This guide will walk you through how to interpret the Google Analytics graph and data through Rocketspark. If you have not yet already, here is how to:
- Create a new Google Analytics Account and Connect to Rocketspark
- Or Connect an existing Google Analytics Account to your website dashboard
Please note: The Google Analytics Graph will have different features available based on what website subscription plan you are using. If you are on a plan that only has basic features, here is how to upgrade to get Comprehensive Analytics: How to change Rocketspark subscription
Different plans:
- Website Builder: Basic Analytics
- Website Builder Pro: Comprehensive Analytics
- Website Builder Pro Plus: Comprehensive Analytics
- Ecommerce Lite: Basic Analytics
- Ecommerce Grow: Comprehensive Analytics
- Ecommerce Pro: Comprehensive Analytics
This guide contains:
Pro plans: Walk-through tutorial
Basic plans: Walk-through tutorial
Written details
What does each metric mean and how to make the most out of the data
Key Actions
Dashboard Plus: Walk-through tutorial - Click "Get Started"
- This walk-through is for customers on a Pro or Grow plan (Website Builder Pro, Website Builder Pro Plus, E-Commerce Grow and E-Commerce Pro) See below for the basic plan tutorial.
(To make this tour bigger, click the arrows on the right or zoom in)
Basic Dashboard: Walk-through tutorial - Click "Get Started"
- This walk-through is for customers on a basic plan (Website Builder and E-Commerce Lite)
Written details:
Once connected to your Google Analytics account, you will see a graph of your website performance.
Change graph timeframe - Plus feature
You can change the timeframe of the graph to display 1 week - 1 year's worth of data
See exact details
If you hover over the graph lines, you can see the exact sessions for that day!
Track if you are up or down in website traffic
You can see visually if your traffic has gone up (green) or down (red) for the current period compared to the last period.
Filter by country - Plus feature
You can filter the graph to display specific countries and the visits you get for each country! Click a country or search for a country.
Filter by pages - Plus feature
You can select specific pages on your website to see how much traffic each page gets. You can multi-select pages which will show a combined value of those pages. Un-select pages once finished.
Add more metrics to your graph - Plus feature
Click the setting on the right of your dashboard to see metric options.
You can change the time periods at the bottom of the graph to weekly, monthly, or daily.
You can multi-select as many metrics as possible to compare on the graph at once.
What does each metric mean and how to make the most out of the data:
Please note: if you are on a basic plan (Website Builder or Ecommerce Lite) you only have "sessions" as a metric.
| Metric | What does this mean? |
How to make the most out of the data |
| Compare to previous | A comparison of the current data to the selected previous period, allows you to track trends and performance changes. | Use this to identify growth trends or areas of decline. Adjust marketing strategies to amplify strengths and address weaknesses. |
| Sessions | The total number of visits to your website, including all user interactions within a single visit. A session ends after 30 minutes of inactivity. | Monitor session trends to evaluate traffic flow and campaign effectiveness. Optimise content to encourage repeat visits. |
| Users | The unique visitors to your website during the selected time period. Each visitor is counted once, regardless of how many times they return. | Focus on campaigns that bring new visitors. Use this to measure outreach success or brand visibility improvements. |
| Average Session Duration | The average time users spend on your site during a session reflects engagement and interest levels. | Improve content and UX on key pages to keep users engaged longer. Identify pages with low engagement for improvement. |
| Events Per Session | The average number of tracked interactions (like clicks, video plays, or downloads) per session. | Encourage meaningful user interactions by providing more engaging elements, like videos, infographics, or downloadable resources. |
| Online Sales - if you have a store | The total revenue generated through e-commerce transactions completed on your website. | Track online sales trends to evaluate marketing ROI. Identify high-performing products and optimise listings for weaker ones. |
| Forms Sent | The total number of forms successfully submitted by users, such as contact or signup forms. | Streamline form design for better usability. Use this data to refine CTAs and follow up promptly with potential leads. |
| Mobile Calls | The number of phone calls initiated by users clicking a call button or link on mobile devices. | Ensure phone call CTAs are easily accessible and relevant. Use this metric to measure the effectiveness of mobile-specific campaigns. |
Compare to industry (benchmarking)
On Pro and Ecommerce Grow plans, you will see a "Compare to industry" toggle above the graph. Switch this on to see how your website performs against other businesses in your industry.
When toggled on, two things appear on the graph:
- The median line shows the typical (middle) performance for your industry.
- The shaded band shows the middle 50% of websites in your industry (the range between the 25th and 75th percentile). Please note that the shaded area only appears if there is enough industry data.
Reading the comparison:
| Your line position | What it means |
| Above the band | You are outperforming most businesses in your industry for this metric. |
| Within the band | You are performing similarly to most businesses. Solid ground. |
| Below the band | There may be opportunities to improve this metric. |
Important notes:
- We use the median (the middle value) rather than a simple average, because the median is not thrown off by one really high or really low result.
- If there are not enough websites in your industry for a fair comparison, the benchmarking toggle will not show the industry comparison.
Base plan users: You will see a locked "Compare to industry" toggle with an option to upgrade to Pro to unlock industry benchmarking.
Tip: To learn more about how benchmarking works, including how your industry cohort is determined, check out our full guide: What is benchmarking?
Personal bests on the graph
Personal bests show up as dots at the end of months where your website set a new record. They are tracked across all four key metrics: website traffic, mobile calls, form submissions, and online sales.
How to read personal best dots:
| What you see | What it means |
| Single dot (no number) | You set one personal best that month. |
| Dot with a number (e.g. "2") | You set multiple personal bests that month. The number shows how many. |
| Dark blue dot | This is your current record (your best month ever). |
| Faded grey dot | A historic personal best that has since been beaten by a newer record. |
Hover over any dot to see which specific metrics hit personal bests in that month.
Personal bests are calculated from the day your website was launched, so your full history is included. They are recalculated at the end of each month.
Plan availability: Personal bests on the graph are available on Pro and Ecommerce Grow plans. All plans can see personal bests in their monthly performance report email.
Tip: For more details on how personal bests work, check out our full guide: What are personal bests?
Key Actions - Plus feature
At the bottom of your dashboard, you will see key statistics. This includes users, sales, forms sent and mobile calls. This will show you in a glimpse if you are up or down with traffic for the selected timeframe compared to the previous period.
You can change the timeframe of these key metrics by clicking the dropdown on the left-hand side.
You can also include/exclude metrics that appear by clicking the settings. For example, if you do not have a store, you can remove the "Sales" metric.
There is also an SEO pie widget that displays how well-optimised each page is if you use Flint AI for your metadata: What does the SEO circle pie graph mean on my dashboard?
You will also always have the option to log into your Google Analytics account directly to see more statistics for your website! Contact support@rocketspark if you have any questions.
FAQ:
Q: How do I turn on industry benchmarking on the graph?
A: Look for the "Compare to industry" toggle above the graph. Switch it on to see the industry median line and shaded band. This feature is available on Pro and Ecommerce Grow plans on the weekly and monthly views.
Q: What does the shaded band on the graph mean?
A: The shaded band represents the middle 50% of websites in your industry (the range between the 25th and 75th percentile). If your line is within the band, you are performing similarly to most businesses. Above means you are outperforming, and below means there is room to grow.
Q: Why can I not see industry comparison on the daily view?
A: Industry benchmarks are calculated on a monthly basis. Showing them on a daily view would not be accurate or meaningful, so the comparison is only available on weekly and monthly views.
Q: What are the dots on my graph?
A: The dots represent personal bests, showing the months where your website hit a new all-time record for a metric. Dark blue dots are your current records. Faded grey dots are historic records that have since been beaten. Hover over a dot to see the details.
Q: Can I see personal bests if I am on a base plan?
A: Personal bests on the graph are a Pro plan feature. However, all plans can see personal bests highlighted in their monthly performance report email.
Q: My graph is not showing any analytics data. What should I check?
A: Make sure Google Analytics is connected directly through Rocketspark (not just through Google Tag Manager). Analytics connected via GTM will not show on the Rocketspark dashboard graph. You can connect directly through Rocketspark and still keep your GTM connection running separately.