What's the difference between metrics and dimensions in analytics?

Metrics are quantitative measurements (conversion rate, page views, revenue), while dimensions are attributes that describe data (country, device, traffic source, page). Metrics answer 'how much' or 'how many', while dimensions answer 'what', 'where', or 'who'. You combine dimensions and metrics to analyze data—for example, conversion rate (metric) by traffic source (dimension). Understanding this distinction helps you ask better questions and analyze data effectively. Good analytics analysis involves slicing metrics by different dimensions to find patterns. Many consultants help teams understand analytics concepts and use them effectively for decision-making.