10 Things Most People Don’t Know About Looker Studio

Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) is a powerful tool for creating interactive and shareable dashboards. It allows businesses, analysts, and marketers to visualize data from multiple sources seamlessly. While many users are familiar with its basic capabilities, there are several lesser-known features and tricks that can significantly enhance the experience. Here are ten things most people don’t know about Looker Studio:

1. You Can Use Regular Expressions (REGEX) for Advanced Filtering

Looker Studio allows users to apply Regular Expressions (REGEX) in filters and calculated fields, making it possible to manipulate data in ways that standard filters can’t. This is incredibly useful for:

• Extracting or modifying text

• Creating complex conditions for filtering

• Grouping data dynamically

Example:

If you want to filter all email addresses ending in ”@gmail.com”, you can use:

REGEXP_MATCH(Email, "@gmail\.com$")

This will return only those entries that contain Gmail addresses.

2. Blending Data Sources is More Powerful Than You Think

Most users know they can blend data from multiple sources in Looker Studio, but few realize the full power of cross-database joins.

• You can blend Google Sheets data with Google Analytics or BigQuery with Facebook Ads for deeper insights.

• Looker Studio now supports LEFT, RIGHT, INNER, and FULL OUTER joins, making data combinations more flexible.

For instance, you can blend a CRM dataset with Google Ads to track leads and conversions in one dashboard.

3. Custom SQL Queries Allow Direct Database Control

If you’re using BigQuery, MySQL, or PostgreSQL, you can write custom SQL queries directly within Looker Studio. This enables you to:

• Optimize performance by pre-aggregating data before visualization

• Use complex calculations that are not natively supported

• Improve query efficiency instead of relying on calculated fields in the dashboard

Example:

SELECT user_id, COUNT(*) AS sessions

FROM my_table

WHERE event_type = 'page_view'

GROUP BY user_id

This query returns the number of page views per user, reducing the need for additional processing in Looker Studio.

4. Google Cloud Functions Can Be Used to Extend Looker Studio

Looker Studio doesn’t support Python or other scripting languages, but you can leverage Google Cloud Functions to preprocess or enrich data before bringing it into your dashboard.

• Use Cloud Functions to fetch real-time data from APIs.

• Process large datasets in the cloud before sending to Looker Studio.

• Automate data transformations that would be difficult in Looker Studio alone.

For example, if you need real-time stock prices, you can use a Cloud Function to fetch data from an API and store it in Google Sheets or BigQuery, then connect Looker Studio to that source.

5. You Can Schedule Reports & Automate Delivery

Many users don’t realize they can automate report delivery via email. This feature is useful for sending regular updates to teams or clients.

• Schedule reports to be sent daily, weekly, or monthly.

• Export reports as PDFs and send them via email.

• Customize the email subject and body for better communication.

To enable this, simply go to File > Schedule Email Delivery, select recipients, and set the frequency.

6. You Can Embed Looker Studio Dashboards in Websites & Apps

Looker Studio reports aren’t limited to internal use. You can embed them on websites, intranets, or even inside applications using an iframe.

This is great for:

• Sharing live dashboards with clients.

• Embedding reports inside an internal analytics portal.

• Making dashboards accessible without requiring Google accounts.

7. You Can Use Google Apps Script to Automate Data Updates

Google Apps Script allows you to interact with Looker Studio programmatically. You can use it to:

• Automate data extraction and transformation before importing to Looker Studio.

• Trigger data refreshes dynamically.

• Fetch data from APIs and store it in Google Sheets.

For example, you can write a script to pull Twitter mentions daily and save them in Google Sheets, which Looker Studio can then visualize.

8. Looker Studio Supports Community Connectors for Non-Google Data Sources

Looker Studio isn’t limited to Google products! Thanks to Community Connectors, you can connect to over 600+ data sources, including:

• Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter, Amazon Ads

• Stripe, PayPal, QuickBooks, Salesforce

• SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz for SEO analytics

These connectors are often created by third parties, so some may require paid subscriptions, but they extend Looker Studio’s capabilities beyond what most people expect.

9. Conditional Formatting Makes Reports More Interactive

Few users take advantage of conditional formatting, which can highlight specific data points based on predefined conditions.

• Color-code KPIs based on performance (e.g., turn red when below target).

• Highlight trends in financial reports.

• Make anomalies in data stand out visually.

To enable it, go to Table Properties > Style > Conditional Formatting and set up rules like:

• Green if Revenue > $100,000

• Red if Click-Through Rate (CTR) < 2%

10. The Performance Profiler Can Speed Up Your Dashboard

Looker Studio dashboards can slow down when dealing with large datasets, but most users don’t know about the Performance Profiler tool.

• It helps diagnose slow-loading components.

• Identifies inefficient queries or filters.

• Suggests optimizations to improve speed.

To access it, go to Resource > Manage Added Data Sources > View Performance Profiler and analyze the report to optimize your dashboard.

Final Thoughts

Looker Studio is much more than a simple dashboard tool. With advanced filtering, automation, SQL queries, embedding capabilities, and performance optimization, it can be a powerful business intelligence solution for any organization.

By leveraging these 10 lesser-known features, you can unlock new insights, save time, and create more efficient dashboards that offer real value.

Have you discovered any other hidden gems in Looker Studio? Share them in the comments below!

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