It’s a good time to look at Google Analytics as you can now get real time information on your website. 

Real-Time reports are available in the new version of Google Analytics, and administrators will get reports which show how many users are on your site. Google is switching on the new feature for existing customers. 

If you are trying to gauge how a campaign or post is performing, Real-Time will track the immediate impact to site traffic. If a user posts something and then, for example, tweets, Real-Time will track when traffic from the tweet starts and stops. 

Google isn’t the first company to offer such data. Woopra, Chartbeat and a number of other tools also provide data in real time. But unlike some of those, Google’s will be free.

You’ll find the Real-Time reports only in the new version of Google Analytics. If you’re not already using the new version, you can start by clicking the “New Version” link in the top right of Google Analytics. Real-Time reports are in the Dashboards tab. You will have access to Real-Time reports if you are an Administrator on your Analytics account, or if you have access to a profile without profile filters. Real-Time does not support profile filters.

Analytics was already a useful tool but the real time access makes it even better. Let us know if you need any help with access or interpretation of your Analytics account.