Top Line Metrics report

The Top Line Metrics report is a configurable report for analyzing high-level metrics about your visitors and the overall performance of your website. Use it to track key performance indicators on a recurring basis.

You can compare date ranges and segments against one another. You can also compare actual metrics to forecast metrics that are imported to Digital Analytics reporting. By creating a custom view and monitoring trends, you can quickly identify improvements, problems, and concerns with changes and behaviors.

You can compare Top Line Metrics report data in various ways:

One time period against another time period ("Date Range A" against "Date Range B")
Segment against another segment ("Segment A" against "Segment B")
A combination of a date and segment against another date and segment combination ("April through June + Segment A" against "May through July + Segment B")

The comparison calculations present the comparisons in derivative columns in grid view and combo view:

B - Lists the second set of data that is being compared to data A
A-B - Expresses the difference between data A and data B
% difference - Expresses the percentage difference between data A and data B
% of B - Expresses the percentage data A is of data B

Only the Top Line Metrics report includes both Anonymous and Tracked metrics. All other reports only include Tracked traffic/metrics. Anonymous metrics include traffic from visitors whose permanent cookies are blocked or removed, or who have "opted-out" of Digital Analytics cookies.

You can monitor changes in the percentage of customers or revenue that is associated with specific session activity or marketing interaction by applying a report segment to the Top Line Metrics report. You can monitor conversion on an ongoing basis to identify trends in website effectiveness and to assess the opportunity for improvement. Use the Top Line Metrics report to create KPI scorecards or dashboards that are based on trend data, set benchmarks, and set goals for your KPIs.

Calculated values in this report are rounded after all calculations are complete.

Report views

Use the following options to customize the Top Line Metrics report view:

Use the report (flyout) pane to add metrics or segments to the report view.
Click a metric to display the metric results in the chart.
Click and drag metrics to change their position within a group, or move them to other groups.
Add new headings to group the metrics in the report view. Click and drag the group headings to change their position in the report view.
You can save your changes as the new default view of the report.
You can toggle between the card view, grid view, or combo view by clicking the buttons at the top of the report.
Click the light bulb icon to see +/- 2 standard deviations and the min/max values.
You can apply one or more segments to a report.
Save changes to a view.

Top Line Metrics report use case

Your company website is optimizing and redesigning the on-site search function. Your task is to analyze on-site search performance and conversion for your company website to provide a baseline for on-site search pre-redesign and post-redesign.

You perform the following steps to complete your analysis.

Obtain the site-wide number of sessions, unique visitors, and unique customers/buyers from the Top Line Metrics report.
Obtain the same metric data specifically for the segment of on-site search visitors that use on-site search on the website. Create a segment that uses the criteria: Onsite Search Term Wildcard (*). Then, apply the Segment to the Top Line Metrics report.
Present the data side-by-side, creating calculations for customer conversion rates and any other key performance indicators.
Set targets for conversion effectiveness that are based on historical performance.
Monitor conversion on an ongoing basis to identify trends in on-site search effectiveness and to assess the opportunity for improvement.

Output:

Because this analysis focuses on delivering a baseline understanding of on-site search users, most of the insight is for use in comparison to future time periods post-redesign. After you complete the previous steps, a report is created that tracks the following.

Changes in the percentage of Customers or Revenue that are associated with this search: These metrics are used to understand the overall impact of changes to on-site search visibility, usability, and effectiveness.
Changes in the percentage of Sessions Using Search and the percent of Unique Visitors Using Search: These metrics are used to understand the impact of on-site search visibility improvements or design integration.
Changes in the Customer/Visitor Conversion ratio: These metrics are used to understand the impact of changes to on-site search results relevance and presentation.
Key Performance Index (KPI): Analysts can set a performance index that is specific to their business. In this instance, the KPI is Revenue per Visitor for All Searchers divided by the same metric for All Visitors.

Use this report to measure the performance and conversion for on-site search pre-redesign and post-redesign.

Key performance indicators for the Top Line Metrics report

Focus on the following key performance indicators when you are analyzing data in the Top Line Metrics report.

The Top Line Metrics report provides the following metrics in the default view.

Online: Sales

Total sales of purchased items calculated for orders completed via online channels.

Online: Orders

The total number of orders placed in online channels. A count of the Order tag.

Online: Average Order Value

The average value of a submitted online order: Online: Sales divided by Online: Orders.

Product Views

The total number of times that a product detail page (or category that contains the page) is viewed. This metric is a count of the collected Product View tags.

Online: Items Ordered

The number of items in a shopping cart that were ordered online. This metric is calculated when the day is complete, ensuring accurate data. Therefore, it cannot be displayed if the selected time period is today's date.

Item Abandonment Rate

The ratio of items abandoned to items placed in the shopping cart.

Orders / Session

The average number of orders per session: Orders divided by Sessions.

Online: Unique Buyers

The total number of visitors who purchased one or more products via online channels.

New Buyers

The number of unique visitors who made their first purchase during the specified time period. They can be new or repeat visitors.

Repeat Buyers

The number of visitors who bought from your site in a previous time period and returned during the specified time period.

Unique Visitors

The number of unique visitors who came to your site one or more times as defined by a count of distinct persistent cookies.

New Visitors

The total number of new visitors (persistent cookie values that were not seen previously).

New Unique Visitors

New Unique Visitors

New Visitor Sessions

The total number of sessions that involved new visitors.

Previous Unique Visitors

Previous Unique Visitors

Previous Visitor Sessions

Previous Visitor Sessions.

Unique Users

The number of unique visitors who have been identified with a Registration Tag.

New Users

The total number of new users (Registration ID values that have not been seen previously)

Repeat Users

The total number of users making a second or subsequent visit (Unique Users minus New Users). Registration IDs that have been seen previously.

All Visitor Sessions

All Visitor Sessions.

Sessions / Visitor

The average number of sessions per visitor: Sessions divided by Unique Visitors.

Bounce Rate

In the context of a session, the ratio of single page sessions to total page sessions. This calculation applies while analyzing Bounce Rate in the context of any session level information (for example, Marketing Sources, Geography fields, Technical Properties). Defined as One Page Sessions divided by Sessions.

In the context of content, the ratio of single page sessions to entry pages views. The divisor in this case is entry page views because this value considers only the sessions that indeed originated on this content. This calculation applies while analyzing Bounce Rate in the context of content-level information (for example, Pages, Page URLs, Page Categories). Defined as One Page Sessions divided by Entry Page Sessions.

Average Session Length

The average length of a visitor session: (Time Stamp of Last Session Record minus Time Stamp of First Session Record) divided by Sessions.

Note: When you use this value as a session or filter criterion, enter it in seconds. For example, enter 120 if you want to filter or segment on 2-minute sessions.

Average Time On Page

The average time spent on a specific page: Time Spent on Pages divided by Page Views.

On-Site Searches

The number of on-site searches submitted.

Element Views

The number of times an element is viewed. A count of the Element tag. Element data is collected by the Element tag.

Page Views

The total number of times the page (or category that contains the page) was viewed. A count of the collected Page View tags.

Server Calls

The metric for tracking data collection usage. The ration between tags collected and server calls varies, depending on the type of tag collected. Refer to supporting documentation for more information.

On-Site Marketing Impressions

On-Site Marketing Impressions

Additionally, if you edit Top Line Metrics report, you can add these metrics.

Abandoned Shopping Cart Items: The total number of items placed in a shopping cart but not purchased: Carted Items minus Purchased Items.
Carts Initiated: The number of shopping carts where at least one item was added.
Direct Load New Sessions: Direct Load New Sessions
Direct Load Repeat Sessions: Direct Load Repeat Sessions
Direct Load Sessions: Direct Load Sessions
Elements / Session: Elements / Session
Event Points: The total number of event points. Event data is collected by the Conversion Event tag. Action Type = 1 reflects an initiation. Action Type = 2 reflects a completion. Passing Event Point values is optional.
Event Points / Session: The average number of event points per session: Event Points divided by Sessions. Event data is collected by the Conversion Event tag. Action Type = 1 reflects an initiation. Action Type = 2 reflects a completion. Passing Event Point values is optional.
Event Points / Visitor: The average number of event points per visitor: Event Points divided by Unique Visitors. Event data is collected by the Conversion Event tag. Action Type = 1 reflects an initiation. Action Type = 2 reflects a completion. Passing Event Point values is optional.
Events Completed: The number of conversion events completed. A count of the collected Conversion Event tags where type = 2 . Event data is collected by the Conversion Event tag. Action Type = 1 reflects an initiation. Action Type = 2 reflects a completion. Passing Event Point values is optional.
Events Completed / Session: The number of events completed divided by session.
Events Completed / Visitor: Events Completed / Visitor.
Events Initiated: The number of conversion events initiated. A count of the collected Conversion Event tags where type = 1 . Event data is collected by the Conversion Event tag. Action Type = 1 reflects an initiation. Action Type = 2 reflects a completion. Passing Event Point values is optional.
Items Abandoned: The total number of items that are placed in a shopping cart but not purchased.
Items in Shopping Cart: The total number of items placed in shopping carts.
MMC New Sessions: The total number of new sessions by MMC visitors.
MMC Repeat Sessions: The total number of repeat sessions by MMC visitors.
MMC Sessions: The total number of sessions by MMC visitors.
New Visitor Percentage: The percentage of all visitors who were making their first visit to the site: New Visitors divided by Unique Visitors.
Online: Item Sales: The total online sales of items calculated by using the shop tags.
Online Items / Order: The average number of items in an online order calculated by using the shop tags.
Online: Items Sold: The total online sales of items calculated by using the shop tags.
Online: Total Shipping & Handling: The total shipping and handling value for orders completed via online channels.
Ordered Shopping Cart Items: The number of items in a shopping cart that were ordered. This metric is calculated when the day is complete, ensuring accurate data. Therefore, it cannot be displayed if the selected time period is today's date.
Orders / Visitor: The average number of orders per visitor: Orders divided by Unique Visitors.
Page Views / Session: The average number of page views per session.
Referral New Sessions: The total number of new sessions by visitors arriving from referring sites.
Referral Repeat Sessions: The total number of repeat sessions by visitors arriving from referring sites.
Referral Sessions: The total number of sessions by visitors arriving from referring sites.
Search Engine Sessions: The total number of sessions by visitors arriving from search engines.
Search New Sessions: The total number of new sessions by visitors arriving from search engines.
Search Repeat Sessions: The total number of repeat sessions by visitors arriving from search engines.
Shop Actions: Shop Actions
Shopping Cart Abandonment Rate: The ratio of shopping carts abandoned (initiated minus completed) to total shopping carts: Carts Abandoned divided by Carts Initiated.
Timed Sessions: Timed Sessions
Unique Buyers / Visitors: The ratio of visitors who purchased a product to all visitors who visited your site: Unique Buyers divided by Unique Visitors.