Exporting Analytics Data

Exporting analytics data allows you to create custom reports, perform deeper analysis, share insights with leadership, and integrate with other tools. This guide covers all aspects of data export and how to make the most of your analytics.

Why Export Analytics Data?

Benefits of Data Export

Custom Reporting

• Create branded reports
• Tailor to leadership needs
• Include specific metrics
• Professional presentations

Deeper Analysis

• Use Excel or Google Sheets
• Create custom calculations
• Build trend analysis
• Statistical insights

Integration Options

• Import to other tools
• Combine with church data
• Create dashboards
• Automate reporting

Archival Purposes

• Keep historical records
• Year-over-year comparisons
• Backup important data
• Compliance requirements

Available Export Formats

Linked.Church supports multiple export formats to suit different needs:

CSV (Comma-Separated Values)

Best For:

• Excel analysis
• Database imports
• Statistical software
• Maximum compatibility

Includes:

• Raw data values
• All metrics
• Timestamps
• Detailed records

Excel (.xlsx)

Best For:

• Immediate analysis
• Formatted reports
• Charts and graphs
• Sharing with teams

Features:

• Pre-formatted data
• Multiple sheets
• Basic charts
• Color coding

PDF Reports

Best For:

• Board presentations
• Printed reports
• Email attachments
• Archive records

Includes:

• Visual charts
• Summary statistics
• Branded headers
• Date ranges

JSON (Developer Format)

Best For:

• API integration
• Custom applications
• Advanced analysis
• Automation

Structure:

• Machine-readable
• Nested data
• Complete details
• Programmable

How to Export Data

Quick Export

1. Navigate to Analytics
2. Select your date range
3. Click "Export" button
4. Choose format (CSV, Excel, PDF)
5. Download starts automatically

Custom Export

1. Go to Analytics > Export
2. Select data types:
   • Page metrics
   • Link performance
   • Visitor data
   • Traffic sources
3. Choose date range
4. Pick format
5. Click "Generate Export"

Scheduled Exports

Set up automatic exports:

1. Access Settings > Automation
2. Create export schedule
3. Select frequency:
   • Daily
   • Weekly
   • Monthly
4. Choose recipients
5. Set format preference

Export Data Types

Page-Level Metrics

Overview Data:

Date,Page Views,Unique Visitors,Total Clicks,CTR
2024-01-01,1250,892,456,36.5%
2024-01-02,1189,798,398,33.5%
2024-01-03,1456,1023,589,40.5%

Includes:

• Daily/hourly breakdowns
• Traffic patterns
• Engagement rates
• Growth metrics

Link Performance Data

Detailed Link Metrics:

Link Title,URL,Total Clicks,CTR,Last Click,Status
Watch Live,youtube.com/live,456,28.5%,2024-01-15 10:30,Active
Give Online,give.church.com,234,14.6%,2024-01-15 09:45,Active
VBS Registration,church.com/vbs,189,11.8%,2024-01-14 16:20,Scheduled

Contains:

• Individual link stats
• Performance indicators
• Time-based data
• Historical trends

Visitor Analytics

Demographics Export:

Date,Mobile,Desktop,Tablet,Chrome,Safari,Firefox
2024-01-01,78%,18%,4%,45%,35%,12%
2024-01-02,82%,15%,3%,48%,32%,11%

Information:

• Device breakdown
• Browser statistics
• Geographic data
• User behavior

Traffic Source Data

Referrer Analysis:

Source,Visits,Clicks,Conversion Rate
Direct,4560,1823,40%
Instagram,2340,1450,62%
Facebook,1890,756,40%
Google,980,450,46%

Working with Exported Data

Excel Analysis

Basic Analysis Steps:

1. Open exported file
2. Format as table
3. Add filters
4. Create pivot tables
5. Build charts

Useful Excel Functions:

=AVERAGE(B2:B30)  // Average daily views
=MAX(C2:C30)      // Peak clicks
=TREND(B2:B30)    // Growth trend
=COUNTIF(D:D,">20%") // High CTR links

Creating Charts:

• Line charts for trends
• Bar charts for comparisons
• Pie charts for proportions
• Heat maps for patterns

Google Sheets Integration

Import Process:

1. Upload CSV to Google Drive
2. Open with Google Sheets
3. Use Import function
4. Create live dashboards
5. Share with team

Automation Options:

• Google Apps Script
• Scheduled imports
• Real-time updates
• Collaborative analysis

Custom Reporting

Monthly Report Template:

LINKED.CHURCH ANALYTICS REPORT
Church Name: First Baptist
Period: January 2024

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• Total Page Views: 35,678 (+12% MoM)
• Unique Visitors: 8,234 (+8% MoM)
• Top Link: Sunday Live Stream (2,456 clicks)
• Best Traffic Day: Sunday (45% of weekly traffic)

KEY INSIGHTS
1. Mobile traffic increased to 82%
2. Instagram driving most social traffic
3. Evening hours showing growth
4. Give Online clicks up 23%

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Optimize for mobile experience
2. Increase Instagram posting
3. Schedule updates for evenings
4. Highlight giving opportunities

Advanced Data Analysis

Trend Analysis

Identifying Patterns:

1. Export 90-day data
2. Calculate moving averages
3. Identify peak periods
4. Find growth rates
5. Project future trends

Growth Calculations:

Weekly Growth = (This Week - Last Week) / Last Week × 100
Monthly Growth = (This Month - Last Month) / Last Month × 100
Year-over-Year = (This Year - Last Year) / Last Year × 100

Cohort Analysis

Visitor Cohorts:

• New vs. Returning
• Source-based groups
• Time-based cohorts
• Behavior segments

Analysis Example:

Cohort: Instagram Visitors
- Higher CTR (65% vs 40% average)
- Younger demographic
- Peak: 7-9 PM
- Top Links: Youth, Events

Correlation Analysis

Finding Relationships:

• Weather vs. attendance
• Post timing vs. clicks
• Content type vs. engagement
• Season vs. giving

Example Insights:

• Rain increases online views 40%
• 6 PM posts get 3x engagement
• Video links 2x more clicks
• December giving up 150%

Creating Professional Reports

Board Presentation Format

Structure:

1. Cover Page

   • Church name/logo
   • Report period
   • Date prepared

2. Executive Summary

   • Key metrics
   • Main insights
   • Recommendations

3. Detailed Analysis

   • Traffic trends
   • Link performance
   • Visitor insights
   • Comparisons

4. Action Items

   • Based on data
   • Prioritized list
   • Resource needs

Visual Best Practices

Chart Guidelines:

• Use church brand colors
• Simple, clear labels
• Highlight key points
• Include data source
• Add context notes

Recommended Visualizations:

• Line graph: Trends over time
• Bar chart: Link comparisons
• Pie chart: Traffic sources
• Table: Detailed metrics
• Heat map: Time patterns

Report Distribution

Email Reports:

• PDF attachment
• Key metrics in body
• Action items highlighted
• Link to full data

Printed Reports:

• High-quality PDF
• Color or B&W options
• Bound presentation
• Executive summary separate

Automation & Integration

API Access (Coming Soon)

Programmatic Export:

// Example API call
const data = await fetch('/api/analytics/export', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({
    startDate: '2024-01-01',
    endDate: '2024-01-31',
    format: 'json',
    metrics: ['pageViews', 'clicks', 'visitors']
  })
});

Third-Party Integrations

Google Data Studio:

1. Export to Google Sheets
2. Connect as data source
3. Create dashboard
4. Auto-refresh daily
5. Share with stakeholders

Microsoft Power BI:

1. Import CSV data
2. Create data model
3. Build visualizations
4. Schedule refreshes
5. Publish reports

Zapier Automation

Workflow Example:

1. Weekly export triggered
2. Save to Google Drive
3. Process in Sheets
4. Email summary
5. Post key metrics

Data Privacy & Security

Best Practices

Handling Exported Data:

• Store securely
• Limit access
• Don't share raw visitor data
• Anonymize if needed
• Follow privacy policy

Compliance Considerations:

• GDPR requirements
• Data retention policies
• User consent
• Right to deletion
• Audit trails

Data Retention

Recommended Timeline:

• Daily data: 90 days
• Weekly summaries: 1 year
• Monthly reports: 3 years
• Annual summaries: Permanent

Common Export Scenarios

Weekly Staff Meeting

Export Package:

• 7-day summary PDF
• Top 10 links CSV
• Traffic source pie chart
• Action items doc

Monthly Board Report

Comprehensive Package:

• Executive summary PDF
• Detailed Excel workbook
• Comparison charts
• Year-to-date progress

Annual Review

Complete Analysis:

• Full year data export
• Seasonal patterns
• Growth metrics
• Strategic insights

Troubleshooting Exports

Common Issues

Export Failing:

• Check date range
• Reduce data size
• Try different format
• Clear browser cache

Missing Data:

• Verify permissions
• Check filters
• Confirm date range
• Contact support

Format Problems:

• Update Excel/software
• Try CSV instead
• Check encoding
• Remove special characters

Best Practices

Do's

✅ Export regularly for backups ✅ Create templates for consistency ✅ Document your analysis ✅ Share insights with team ✅ Automate routine exports

Don'ts

❌ Share raw visitor data ❌ Export unnecessarily large ranges ❌ Ignore data privacy ❌ Create overly complex reports ❌ Forget to act on insights

Next Steps

Put your exported data to work:

• Create performance reports
• Analyze visitor behavior
• Optimize based on data
• Share insights with team

Remember: Data is only valuable when it drives decisions and actions. Export, analyze, and improve!