Q. : In Google Analytics I notice there is a "new version" link in my dashboard, after signing in. What is this and do I need to start using it for my data?
A. The "new version" link you see in your dashboard is an enhanced feature of Google Analytics. This is something you definitely want to start utilizing for your data since there are more advancements than the older version. Here is a review of the new features:
1. Design Upgrade: The new version organizes and details the most pertinent information in a more user-friendly format. To give you an example, look at the different ways you can graph your data, outlined in red below. With the new version, you can easily graph the data by day, week, month, and even hourly. In the old version, you’d have to hover over the graph icons to understand what function they preformed. Though this improvement seems minute in the grand scheme of things, it can certainly save you time for those last-minute reports.
New Version
Old Version
2. Navigation Changes: As you can see, the new version below (left image) is more appealing to the eye when compared to the old version below (right image). The navigation elements have changed to exclude Intelligence and include Advertising. Also, in the Content section on the new version there are 2 added links to features, outlined in red below, you can expand upon. You’ll be able to see the speed at which your website loads for each page a user visits. And, if using Google AdSense, you can see the results of your revenue for the advertisements on your site.
VS
VS
I recommend you upgrade to the new version and get more familiar with the new design, navigation and tools. One method Google uses to improve upon their products is by listening to their customers. This new version shows they’ve listened and have provided better tools to monitor your website’s performance.