Driver Guide: Marketing Analytics Predefined Reports

Multidimensional Data

The data stored in marketing analytics services is multidimensional, meaning there are a variety of fields or characteristics by which the data can be grouped and aggregated (e.g., date, country, age bracket, etc.). The data also feature a variety of metrics or quantitative measurements (e.g., conversions, event count, total revenue, etc.). All these options add complexity when it comes to working with this data. Regardless of the complexity, organizations need to access this data for reporting, analytics, and to gain actionable insights. CData provides real-time access to this multidimensional data in a table-like model, making it more easily consumable from data tools. For this article, we will explore the Demographics data available from Google Analytics.

The schema below describes the Demographics data in a tabular model, where each dimension and metric is a column in the table.

Demographics Data Model

Column Name	Type	Dimension
Date	Date	True
Year	Integer	True
Month	Integer	True
Week	Integer	True
Day	Integer	True
Hour	Integer	True
BrandingInterest	String	True
Country	String	True
City	String	True
Language	String	True
UserAgeBracket	String	True
UserGender	String	True
Region	String	True
Conversions	Integer	False
EngagementRate	Decimal	False
EngagedSessions	Integer	False
EngagedSessionsPerUser	Decimal	False
EventCount	Integer	False
NewUsers	Integer	False
TotalRevenue	Integer	False
TotalUsers	Integer	False
StartDate	String
EndDate	String
Dimensions*	String
Metrics*	String

* For any given multidimensional endpoint in Google Analytics, additional dimensions and metrics can be specified when retrieving data.

Retrieving Demographics Data

The simplest way to query Demographics data through CData connectivity solutions is to use a SQL SELECT statement. Google Analytics requires a minimum of one metric, and you can specify up to nine dimensions. For example:

SELECT Conversions, TotalRevenue FROM Demographics

The query above retrieves all the conversions and the total revenue from a Google Analytics property (e.g., a website or app) using the default dimension(s) (in this case, Country). To retrieve non-default dimensions, they must be included explicitly in the query.

The raw, multidimensional model is useful when users are familiar with SQL and working in tools that have direct control over the SQL used to retrieve data. However, many BI, reporting, analytics, and other data tools do not explicitly allow users to set the data query. Furthermore, most line-of-business users aren't going to be familiar with SQL. In those cases, predefined reports give users access to the data they want in the tools they already use.

Predefined Reports for Multidimensional Data

As discussed above, marketing analytics services present data in multidimensional models, providing complex but flexible ways to retrieve, display, and analyze data. Users can overcome the complexity of these multidimensional models through predefined reports. Predefined reports narrow the scope of the multidimensional models, exposing specific dimensions and measures and aggregating those dimensions by default. For example, CData provides the following reports for Google Analytics 4 demographics data:

DemographicAgeReport
DemographicCityReport
DemographicCountryReport
DemographicGenderReport
DemographicInterestsReport
DemographicLanguageReport
DemographicRegionReport

Each report provides access to a subset of the dimensions and measures from the larger Demographics dataset. While the dimensions and measures are more limited in each report, the data is instantly accessible from BI and reporting tools without writing customized SQL queries to retrieve data. We highlight the simplicity by comparing two queries required to retrieve the same dataset.

DemographicsCityReport Data Model

Column Name	Type	Dimension
Date	Date	True
City	String	True
Conversions	Integer	False
EngagementRate	Decimal	False
EngagedSessions	Integer	False
EventCount	Integer	False
NewUsers	Integer	False
TotalRevenue	Integer	False
TotalUsers	Integer	False

Comparing Queries

Demographics Query

SELECT City, Date, Conversions, EngagementRate, EngagedSessions, NewUsers, TotalRevenue, TotalUsers from Demographics

DemographicCityReport Query

SELECT * FROM DemographicCityReport

Because the DemographicCityReport endpoint doesn't require you to specify the dimensions and measures, it is instantly usable from BI, reporting, and analytics tools with point-and-click interfaces. Users can explore their data ad-hoc, manipulating charts and graphs to find insights and inform final reports.

Filtering Predefined Report Results

Not only do predefined reports provide easy access to data, but they also expand and simplify the filters users can apply to their data requests. For example, the DemographicAgeReport can be filtered by the UserAgeBracket and Date dimensions, freeing users to use the built-in filtering functionality of their preferred tools and applications to drill down into exactly the data they need.

Using the built-in filtering in Power BI.

See the CData Difference for Yourself

To see how CData helps your organization design reports, perform real-time analytics, build a comprehensive data warehouse, or any other data task, download a free, 30-day trial of any of our Google Analytics connectivity solutions (or any of our other marketing analytics solutions)!

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