--- title: Analytics Stack Overview — Google Ads, Search Console, GA, Matomo, Ahrefs, SpyFu type: article created: '2026-04-05' updated: '2026-04-05' source_docs: - raw/2025-10-02-ben-check-in-91515063.md tags: - analytics - google-ads - google-analytics - search-console - matomo - ahrefs - spyfu - digital-marketing - keyword-research - competitor-analysis layer: 2 client_source: null industry_context: null transferable: true --- # Analytics Stack Overview — Google Ads, Search Console, GA, Matomo, Ahrefs, SpyFu Asymmetric uses a layered set of analytics and research platforms to monitor client performance, understand traffic sources, research keywords, and analyze competitors. This article documents each platform, its primary purpose, and how they complement each other. > **Tip:** Keep all of these platforms pinned as tabs in Chrome and set them to open on startup. Having them always available makes it natural to check in regularly as you work. --- ## The Three Analytics Platforms These three platforms are used to understand what's happening on a client's own website. ### 1. Google Search Console **Purpose:** Organic search performance — what keywords are driving traffic from Google search results. - Navigate to [search.google.com/search-console](https://search.google.com/search-console) - Select the client property from the account switcher - Go to **Search Results → Queries** to see the top organic search terms driving traffic - Increase rows to 25+ to get past branded terms and see non-brand keyword performance - Shows impressions, clicks, CTR, and average position **Key limitation:** Only shows **organic** keywords — no paid data. > *Example (Crazy Lenny's):* Most traffic comes from branded searches ("Crazy Lenny's"). Non-brand terms like "e-bikes Madison" appear further down the list. --- ### 2. Google Analytics **Purpose:** On-site behavior, traffic sources, and (for e-commerce clients) sales data. - Navigate to [analytics.google.com](https://analytics.google.com) - Use the account switcher (top bar → "Asymmetric Brands" → "All Accounts") to find the client property - Key sections under **Reports:** - **Acquisition** — how visitors arrived (organic, paid, direct, social, referral) - **Engagement** — what pages they visited and how long they stayed - **Monetization** — sales data for e-commerce clients (e.g., Doodla Farms); not applicable for non-transactional sites like Crazy Lenny's **Key limitation:** Interface is dense. Requires dedicated time to explore — you won't know what you don't know until you spend time in it. --- ### 3. Matomo (analytics.asymmetric.pro) **Purpose:** The most readable and granular first-party analytics platform in the stack. Often easier to work with than Google Analytics. - Navigate to [analytics.asymmetric.pro](https://analytics.asymmetric.pro) - Log in with the team credentials (stored in LastPass) - Select the client from the dropdown in the top bar **Key sections:** | Section | What It Shows | |---|---| | **Real-Time** | Active visitors in the last 30 minutes, their location, and behavior icons | | **Visitors → Visits Log** | Individual session detail: pages visited, device, browser, location | | **Visitors → Locations** | Geographic drill-down (country → state → city) | | **Behavior → Pages** | Page views, bounce rate, time on page | | **Behavior → Entry/Exit Pages** | Where users enter and leave the site | | **Acquisition → All Channels** | Traffic source breakdown: direct, search, campaigns, social, referral | | **Acquisition → Search Engines & Keywords** | Combined keyword data with visit counts | **Notable feature:** The Visits Log lets you watch individual user sessions — you can see exactly which pages someone visited, how many times they refreshed, what device they used, and where they came from. This is powerful for understanding real user behavior. **Heat maps and session recordings** are handled separately via **Microsoft Clarity** (free), not Matomo. > *Mark's take:* "You're going to learn that analytics.asymmetric.pro is some of the best data you'll ever see. It's easy to understand and easy to work with." --- ## The Two Paid Research Platforms These platforms are used to research keywords and analyze competitors — both for the client and against their competition. ### 4. Ahrefs **Purpose:** SEO performance, keyword tracking, backlink analysis, and light competitor comparison. - Access via the shared team account - Key features: - **Dashboard → Competitors:** Add competitor domains to compare domain rating, referring domains, organic traffic, and organic keywords side-by-side. Bolded values indicate where a competitor outranks the client. - **Keyword Tracking:** Add target keywords to monitor ranking position over time - **Organic Keywords:** See what terms a site ranks for and their estimated traffic - **Referring Domains trend:** Indicates whether link-building efforts are working **Key limitation:** Competitor analysis exists but is not Ahrefs' strongest feature. Use SpyFu for deeper competitive intelligence. > *Example (Asymmetric):* Ahrefs shows Asymmetric outranking all tracked competitors on organic keywords, with one competitor slightly ahead on organic traffic. --- ### 5. SpyFu **Purpose:** Competitor analysis — specifically designed to show what competitors are doing in paid and organic search. - Use when you want to understand a competitor's keyword strategy, ad spend, or ad copy - Complements Ahrefs: while Ahrefs focuses on your own site, SpyFu focuses outward > *Mark's take:* "All the rest of them, you're kind of looking in the mirror. SpyFu is really good for looking at competitors." --- ### 6. Google Ads **Purpose:** Paid campaign management and keyword performance for active ad campaigns. - Navigate to [ads.google.com](https://ads.google.com) - Log in to the **Teams account**, then switch to the client via the top dropdown (e.g., Asymmetric Marketing → Crazy Lenny's) - Go to **Campaigns** to see all campaigns. Green dot = running; red X = paused or stopped - Use **filters** carefully — accidental filters can hide campaigns and make it look like nothing is running - Drill into a campaign → **Ad Groups** → **Keywords** to see what terms are being targeted and their impression/click data - Click on individual ads to see the **destination URL** (the landing page the ad sends traffic to) **Key limitation:** Only shows **paid** keyword data — no organic. > *Tip:* If campaigns appear missing, check for active filters before assuming they don't exist. --- ## How the Platforms Complement Each Other | Platform | Keyword Type | Primary Use | |---|---|---| | Google Search Console | Organic only | What's working in organic search | | Google Ads | Paid only | What's working in paid campaigns | | Ahrefs | Both (estimated) | SEO health, keyword tracking, light competitor view | | SpyFu | Both (competitor-focused) | What competitors are doing | | Matomo | All traffic | Detailed on-site behavior and acquisition | | Google Analytics | All traffic | On-site behavior, e-commerce data | **Cross-platform insight:** Organic and paid keyword data can inform each other. A keyword performing well organically might not need paid spend — or a high-performing paid keyword might be worth targeting for SEO as well. --- ## Recommended Workflow for Landing Page Research When preparing to build or optimize a landing page for a client: 1. **Google Ads** — Identify which campaign the landing page supports. Check the destination URL on current ads and review the keywords being targeted in the relevant ad group. 2. **Google Search Console** — See what organic terms are already driving traffic to the client's site. Look for non-brand terms relevant to the page topic. 3. **Matomo** — Review the Visits Log and Behavior sections to understand how users currently interact with the existing page (if one exists). Check entry/exit pages and bounce rates. 4. **Ahrefs** — Check keyword rankings and competitor comparison for the topic area. 5. **SpyFu** — Research what competitors are bidding on and what ad copy they're using for similar terms. --- ## Related Articles - [[wiki/knowledge/conversion-optimization/conversion-crimes-user-testing]] - [[wiki/knowledge/conversion-optimization/landing-page-cta-best-practices]] - [[wiki/clients/crazy-lennys/_index]] - [[wiki/meetings/2026-04-05-ben-check-in-analytics-walkthrough]]