1. Basic KPIs

2. Session = visit User = visitor
Wording matters
Within Google Analytics interface, you will see two words referring to the same thing:
Session = visit
User = visitor

3. “Is recorded each time a page is loaded”
Pick up the right definition
“Is recorded each time a page is loaded”
Session
User
Pageview
Unique Pageview
Average time on page

4. “Identified by an IP address and a cookie”
Pick up the right definition
“Identified by an IP address and a cookie”
Key message:
=========
We loose track of the user each time he clears his cookies.
So, the longer the period of time, the less accurate the data regarding users.
Session
User
Unique Pageview
Average time on page

5. Different types of cookies
The longer the period of time you consider, the less accurate the data .
Source :

6. Pick up the right definition
“Series of interactions that happen on your website within a given time frame (30 minutes by default).”
Key Message
=========
The session cookie duration plays a significant role in the number of sessions that are recorded by the analytics tool.
Session
Unique Pageview
Average time on page

7. Session duration settings
The duration of the visit cookie can be adjusted according to the activity of the website.
A secured website (like an online bank) will choose a shorter duration for obvious security reasons.
A website offering editorial content will probably be ok with the 30- minutes-by-default duration.
This is where you set it up on Google Analytics.

8. Pick up the right definition
“Aggregates pageviews generated by the same user during the same session”
Unique Pageview
Average time on page

9. Pick up the right definition
“Measures the average amount of time users spent viewing a specified page or set of pages.”
Average time on page

10. How many…. Page A Page B Page C Page D Page A Page views = ?
15:02
15:03
Page D
Page A
15:34
Animation tip:
We assume that the sessions occur the same day, and that the session duration by default (cookie session) is 30 minutes.
The user comes back to the website after being idle for 31 minutes. The first cookie session has expired, and there is a second one implemented as soon as she comes back and click on page D at
Page views = ?
Unique page views = ?
Sessions = ?
Users = ?

11. How many…. Page A Page B Page C Page D Page A Page views = 6
15:02
15:03
Page D
Page A
15:34
Animation tip:
We assume that the sessions occur the same day, and that the session duration by default (cookie session) is 30 minutes.
The user comes back to the website after being idle for 31 minutes. The first cookie session has expired, and there is a second one implemented as soon as she comes back and click on page D at
Page views = 6
Unique page views = 4
Sessions = 2
Users = 1

12. Match labels and their definitions
“For each page, it is the percentage of people who left the website from that page.”
Calculation (for a given page): # sessions ending with a page / # sessions including the page
Entrance (Entry page)
Exit rate
Bounce rate

13. Match labels and their definitions
“Incremented with the first page or screen hit of a session” It answers the question “through what page do users enter my website” ?
Entrance (Entry page)
Bounce rate

14. “Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Match labels and their definitions
“Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Calculation (for a given page) : # sessions where this page is the only one / # sessions starting with this page
Bounce rate

15. Is a high bounce rate always problematic?
Bounce rate subtlety (1/2)
Is a high bounce rate always problematic? ?

16. Bounce rate subtlety (2/2)
Take into account the purpose and business objective of:
the website
Is it just a landing page? Does it just have one simple feature?
the page within this website
Key message
=========
In some cases, a high bounce rate or low time on page is pretty normal.
It would just mean that the user finds immediatly what (s)he is searching for (which is indeed a good news).
1/ Delivering information in one click is the purpose of the website:
Think of a weather forecast website for example. You would certainly not browse 5 different pages each time you want to know the weather in a specific place.
How to be sure that users are satisfied with the content they browse ? Simply look at the percentage of returning visitors .
2/ Some pages are meant to be ‘hub pages’, leading users to other pages. For example, the home page of enviedebienmanger.fr is inviting user to browse various content. A high bounce rate on this page will be really deceptive; it would mean that the content is not engaging enough for the users to pursue their navigation. On the opposite, a page showing just a recipe could have a high bounce rate, because users can bookmark it, call it from their favorite pages, and close it immediately after consultation.
Serves as a “hub” page
Deliver specific information

17. Measure exit rate for each page
Page B
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page A
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page B
Exit Rate: 
Page A = ?
Page B = ?
Page C = ?
Page B
Page C
Page A
“For each page, it is the percentage of people who left the website from that page.”
Calculation (for a given page ): # sessions ending with a page / # sessions including the page

18. Measure exit rate for each page
Page B
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page A
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page B
Exit Rate: 
Page A = 33%
Page B =50%
Page C = 50%
Page B
Page C
Page A
Animation tip:
=========
Exit Rate: 
Page A: 33% (3 of 5 sessions included Page A)
Page B: 50% (4 of 5 sessions included Page B)
Page C: 50% (4 of 5 sessions included Page C)
More details:
“For each page, it is the percentage of people who left the website from that page.”
Calculation (for a given page ): # sessions ending with a page / # sessions including the page

19. “Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Calculate bounce rate for each page
Page B
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page A
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page B
Bounce Rate: 
Page A = ?
Page B = ?
Page C = ?
Page B
Page C
Page A
“Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Calculation (for a given page) : # sessions where this page is the only one / # sessions starting with a page ”

20. “Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Measure bounce rate for each page
Page B
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page A
Page A
Page C
Page B
Page C
Page B
Bounce Rate: 
Page A = 0%
Page B = 33%
Page C = 100%
Page B
Page C
Page A
Animation tip:
=========
Bounce Rate:
Page A: 0% (one session began with Page A, but that was not a single-page session, so it has no Bounce Rate)
Page B: 33% (Bounce Rate is less than Exit Rate, because 3 sessions started with Page B, with one leading to a bounce)
Page C: 100% (one session started with Page C, and it lead to a bounce)
More details:
“Percentage of visits that go only one page before exiting a site.”
Calculation (for a given page) : # sessions where this page is the only one / # sessions starting with a page ”

21. Average time on page
That is the average time users spent consulting a given page, or a set of pages.
Entry time: 3:33: 40
Entry time : 3:34: 50
Last interaction :3:36:02
Entry time : 3:32:25
Page A
Page B
Page C
Time spent on page A = 1 min 15 s
Time spent on page C = 
Last interaction on page C – Entry Time on page B
Time spent on page B = 1 min 10 s

22. Sessions average duration
Average sessions duration = All sessions durations / total number of sessions.
Session duration Time spent on Page A + Time spent on page B + Time spent on page C
Entry time: 3:33: 40
Entry time : 3:34: 50
Last interaction :3:36:02
Entry time : 3:32:25
Page A
Page B
Page C
Time spent on page A = 1 min 15 s
Time spent on page C = 
Last interaction on page C – Entry Time on page B
Time spent on page B = 1 min 10 s