A new counting rule can report more completions
The same fictional event sequence yields three events or two sessions with an event. A higher reported value alone does not establish changed behaviour.
A higher value in a conversion report can come from a changed counting rule. Before a team infers more successful enquiries, it needs to clarify which metric is being compared and whether its definition has stayed the same.
Calculate the same sequence using two rules
The fictional measurement event is “Enquiry confirmation displayed”. It triggers twice in session A, once in session B and not at all in session C. The sequence stays unchanged for both calculations.
Fictional session | Events | Count once per session |
|---|---|---|
A | 2 | 1 |
B | 1 | 1 |
C | 0 | 0 |
Total | 3 | 2 |
Counting every event gives 3. Counting at most once per session gives 2. The higher value here comes solely from the different rule. Even 2 sessions with a confirmation view do not establish the number of unique enquiries without further matching.
Distinguish the product setting from the comparison
Google Analytics documents counting key events per event or once per session. Changes to this setting apply to future events; they do not recalculate past data retrospectively. The table is our own comparison of the same fictional data, rather than a report of such a recalculation in the product.
Only then assess the trend
Record the trigger, counting method and changeover time before comparing periods. When a jump occurs, also check for changes to the technical recording. If the definition and recording are unchanged, a real change in behaviour remains possible and merits investigation. The cross-check should support better decisions; it does not explain every increase as a measurement error. The team needs a comparable metric before crediting a new campaign or website change with the apparent success.
Sources
Written by
- Anna NeumannEditor for Content and Digital MarketingAnna Neumann plans and writes content on digital marketing at ASES. Her topics include search engine optimisation, content strategy and web analytics, with a focus on evaluating marketing activities and their results in a transparent way.
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