Looker Studio for Beginners: A Comprehensive Guide

Looker Studio is a free tool that allows you to create custom data visualizations and reports without any coding knowledge. It's a game-changer for anyone who wants to make data-driven decisions.

One of the best things about Looker Studio is its user-friendly interface. According to the article, Looker Studio has a drag-and-drop editor that makes it easy to create visualizations.

With Looker Studio, you can connect to various data sources, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, and more. This allows you to bring all your data into one place and create a unified view of your business.

To get started with Looker Studio, you'll need to create a Google account and sign up for a free Looker Studio account.

To create a successful Google Looker Studio report, start by choosing a template or dashboard. This will give you a solid foundation to build upon.

Choosing a template or dashboard is a great place to begin. It's like having a pre-made puzzle to work with.

Connecting data sources is the next crucial step. This is where you link up the data you want to use in your report.

Data sources can come from a variety of places, but it's essential to choose the ones that matter most to your story.

Choosing metrics that matter is another key area to focus on. This is where you select the numbers and data points that will help tell your story.

Your entire marketing story doesn't need to be shown on one page. In fact, it's better to focus on the most important metrics and leave some things for later reports.

To share your report with others, click on the "Share" button and follow the prompts. This will give you options for sharing via email, link, or even embedding it on a website.

To start using Looker Studio, you'll need to set up your data source. This involves creating a data source in Looker Studio, which is different from your original data.

You can create a data source by clicking on the Create button and selecting Data source from the menu. If you already have an existing report, you can add a data source directly from it by clicking Add data in the report toolbar.

You'll then need to select a Google or Partner connector to load your dataset to Looker Studio. If you're using a Google connector, you may need to authorize Looker Studio to connect to your Google Sheets by clicking the AUTHORIZE button.

Here are some of the available Google connectors:

You can also use Partner connectors, which let you pull data from both Google and non-Google apps and sources. There are currently over 1,000 Partner connectors available, including options for social media, third-party tools, and CRM systems.

To connect a source in Looker Studio, you'll need to select a Google or Partner connector to load your dataset. There are currently 24 Google Connectors, such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google Sheets, BigQuery, and more.

You can also use Partner Connectors, which are third-party options that let you pull data from both Google and non-Google apps and sources, such as LinkedIn, PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, HubSpot, etc. But most of them are not free.

To add a connector, go to Resource at the top navigation, then click Manage added data sources. Then, you'll click + Add A Data Source. You can also add a data source directly from an existing report by clicking Add data in the report toolbar.

There are currently over 650 different data sources from their partner connectors, including Supermetrics connectors for SEOMonitor, CallRail, Salesforce, HubSpot, and more. However, most of these data sources come with additional costs, can slow down reports, and may have deprecated metrics.

Here are some examples of non-Google connectors you can use:

To connect a data source, you'll be asked to authorize the connection between accounts. This may include spreadsheets, tables, metrics, reports, and so on depending on your source application.

Setting up your space in Looker Studio is a breeze. You can choose between a free version and a Pro version, which is paid. The free version is a great starting point for small projects or personal use.

One of the key differences between Looker Studio and Data Studio is the way data is modeled. Looker Studio uses LookML (Looker Modeling Language), which is a more advanced method.

You'll need to decide how you want to organize your data. Looker Studio supports 50+ SQLs and databases, so you can connect to a variety of sources. This makes it easy to bring in data from multiple places.

The way you model your data will affect how you can merge it from different sources. Looker Studio requires SQL databases to integrate any source, which makes it easier to merge data.

Here's a quick rundown of the key differences in data merging features:

Overall, Looker Studio's data merging features are a game-changer for marketers. It's a faster and more meaningful way to visualize data from all your different marketing sources.

In Looker Studio, data visualization is the main focus, so it's best to have your dataset ready for analysis beforehand. You may need to clean your dataset, remove duplicates, and add columns.

Before loading your dataset, consider exporting it to a spreadsheet or another repository to organize your data. This can save you time and effort in the long run.

For this tutorial, we'll be using a pre-prepared spreadsheet file containing online sales data.

Before diving into data analysis, it's essential to prepare your dataset. Looker Studio focuses on data visualization, so it's best to have your data ready for analysis.

You may need to clean your dataset, remove duplicates, and add columns. Exporting your dataset to a spreadsheet or another repository can also help you organize your data.

It's a good idea to ensure your dataset is ready before loading it. An alternative approach is to export your dataset to a spreadsheet or another repository.

For this tutorial, we've already prepared a spreadsheet file containing online sales data as the dataset.

You can add a calculated field in Looker Studio, either in the data source or a chart, using formulas. This allows you to create new fields that are calculated based on existing data.

To add a calculated field in the data source, you can follow these steps: Open the data source, click Add a field, select Add calculated field, and set the field name and formula. For example, you can create a field called Total that multiplies a price by a quantity.

The formula for the Total field would be: Quantity * Price. You can also change the type to Currency and the default aggregation to Sum.

If you don't see the new field in the Available Fields list, try refreshing your browser first.

Alternatively, you can add a calculated field in a chart by selecting the dimension, clicking Add calculated field, and using a text function like UPPER to display data in uppercase letters.

Here are the steps to add a calculated field in a chart:

By adding calculated fields, you can create new insights and visualizations in your Looker Studio reports.

Data Visualization in Looker Studio is a powerful tool that helps you transform your business data into engaging reports and dashboards. With over 800 data sources to connect to, you can pull in the required information and easily transform it into colorful and interactive charts and graphs for dashboards and reports.

Looker Studio charts can be customized to tell a story and include what data is important to your audience. For example, you can create a simple bullet chart to show if you met your monthly goal of app installs. To make this chart effective, you need to add your target/goal and input different range limits to show the progress.

The type of chart you choose depends on the story you want to tell. Looker Studio offers a wide range of charts, including time series, bar charts, pie charts, tables, scorecards, bullet charts, and more. You can also modify the style of any chart, table, or element to make it more visually appealing.

One of the key benefits of Looker Studio is that it's user-friendly, even for non-technical users. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create interactive dashboards and compelling reports without needing to write code. This empowers users of all technical backgrounds to gain insights from data and make informed decisions.

To create a chart, click on the "Insert" button, which will show you all the different charts to choose from. Here are some of the most common types of charts in Looker Studio:

By choosing the right chart and customizing it to your needs, you can effectively communicate your data insights to your audience and drive smarter business decisions.

You can add filters to your reports in Looker Studio, allowing viewers to explore data by time period, geography, or customer segment. This interactive storytelling feature is a major distinction between Looker Studio and Looker.

To format your dashboard, use conditional formatting to highlight important values. For example, you can format OrderTotal cells to red for values under 1,000,000, making it easy to spot low sales.

The top section on the right contains high-level functions for your report, including the Conditional formatting section where you can add custom rules.

You can customize the layout of your report by deciding what information to present and which charts to use. A rough sketch can help you avoid staring at a blank report for too long.

Looker Studio offers a variety of pre-built templates to save time, while still allowing customization with interactive tools. You can pick a template and then customize it to fit your needs.

In the Theme tab, you can select from a number of themes for your report, such as Constellation, Lagoon, or Simple Dark theme, to create a professional look without styling from scratch.

You can control how your report looks in View mode, customize your report size and orientation, and change grid settings in the Layout tab. Experimenting with each option can help you find the best layout for your report.

You can share your Looker Studio dashboard by clicking on the Share dropdown in the header toolbar.

This will give you a list of different ways to share it. You can invite specific people or Google Groups and add them as viewers or collaborators on your report. To do this, use the Add people tab and enter the email addresses of those you want to share with.

You can also turn on link sharing in the Manage access tab to let anyone view your report, even if they don’t have a Google account. This is a great way to share more broadly. Looker Studio Pro introduces Group Workspaces, allowing users to manage access and share Looker Studio content within their teams.

Team Workspaces enable seamless collaboration, granting specific permissions to users for efficient content sharing. You can assign specific permissions based on each member’s role, which includes options such as Admin, Manager, Content Manager, or Contributor. This granular control allows you to tailor access to precisely fit your team’s needs, enhancing efficiency and collaboration.

Partner Connect is a game-changer for sharing and collaboration in Looker Studio. You can connect to over 650 different data sources using their partner connectors.

These third-party connectors let you pull data from both Google and non-Google apps and sources. Some examples include LinkedIn, PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, and HubSpot.

You can see the full list of available connectors here, but be aware that most of them come with an additional cost. Partner Connectors can also slow down reports and metrics may be deprecated, so it's essential to stay on top of any changes to your report and rebuild metrics if needed.

To add a partner connector, you'll need to authorize the connection between accounts. This may include spreadsheets, tables, metrics, reports, and so on, depending on your source application.

Here are some popular partner connectors you can use in Looker Studio:

These connectors can instantly enable you to connect virtually any kind of data without any coding or software. You can access a wide variety of data sources through the more than 600 partner connectors available in Looker Studio.

You can share your Looker Studio dashboard by clicking on the Share dropdown in the header toolbar, which gives you a list of different ways to share it.

To invite specific people or Google Groups to view or edit your report, use the Add people tab and enter their email addresses. You can also allow them to edit it or just view it.

If you want to share more broadly, turn on link sharing in the Manage access tab, which will let anyone view your report, even if they don’t have a Google account.

Looker Studio Pro introduces Group Workspaces, allowing users to manage access and share Looker Studio content within their teams. Within these collaborative spaces, you and your team automatically gain access to the content.

You can assign specific permissions based on each member’s role, which includes options such as Admin, Manager, Content Manager, or Contributor. This granular control allows you to tailor access to precisely fit your team’s needs.

Real-time collaboration is also available in Looker Studio, allowing multiple users to work on reports and dashboards simultaneously. Edits, comments, and revisions are automatically saved, ensuring everyone stays on the same page and can access the latest version.

Looker Studio Pro offers several extra features to businesses, including advanced workflow capabilities.

This advanced workflow automatically schedules and manages the process of extracting data from various sources, transforming it into a usable format, and loading it into Looker for analysis.

ETL (Extract, transform, load) eliminates manual tasks and ensures data consistency. The data reports can be set up to be delivered only when certain conditions are met.

Receiving an alert if sales drop below a certain figure allows proactive issue identification, helping businesses stay on top of their performance.

Looker Studio's drag-and-drop simplicity and interactive features make it a standout in data exploration.

Google Data Studio, now known as Looker Studio, offers a range of features that make it a powerful tool for data visualization and analysis.

One of the key features is the ability to connect to a wide range of data sources, including Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Google Sheets.

Looker Studio also allows for the creation of custom dashboards and reports, making it easy to share insights with others.

With Looker Studio, you can also use Google's machine learning capabilities to automatically generate insights and recommendations.

Additionally, Looker Studio has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create and customize visualizations without needing to write code.

The native Google connector in Looker Studio is a powerful tool that allows you to connect to your Google Sheets data source.

You can find the Google Sheets connector under the Google Connectors section in Looker Studio.

To use the Google Sheets connector, you'll need to authorize Looker Studio to connect to your Google Sheets by clicking the AUTHORIZE button.

Once you've authorized the connection, you can select the FLW Online Sales spreadsheet file and choose the Online Sales sheet.

You can give your data source a name, such as FLW Online Sales – Google Sheets, to identify it as a Google Sheets data source.

Looker Studio will automatically create a standard metric called Record Count, which can't be changed.

All fields from your spreadsheet will be displayed as dimensions in green, and you can treat any dimension as a metric in your charts.

Some dimensions may have a default aggregation of Sum, and Looker Studio will create metrics on the fly based on this aggregation.

If you notice that some fields with Currency data type in Google Sheets are detected as Number in Looker Studio, you can manually change them to Currency by clicking the triangle icon next to the data type.

Here's a list of the default aggregations you can expect to see in Looker Studio:

This native Google connector makes it easy to connect to your Google Sheets data source and create informative reports in Looker Studio.

Google has been constantly evolving its features to meet the changing needs of its users.

One notable example is the rebranding of Google Data Studio to Looker Studio in October 2022.

Many marketers used Data Studio to unify and visualize data sets from multiple channels.

Google officially announced this change, stating that Looker Studio is still free and has the same features as Data Studio.

The rebranding effort aims to unify Google's business intelligence product family under the Looker umbrella.

This move brings together Looker, Data Studio, and core Google technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Looker Studio has an excellent partner ecosystem that lets you extend your workflow beyond visualization tools and dashboards. This ecosystem connects with external data sources, allowing you to connect with different CRM systems, marketing platforms, or similar applications.

You can connect with various third-party integrations, including Salesforce, Google BigQuery, and Amazon Redshift. These integrations create a unified view of your data, enabling you to analyze internal trends and external factors.

Looker Studio's partner ecosystem offers a library of supported connectors. Here are some examples:

With over 1,000 partner connectors available, you can access a wide variety of data sources. This includes both Google and non-Google apps and sources, such as LinkedIn, PayPal, Facebook, Twitter, and HubSpot.

Looker Studio offers a flexible pricing structure that allows organizations to tailor their subscription to their needs. The price is $9 per license per user.

You can explore Looker Studio Pro at no cost for 30 days, giving you access to all standard features and the full capabilities of the pro version. This trial period has no limitations on the number of users you can add.

For a more cost-effective solution, Looker Studio itself is completely free of cost, empowering startups and small businesses to leverage the power of data visualization without expensive software licenses.

To subscribe to Looker Studio Pro, follow these steps: