Mastering the Use of HYPERLINK Function in Looker Studio for More Interactive Data Representation

 Mastering the Use of HYPERLINK Function in Looker Studio for More Interactive Data Representation

HYPERLINK Function in Google Data Studio

Google Data Studio offers a multitude of functions for efficiently managing and displaying your data. Among these, the HYPERLINK function holds a key position. Widely used for creating Hyperlink and Image Link fields within your data source, it makes your data representation more interactive.

Syntax and Functionality

The HYPERLINK function operates with the sytax HYPERLINK(URL, Link Label). This directive necessitates two parameters - a URL and a link label - both being required for its execution. The URL parameter may be an existing URL field in your data source or it can be an expression that builds URLs from other fields or functions.

The link label outlines the text or image to be displayed in the table. In creating a Hyperlink field, this label can be from a Text dimension in your data source or any expression that results in Text. If you are to produce an Image Link field, the label may be drawn from an Image dimension in your data source, or an expression that gives rise to an image.

This function supports several protocols such as http, https, mailto, and ftp. However, should you specify an unsupported protocol, it opens a blank page. If no protocol is mentioned, 'http:' is presumed and is added before the URL. For displaying the full URL, simply use the URL field type.

Creative Examples with Sales Metrics

Given that you are running a digital store, the HYPERLINK function can enhance the interactive view of your sales data. Assuming you have a dataset with fields such as: - Product Name - Product ID - Product Page URL - Product Image URL

Now using this data, let us see some examples of how you can utilize the HYPERLINK function for effective data representation.

Example 1: Creating Links to Product Pages- Transform your Product ID into clickable links that lead to their respective product pages. You can design a new calculated field as Product_Link utilizing the formula:

HYPERLINK(Product Page URL, Product ID)

Now, by adding Product_Link to your table, it will translate the Product IDs into active links leading to the product pages.

Example 2: Building URLs using CONCAT- The CONCAT function can aid in forming complete URLs when a part of the website path is present as a field or when you wish to append more information. For instance,

HYPERLINK(CONCAT('https://mystore.com/products/', Product ID, '.html'), Product Name)

This directs your audience to the product page on clicking the product name.

Example 3: Creating Clickable Images- If you wish to add clickable product images to your data table, you can employ the HYPERLINK function where the first parameter is URL and the second parameter is an Image field:

HYPERLINK(Product Page URL, Product Image URL)
This converts your product images into clickable links that open their respective product pages.

Constraints and Tips

While the HYPERLINK function is an amazing tool, it is essential to note that the function's performance is contingent on using supported protocols. Unsupported ones will merely yield a blank page.

Moreover, for creating clickable images, ensure your image URL ends with a supported image file extension (.jpg, .png etc), as this ensures seamless execution of the function.

Additionally, the HYPERLINK function is not merely restricted to tables; it is equally functional when incorporated into charts for an enhanced interactive data visualization experience. Make the best of this function to enrich your Google Data Studio reports and make them more user-friendly!

Remember: a well-presented and interactive data visualization is always likely to hold your audience’s attention and facilitate better understanding of your findings.

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