How To Set Up Google Analytics Filters For Raw, Test and Master Views

How To Set Up Google Analytics Filters For Raw, Test and Master Views

STUDENTS

arnold on Oct 28, 2018

One of the first steps when you set up an analytics account is to set up filters so that we can only collect the information that is relevant to us. Datasets always need to be cleaned and filters are a way to help get the data cleaned before even viewing the data.

For example, if a company’s web and marketing team is constantly on the website making improvements, it could have an impact on a lot of different statistics that are important to that company. For example, bounce rates, time on site, user flows, etc.

So, one filter that most company’s use is a filter that prevent Google Analytics from recording data from any web traffic from that company. This is done by screening out any traffic from any IP address at that company.

We will go ahead and set this filter up.  But, before we do this, we need to save our original data in case we make a mistake. So, you will always, in good practice save your raw data view.

Setting up RAW Data, Test View and Master View.

You should create a master view with all your working filters and any new filters should be set up in a test account, verified to be working, and then copied to a master view.

Go to Admin:

Where Is The Admin Section Of Google Analytics

Then View Settings.

How To Find The View Settings In Google Analytics Admin

Enter “Raw Data”

Name A Raw Filter In Google Analytics

Then… Click SAVE

Next Click on  “Create View”

 

 

Then enter test view:

Creating A Test View In Google Analytics

Click Save.

We will now change the setting in the test view to block out internal traffic.

Click on View settings again from the test view.

Setting Up A Filter In Google Analytics

Scroll down and click the button for “Exclude all hits..” as shown below. This will help to filter out all spam bot and spam spiders.

Filtering Bots In Google Analytics

Then click SAVE.

 

Next scroll up and click “Copy View” of the test view.

Copying A View In Google Analytics

Change the name to Master view and click Copy view.

Copying A Master View In Google Analytics

You will now have three views: Raw data may say “All Website Data”

Select TEST VIEW next.

Selecting Different Views In Google Analytics

Then click on FILTERS

Setting A Filter In Google Analytics

Then Click ADD FILTER

Using The Add Filter Button In Analytics

Then fill out the information as shown in the image below.

Setting Up An Internal Traffic Filter In Google Analytics

To find your IP address click here:

Once all the information is entered click SAVE. Now let’s copy this to the Master view.

 

Go to Admin. Then select the MASTER VIEW.

Selecting The Master View In Google Analytics

Then select FILTERS

 Setting A Filter In Google Analytics

Then select ADD FILTER

 Using The Add Filter Button In Analytics

Enter the following information:

Applying A Filter To A New View In Google Analytics

You will now see your first filter on your master data.

This prevents traffic from your computer registering as traffic in the analytics.

Just for fun, if you are interested here are some other filters you could consider setting up.

https://digital.klood.com/blog/top-9-filters-need-apply-google-analytics

And to to see an interactive Demo of this you can watch:

https://analytics.google.com/analytics/academy/course/6/unit/1/lesson/4

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