Google Sheets is a perfect editor for streamlining your online work. Thanks to a completely cloud-based system you have an Excel-like spreadsheet in a free form, 100% integrated with Mountain View services is perfect for those who need a tool to display, organize and manage large amounts of data. It’s all about Google Drive, you know?
We’re talking about the no-cost suite-but with paid profiles for those who need extra space-that allows you to use a range of office tools such as Docs, Forms and Slides. Google Sheets also fits into this balance. Want some more information on how to use this valuable tool for web marketers, SEO experts, social media managers and other industry professionals?
What is Google Sheets, definition
It is a free service – configurable as SaaS, software as a service – made available by Google to create spreadsheets, also called spreadsheets. That is, documents divided into cells that allow you to organize data and activate arithmetic-mathematical functions and related charts.
The mechanism is similar to that of the precursor to digital spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel. Then came free-code models such as OpenOffice, but it is only with Google Sheets (translatable as Sheets) that we have achieved maximum versatility and efficiency in operational terms.
Google Sheets, in fact, foregrounds a worksheet consisting of a table and related cells in which to enter data in the form of text and numbers. Which can be influenced by formulas.
Formulas enter through specific functions. You can do a lot, though. For example, the simplest is one that allows you to sum all previous values in a given cell. Here is an example:
SUM(A2:A100)
Of course, the list of Google Sheets formulas is very long; you can find it here.
Must-read: what it is and how to use Google Tag Manager
How to access Google Sheets
To use this productivity tool, which is also perfect for those working in web marketing, you need a Google account with related Gmail. Then all you need to do is access Google Drive and click on the button in the top right corner to create a spreadsheet document. You have two solutions:
- New file.
- Starting template.
In the first case you start with a blank spreadsheet, but in the second you can choose from a number of ready-made Google Sheets templates for different uses. Such as, annual and monthly budget, weekly schedule, to-do list, investment tracker, and much more.
The alternative is to use Google Sheets from mobile. To take advantage of this tool from your cell phone or tablet, you can download and use the official app available for both Android and iPhone.
Collaborating with Google Sheets
Collaboration is one of the steps that makes the difference between Google Sheets and Excel or other alternatives among programs that allow you to create spreadsheets. With Mountain View, in addition to having a tool for organizing and processing table-based data you can also collaborate with one or more people
This can be done either deferred or concurrently. This means that you can work on the sheet and, at the same time, so can a person to whom you have given access as a collaborator.
Specifically, you can give permission to access strangers via email and you have the ability to decide in what role, as a simple reader or with the ability to edit or leave comments.
How to use Google Sheets
What can you do with this productivity tool that is also very popular in the world of web marketing? Clearly the uses are virtually endless, you can use this tool in a thousand ways.
This is thanks to the ability to take advantage of ready-made templates and open Excel files without any problems. From my point of view, there are 4 smart ways to optimize Google Sheets: here is how I use this tool in my daily work aimed at the world of web performance and optimization for websites.
Managing editorial plans
Many bloggers, web copywriters and SEO experts use Google Sheets to put in order the publications to be launched on the personal or corporate blog. But why is spreadsheet-based editorial planning so popular? Simple, you have a well-organized and shareable publication schedule.
Specifically, I use this utility to have in an orderly fashion all the useful information for managing the content to be published. The cell system that arises from matching columns and rows allows you to put the different information in order: article title, author, category, target, goals.
I also manage the automations with specific scripts that allow to send automatic emails with a range of useful information such as monthly summary, draft delivery alert or article publication.
Advanced SEO tool analysis.
Google Sheets is also perfect for those doing technical SEO and analyzing data coming in from tools such as Search Console, Google Analytics, and Screaming Frog. These utilities, in fact, allow you to mine a mountain of data with respect to scans, errors, rankings and website visits.
To bring order to this thicket of data you can take advantage of Google Sheets spreadsheets. Not least because here you have the opportunity to use mathematical functions to organize and clean up data. For example?
In addition to the classic clean up of repetitive data, you can add IFs to filter the data in the spreadsheet based on a true or false condition. For example, this formula:
=IF(A2>2000,”YES”,”NO”)
paired with a column allows you to match yes or no opinion if cells exceed that value or not.
KPI monitoring of projects
Those who work in web marketing know the importance of KPI analysis and monitoring, the key performance indicators that allow you to assess whether an activity is moving in the right direction.
Well, by entering the numerical values of these indicators into a specific Google Sheets I can activate a virtuous process. After identifying the main KPIs of a project I enter the data (e.g., contact form completion) and with specific rules I create alerts if the numbers are below or above a certain threshold. That way we can take corrective action or analyze the reasons for success.
In addition, it should be added that Google Sheets is fully integrated with all Mountain View services, and any data download is done in CSV, Excel or directly to Google Documents.
Integration with Locker Studio (formerly Data Studio)
Are you familiar with Google Data Studio? It is a perfect platform for presenting data to clients with interactive, clear, comprehensive screens. In my report management work I generate a spreadsheet with Google Sheets to integrate with Locker/Data Studio. The goal is to merge this platform with the various sources such as Google Analytics, Search Console and Google Ads. Can’t be done without a spreadsheet?
Sure, they are fruits of the same tree. But some correlations are not automatic and can only be created by generating custom spreadsheets. Google Sheets allows me to get the result.
Again, the automation work can be seen here: clients can receive automatic alerts to be informed of current developments. And the same goes for other team members who can read any updates automatically and take action where needed. This is especially useful during vacation periods or weekends, which is when extra support is needed.
Must-read: what it is and how to use Google DevTools.