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Adobe Analytics Visualizations

Sibel Akcekaya

Data visualization is an essential part of data storytelling. We need visualizations to support the data insights we are presenting. In other times we need visualizations when we are exploring data on our own because it might help us to spot trends. When you use a analytics software tool like Adobe Analytics or Google Analytics your visualizations solutions are limited. But Adobe Analytics offer some options with customizations and I realized many Adobe Analytics users do not use these advanced visualizations features.


In this article I want to show you how you can use each visualization to help your data storytelling needs. While I am showing Adobe Analytics visualizations, these graphs are all universal. So read on if you want to learn more about basic visualization.


Adobe Analytics Visualizations all start in Workspace Analysis. When you launch Workspace Analysis ,Visualizations is the second option on the left between Panel and Component option.


When you click Visualizations, you will see bunch of different options. When you go to Workspace Analysis you need a freeform table to create most of your visualizations.


What is Adobe Analytics Freeform table?

It is basically a foundation and an empty canvas for data analysis in AA Workspace Analysis. For the most of the reports, tables and visualizations you need to have one empty Freeform table. Bur before you can use any visualization you need to create a data table within Freeform Table by pulling metrics, dimensions, segments. After creating your data, just drag the visualization you want from left side.




But visualizations like Flow, Fallout and Cohort will not need Adobe Analytics freeform table.


Cohort table

Cohort analysis is the core analysis in marketing to measure loyalty. We measure possibility of churn or loyalty by cohort analysis through some kind of action. We can measure long term affects of certain marketing/ advertising campaign or new product or product feature with cohort.


Are you curious whether all the money you spend on advertising make people loyal? Use Cohort Visualization


Fallout

Fallout reports show where visitors left (fell out) and continued through (fell through) a predefined sequence of pages. I did specific fallout visualization post here.


Flow

This visualization shows customer paths interactively. I did specific and detailed post about Flow visualization, click here to read it.


Area

It is a version of a line graph but with a color between lines. That way you are more focused on the area between lines if you want to show multiple metrics and their difference on one graph. A line graph focuses attention on the line, not the difference between lines necessarily. But area chart is less popular and less to understand by many. So use this chart if you have to.


See the difference between line and area chart. In the line chart, your eyes follow lines, but in area your eyes follow the area between lines.


Area Stacked

It is a stacked version of the area graph where each series begins at the top of the previous series. See the difference between Area and Area Stacked below.


Here we compare values of a same dimension, unique visitors from certain browsers. Since values is a part of one dimension, it will all add up and be part of the whole.


Bar

One of my favorite charts, because it is very easy to get the the story from the bar chart. Longer versus shorter bars next to each other. Vertical bars represents various values across one or more metrics.

Horizontal bar

Shows horizontal bars representing various values across one or more metrics.


See below the difference between Bar Graph versus Horizontal Bar graph.




Bar Stacked

Bar stacked stacks values on top of each other instead next to each other. Instead of multiple bars next to each other, you get 1 big tall bar. Use this especially when values is part of 100%. This way you can see exact relation to each other.



Horizontal Bar Stacked

Stacked version of Horizontal Bar graph.


Bullet graph

It basically uses real figures versus expected figures or your targets. Use this graph when you want to show how real performance versus your target. You can even define 3 different goals: High, medium and low. Here our high target was 200K, medium 175K and low was 150 K but the real number was around 180 K.


Donut

Donut is similar to a pie chart but center is empty. But center can also be used.Like pie chart, this visualization shows data as parts or segments of a whole. Use donut instead of pie chart if you have couple items to show. Also sometimes it is an aesthetics choice, you might like donut better or worse than pie chart depending on your taste or your presentation format.


Histogram

A histogram might look like a bar chart, but it groups numbers into ranges. It is little bit more complicated than bar chart and your audience might not be very familiar with it. In this example we are trying to see # of visitors and their page view statistics.


So for instance first bar represents 39,231 visitors who only viewed only 1 page during the timeframe we are looking.


Line

This is the chart everybody knows, it uses x-axis and represents metrics using a line in order to show how values change over a period of time. A line chart uses time along the x-axis.


Venn

Uses circles to depict the metric overlap of up to 3 segments. Use this chart if you want to show relation between segments.



Map

Lets you build a visual map of any metric through Mobile Lat/Long or geographic dimension. Geographic dimension is based on Visitor's IP. You can Zoom IN or OUT in the map.


Scatterplot

A scatter plot displays the values of two different variables as points. This visualization uses both horizontal (x) and vertical (y) axises.



Treemap

A Treemap chart displays hierarchical (tree-structured) data using nested rectangles(nodes). This is an advanced visualization for analysts when you want to spot patterns quicker. I would not recommend this chart so much for a general presentation.


Summary change

Shows the change between the selected cells as 1 large number/percent automatically.


Summary number

Shows the selected cell as 1 large number.


Text

Finally you can also add text if you need additional information


If you want to get most out of your Adobe Analytics implementation you can contact me on Linkedin for consulting or training. We both provide implementation services and business analysis and training services. I have 14 years experience to implement and use Adobe Analytics with big brands like Expedia, American Airlines, Best Western International, ING Bank, Vodafone, Buhler Group. Unfortunately many Adobe Analytics experts out there only tool analysts, they do not have significant product development experience. I have been developing digital products since 1999. Adobe Analytics has become my biggest support for an insight and that's why I learned it very well. I am certified Adobe Analytics architect.



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