Review: Google Data Studio

One way to ensure data is used to inform business decisions is to create reports that non-numbers people can understand, too. Google announced a free version of it's Data Studio in 2016 as a way to turn "data into informative dashboards and reports that are easy to read, easy to share, and fully customizable." I've been meaning to check it out and a recent project to produce e-commerce reports for my client Peace Coffee was a perfect excuse to give it a spin.

Google Data Studio can connect data from its suite of products (i.e. Analytics, Adwords, YouTube, etc.) and it can even import other data provided it's in a Google Sheet (so you could export Facebook data into a Google Sheet to connect it to Data Studio). Here's a full list of the data connections you can use. Below are some pros and cons of Google Data Studio I uncovered.

Google Data Studio pros

1. Fully customizable reports to fit your brand
   Below, image a shows a basic ecomm report I created for Peace Coffee in Google Analytics. The only layout customization of the report is the number of columns (up to 4). Data Studio is not based on columns so you can format it exactly how you'd like it to be. It provides a grid that tables snap to so it makes it super easy to line your tables up. In Google Data Studio you can fit the report to your brand using your color palette and logo. It also has about two dozen fonts to choose from.
   
   
2. Unlimited amount of data
   Analytics caps the number of "widgets" in a report at 12. The quantity of tables in Data Studio is unlimited—so are the number of pages in a report. You can also label each page of the report by theme or category.
   
   Analytics only allows for two metrics in a table but Data Studio appears to have unlimited metrics and dimensions. So for example, in Analytics I was only allowed to look at revenue and conversion rate for a specific dimension but in Data Studio I could to look at revenue and conversion rate alongside transactions, average order value and number of users, too. This enables the report to provide a better snapshot of a given dimension.
   
   In Data Studio you can also include a summary row, set the number of rows per "page" and then enable pagination so the viewer can scroll through the data. The report viewer also has the ability to change whether the table is sorted in ascending or descending order by the metric you've designated.
   
   
3. Ability to add notes and comments
   This is a great feature that helps you educate your audience, especially those who are new to reading reports. You can highlight report features, specific tables or provide external data that paints a more complete picture for the audience.
   
   
4. Fairly intuitive and easy to learn
   I was pretty intimidated when I first opened up Data Studio but found it pretty easy to get the hang of. Google has multiple videos to help you get started.
   

a) Sample Custom Ecommerce Analytics Report

b) Page 1 of an ecomm report I created in Datat Studio

c) Page 2 of an ecomm report I created in Datat Studio

Reporting that compares Analytics to Data Studio. Click to enlarge.

Google Data Studio cons

1. Report has to be viewed online
   Unlike in Analytics, your report can't be exported to a pdf, csv or any other file type—so the only way to share your report with others is by providing a URL. I stitched together screen shots of the Data Studio reports to get them on one page, not ideal—especially because I envision my clients wanting to pass out physical copies at meetings.
   
   
2. No report delivery automation
   In Analytics, you can set a report to deliver daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly but Data Studio does not offer an option for reporting automation.
   
   
3. Data issues
   When I tested the report link in a browser not logged into the Google account, one of the data connections didn't work. It was just one item out of dozens, but still...not ideal.
   

When viewing the report not signed into the Google Data account,
a system error appeared where the conversion rate data was supposed to be.

Google Data Studio tips

1. Play around with Data Studio's samples
   Google provides 12 sample reports you can use as templates—just change out the data source (to your own account like Analytics, Adwords or YouTube) and you're in business.
   
   
2. Work from an already created Analytics report
   When just getting started, keep your Analytics report open in another tab so you can easily add dimensions/metrics based on widgets you've already created.
   
   
3. Save time by copy and pasting tables
   Once I'd gotten a table to where I wanted it, I copied and pasted it and just changed the dimension so that I wouldn't have to mess with column width, number formatting, sorting data, etc. on each table.
   
   
4. Go in with a plan and save design for last
   As with everything in marketing (and life I suppose), it's best to have a plan and goals for your report. And especially when you're just getting started, save design until after you have everything else nailed down.
   

Give it a whirl

Despite Data Studio's drawbacks, it's still an incredibly powerful (and free!) tool that has the ability to take your Analytics reporting to a new level. Data Studio is still in beta so I'm hoping the glitches will soon be worked out. I just spent a few hours with it and think there's a ton more that I have yet to discover. I definitely recommend that you play around with it to see what you think.

If you're interested in saving time or getting guidance, I'd love to help you get your reporting dialed in.

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UPDATE 11/2017
I learned that sharing a report can be challenging. Whoever you share your report with has to be logged in and even when they are, the link doesn't send them directly to the report but rather the Google Data Studio report landing page. I found the best work around was to embed the report onto a web page and send them a link to the web page. I find this to be an extreme drawback of the platform.