News flash: Data drives marketing and business decisions. And one of my favorite sources of data is Google Analytics. Sure, you're probably already using Google Analytics to examine stats like Web site traffic, how visitors use your site and where they go once they get there. What you may not know, however, is that there are several social reports you can generate through Google Analytics—five, to be exact. And these reports are a veritable treasure trove of data that can help make your digital marketing strategy more refined and effective, which improves your bottom line. You're loving this already, aren't you?

Let's dive in and take a look at each of these reports (which, by the way, are all available in the Standard Reporting section—just select the category and individual report in the toolbar on the left side of the page). If you're not already using them, consider this your wake-up call. After all, data is awesome. And free data? Well, that's the icing on the digital marketing cupcake.

5 Google Analytics Reports for Marketers

1. Social Conversion Report

Social media ROI is, without a doubt, a tricky concept—and one that's likely to cause a heated debate among digital marketers. Yet it's a concept that makes sense. At the end of the day, businesses want to make money—and they want to know how their investments are (literally) paying off in terms of results. The solution? Use the Google Analytics Social Conversion Report to monitor accountability and track how social media impacts business results. The report includes a social value graph that compares monetary goal completion to social referrals. Plus, marketers can link visits to goals and eCommerce transactions. You just need to identify the goals suited to your business and view how s...