2.8. Combo Charts in Looker Studio

Introducing Combo Charts

Combo charts allow you to display multiple metrics in a single visualization, using different chart types (like line charts or bar charts) and different y-axes. These charts can be particularly useful when you have related metrics with distinct value ranges that you want to display together.

Setting up Combo Charts

To create a combo chart, simply add the desired metrics and select how you want each to be represented (line or bar). You can also choose whether to plot each metric against the left y-axis or the right y-axis, depending on their value ranges.

Example: Suppose you want to compare users and sessions, which have similar value ranges, alongside revenue, which has a very different range. You could plot users and sessions against the left y-axis, while plotting revenue against the right y-axis.

Using Log Scale

When dealing with diverse numbers, you can use a log scale to improve the chart's readability. In the example above, without a log scale, the revenue might drop sharply between countries, making the chart difficult to interpret. By applying a log scale, you can create a more visually appealing and informative chart.

Choosing the Right Chart Type

Combo charts are a more appropriate choice than line charts when dealing with categorical x-values, such as country names. While line charts can be useful for displaying trends or relationships between numeric categories (e.g., buckets of 10, 20, 30, 40), they may not accurately represent relationships between categorical values.

Combo charts in Looker Studio are great for visualizing multiple related metrics with distinct value ranges. By carefully selecting the appropriate chart types and y-axes, you can create informative and visually appealing charts that help you analyze and understand your data.

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