standard reporting. Perhaps most exciting is the top navigation bar floats through the page, so when users scroll down, the bar remains atop their screens. MarketingLand was the first to notice the updates.

New WidgetsAnother great change comes to the dashboard section of the website – now featuring white widgets over a grey background. Google Analytics users can customize their own layout to their dashboards, making it possible for marketers and webmasters to create an interface that presents the most important data to them front and center.

Two additional features – GEO maps and Bars – give webmasters greater insight into the type of traffic visiting their websites. For example, GEO maps will add a widget that contains a globe and color various regions based on a chosen metric. This feature helps marketers understand where high percentages of traffic come from and build campaigns to extend brand reach further. The Bars feature offers a new, advanced way to graph and view data, making it easy for users to look at data from all angles. Overall, the features introduced or reimagined for Google Analytics help webmasters discern meaningful takeaways from their website marketing efforts.

Content marketing and other digital programs thrive off of content analytics provided by platforms run by Google. When webmasters can see which subjects and topics generate the most buzz online, earn significant social shares and produce web chatter, content writers can produce follow up articles to answer any lingering questions. Data also tells a story about what’s missing on your site and how you can expand into new, responsive keywords for content or media formats to support ideal transactions.

Content analytics help brands build consistent representations of their companies and employees online. To perfect an internet marketing strategy, statistics must be taken into account, and Google Analytics’ regular updates make effective content creation.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.