Google Analytics Segments is a subset of your data and concentrates on important users and sessions to perform in-depth analysis. It sticks to a particular data hierarchy and shows the segments that can be created. By default, you are in the All users segment. GA provides ample opportunities to segment users by grouping and comparing them. Many possibilities are available to differentiate users say based on Ad split testing by comparisons of Ads between a group of users, browser types, geography, traffic channels, etc. Segment presents insights across various reports in GA. To create a segment in any GA report, click the Ad segment tab located at the top of the screen. The list options include a segment that GA has created for you. After you have selected anyone from the list the changes will be highlighted in the graphical data allowing you to compare results.
The segment can be used to segregate a subset of data to understand the important changes that exert influence on your data. eg data about a single traffic source or a country. Apply multiple segments and distinguish between single and multiple segments. As seen in Google Analytics Filters and Views, the data used in segments are non-destructive in nature and differs from Views. In other words, it is as if you were looking at filtered data. You can remove the segment and the data will revert back to as it was prior to the application of the segment. Segments provide information on a particular audience without applying a permanent view filter.
Google Analytics Segments: User Segment
Use segments by default or create a segment.
fig1 shows the names of the segment in the list for All Users, New Users, and Search Traffic. The users’ segment by default (scroll down in fig4 under Segment Name) displays all data without applying any filters. Up to 4 segments can be applied at a time and custom segments can be added to Google Analytics Reports.
Study fig2 which shows what simple, advanced and view segments is all about.
Advanced segments are custom segments you begin with the addition of AND/OR rules fig12 to create conditional and sequential segments.
Google Analytics Segments: Creating Segments
fig3-Click on the +Add Segment tab to get started.
fig4-Go to the List of segments and choose the segments you would want to apply. Click on Apply.
fig5-Shows the filtered data based on the segment after selecting from the List of Segments. They are
- All Users
- Tablet and Desktop Traffic Users
- Users-Mobile Traffic
Click the +New Segment red button fig4 and start building your segment in the custom category. You can pick up a simple segment or advanced sample. Fig 6 shows simple segments for Demographics.
A new segment for | African Safari Co – US | has been created. [Users by demographic information: Age – 25 to 54 years, Gender- Male | Female, Language – English (en-us), Affinity Category (reach)- Travel/Travel Buffs, Location- Americas.] After you are done with the settings give a name for the segment> African Safari US and click the blue save button
Further, note the summary on the right side change as you start applying this filter. It will show 1) the percentage of users (3.38%), 2) the actual users (510), and 3) session data (688) for the filter applied – African Safari US.
Similar four segments for African Safari Co -Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania has been created.
fig7 shows user demographic segmentation for the four users created. They are represented by blue, red, green, and pink graphical lines.
- US-African Safari
- Europe-African Safari-Europe
- Oceania-African Safari
- Asia-African Safari
fig8-For adding the different segments click on any segment which will take you to a window popup. Un-select the segment you don’t want and select the segment you want and click on Apply. To import segment from gallery click the Import from gallery tab.
Remove / Share Segments
fig9- Removing|Sharing Segments in Google Analytics by clicking on the (X). Remove tab by clicking the down arrow in the segment that you do not want. To Share click on the share segment tab and fill your email & other details in the pop-up box.
Import Segments
fig10-Import Segments in Google Analytics:
- Click the segment link to display all segment view.
- Click on “import from gallery tab” in fig_6 to display the segment import panel.
- Choose a view and set options.
- Click create.
Go through the Google documentation link > Google_Analytics-manage_segments.
Keyword Segments for Adwords Campaigns.
fig11-RegEx Statement_adwords_queries_string.
fig12-RegEx Statement_adwords_queries_string. Group Keywords by query length for insights. The first segment gives all the one-word keywords that drive traffic to your website. Similarly, the 2-3 words and 4 words segment provides keyword phrases that have 2-3 words and 4 words in them. Read more by clicking on Regex Basics.
Conclusion
In e-commerce, you can create a segment of users who added some products to the cart but never actually converted. If Adwords has been set up with Analytics, you can target these users with specific messages through remarketing Ads.
A segment can be based on any metric one may think. Google Analytics segmentation, can build reports just for a specific segment of traffic. For example, download the first chapter (sample) of the paid ebook. To know how many of the users bought, install download tracking and apply segments limiting all your data about the users who downloaded the ebook. From their referrers, you can come to know how many bought the ebook and after how many days.
The Reports that cannot be segmented are Google Ads Cost Data, Google Search Console Data, Funnel Visualization, Home, and Real-Time.