Google Analytics - Applying filters to a new website.

Hi Learners,

In my previous blog, we went through the Google Analytics structure and assigning permissions to work with your Google Analytics dashboard. Views can only be as good as the filters used to differentiate them. Working effectively with Views & filters sets the tone for collecting the right data set & eventually the right perspective to your website challenges.

As a proven practice its a great idea to have / create four levels of Views

1. Raw data View - which reflects ALL the data collected by Google Analytics without any segmentation.
2. Test View - This is created so you can test filters before applying to the final data for your website. This shows on the Real-time data
3. Master View - Typically the view you refer to for seeing the actual traffic behaviour on your website.
4. Custom Views - These could be any number of segmented views that you would like to independently see for your website. This was elaborately explained in the previous blog.

Working with Filters

Filters add dimensions to your data. Google Analytics allows you to work with loads of pre-defined and common filters to help you slice through your data within Views. This is typically the first step to distinguish your primary data set.

Excluding Internal IPs

Step 1 - Pick "Test View" from the View drop-down
Step 2 - Click on "Filters" to add filters to this view

Step 3 - Click on Red button which reads "+Filter"

Step 4 - Name filter as "Exclude Internal IP"
Step 5 - Click on "Filter Type" (ensure pre-defined is selected) and pick "Exclude" from the drop-down
Step 6 - From the Source / destination drop-down, select "IP address" & from the next drop-down select "That are equal to"
Step 7 - Add your device IP address in the box specified OR Google "what is my IP address", it will show your public IP in the search results. Copy - Paste your Public IP in the box provided.
Step 8  - Click Save

After completing the above process, you have only created the filter in your Test View (View created to test your filters & goals). To see if the filter is working fine, Follow the below steps

Step 1 - Click on the Home icon on your left main menu ensuring you are on the "Test View"
Step 2 - Click on "Real Time" and then "Overview" in the left menu
Step 3 - Look for the Traffic source, you should see the volume of traffic from your internal IP reducing over a period of 30 mins.

Once you have verified that the filter is working effectively, you can add this filter to your Master View. Follow the below steps to accomplish this.

Step 1 - Click on the Admin or the Setting wheel icon on your dashboard.
Step 2 - Select the Master View from the drop-down
Step 3 - Select "Filters" from the below options

Step 4 - Click on Red button which reads "+Filter"
Step 5 - Instead of clicking on "Create new filter", this time you click on "Apply existing filter"

Step 6 - A list of filters created by you will appear in the boxes after the selection. Pick the Filter with name "Exclude Internal IP" that you previously created in the Test View" and click on "Add"
Step 7 - Then click "Save" to include this filter in the Master view.

A few things to consider while creating filters...

• While creating multiple filters, the data will pass through in the order in which the first filter was created, then the next.
• Contradicting filters will yield incomplete data

This concludes the process of creating and applying filters to views.

Hope you enjoyed the blog. Do leave your questions in the comments section and be sure to share this blog with your friends and watsapp group.

Have a great year ahead.

Mitul