How to Visualize Data with Google Data Studio

Data Studio is one of the most powerful data visualization tools today and the perfect tools for those who want to generate eye-catching reports. While we are all accustomed to using Google Sheets and Docs for handling most of our online or offline work, Google Data Studio is relatively lesser-known. This makes it a must-have too in every content creator’s bucket out there.

Google Data Studio happens to be one of the most resorted to platforms today when it comes to generating effective visual content for technical writings, reports and blogs. After all, with just a few clicks, it delivers some of the coolest and customizable graphics from tabulations and paragraphs of information.

Whether you want to visualize data into effective infographics for a school report, office presentation or online content, Google Data Studio eases it for you. After all, visualization is a persuasive format, no matter what your medium of communication. People tend to grasp data better when depicted graphically, thus taking your presentation a few notches higher. This is what makes Google Data Studio so relevant to everyone today.

What is Google Data Studio?

Google Data Studio is a user-friendly free platform offered by Google to turn simple data into visually-appealing metrics. A tool of the large Google family, Data Studio finds use within and beyond the community of students, teachers and corporate professionals the most. Besides, it is a great tool to use for people generating and distributing content online, say blogs and social media platforms.

Google Data Studio offers drag-and-drop technology and an excellent interface. There is no coding required on your part. At the same time, there is great room for customization, inputs and variety. Google Data Studio essentially helps you prepare and customize charts, graphs, infographics, logos, images and much more with a few clicks.

Is Google Data Studio free to use?

Yes, just like most other tools offered by the Google family, Google Data Studio is free-to-use. The platform caters to almost every data-depiction-related need and you can swiftly manage dashboards, reports and other activity from the same platform, for free.

Data Studio also allows you to embed the visual data into any content you wish to. This means you can easily embed the report to your online blog or a draft MS Word report. It happens to offer such an extent of versatility free of cost, and this is what makes Google Data Studio one of the most sought-after platforms today in the field of data visualization.

What are the benefits of using Google Data Studio?

The first and foremost benefit of using Google Data Studio for data visualization has to be the feature of reproducing effective visuals out of your data free of cost. Besides, you can use these visuals by a seamless process to integrate them with reports, blog posts, social media platforms and even report drafts by way of copying, link pasting or code embedding. This makes the entire process much simpler.

At the same time, the platform comes across as user-friendly with neither the need to manually enter lines of code nor design graphics yourself. The extent of automation provided comes paired with vast variability so your visuals do not look the same as someone else’s.

Data Studio also offers you data selection and sourcing from the vast pool of resources Google has to offer. This is made possible due to its accommodation of a variety of platforms. Some of them are:

• Google Ads, Google Analytics, SearchAds360 and Display&Video360 for marketing needs
• BigQuery, PostgreSQL and MySQL for database related functions
• YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Reddit for social media reach
• Google Sheets, CSV formats and Google Search Console

How to work with Google Data Studio?

Working with Google Data Studio is pretty simple and automated to a great extent. Before you start on a new visual, it would be better to have some idea of what kind of visuals you would like to create. For instance, for data that show some sort of progression over time, you might want to use line or bar charts.

Besides, for data showing relationships between parts of a whole, pie, area or bubble graphs are suitable. Similarly, you can choose from geographic mapping, interactive reports, content catalogues and annotations depending on your needs. Once you have finalized on the data and its associated visual, you can proceed in the following way.

Step 1 – Create a New File

Simply click on the Blank Report option on the Google Data Studio home page. You are presented with the option of using various templates for the purpose as well. Pick the option that suits you most and add a title for your task.

Step 2 – Use or Create a Data Source

As mentioned earlier, Google Data Studio offers you a range of options when it comes to using data sources. You may choose to go for Google Analytics, the default source, or choose any other depending on your need. Choosing the source, followed by the designated account, you can track any data you want. Thereon, you can filter, sort and even remove unwanted data and proceed with the rest.

Step 3 – Design a Visual

There are multiple options for visuals, as mentioned before. Now, all you need to do is pick out the most relevant way of expressing your data visually. This selection must entail the number and types of dimensions you are willing to use in your metric. After carefully entering the data source, dimension details and metrics in the dialogue box, you are all set to style the visual.

The array of options available for this purpose is outstanding and the more visually appealing your content is the higher the chances are it’ll catch the interest of the reader. You can customize the colour, background, grids, fonts as well as the style of the visual. Starting from simple tables to heat maps of the world, the visuals are interesting and diverse to choose from.

Step 4 – Use the Visual

Now that the toughest parts have been dealt with, you can finally use the visual wherever you like. You may want to share the data visualization with a team or client, for which you can simply share the generated link. At the same time, you can use the visual directly in your online content (blogs, websites and reports) by seamlessly embedding the visual in them.

Final Words

Google Data Studio comes across as a relevant and powerful tool to bring statistics to life for easier comprehension by viewers. No wonder, it has seen immense popularity in recent times. One can conveniently leverage its benefits for adding weight to their content and making them universally comprehensible. After all, data visualization finds its footing everywhere, from academics to corporates to even websites and social media.