Period comparison helps you see how your metrics change over time. Zenovay automatically compares the period you're viewing against the period immediately before it, so you can measure growth and catch sudden shifts at a glance.
How comparison works
Open your website's dashboard and select the Analytics tab. Pick a time window from the period selector in the header (Today, Yesterday, Last 7 / 14 / 30 / 90 days, and longer windows depending on your plan). Two things update automatically:
- Metric deltas appear next to the headline numbers (Visitors, Bounce rate, Avg duration). Each delta shows the percentage change versus the same-length period right before your selection.
- The visitors chart draws a dashed line for the previous period behind the solid current-period area, so you can see the shape of the change, not just the totals.
There's no separate "enable comparison" step for the metric deltas, they're always on whenever a previous period exists.
The "vs previous" chart overlay
The visitors chart has a vs previous toggle in its header. It's on by default and draws the dashed previous-period line described above. Turn it off if you want a cleaner view of just the current period, and back on to bring the comparison back.
Open the Analytics tab
Go to your website's dashboard and select Analytics.
Choose a period
Use the period selector in the header to pick the window you want to analyze.
Toggle the comparison line
Use the vs previous button above the chart to show or hide the dashed previous-period line.
What the previous period is
Zenovay mirrors your selected window backwards by the same length:
- Last 7 days vs the 7 days before that
- Last 30 days vs the 30 days before that
- A custom range vs the equal-length range immediately before it
This makes "this period vs the last comparable period" the default lens. Comparison is unavailable for All time (there's no earlier period to compare against), and it's bounded by your plan's data retention, so a comparison period that falls outside your retention window won't return data.
Reading comparison data
Metric deltas
Each headline metric shows:
- Current value: the result for the period you selected
- Delta pill: the percentage change versus the previous period (with an up or down arrow)
Bounce rate is inverted: a decrease is treated as an improvement, so a falling bounce rate reads as positive.
Chart overlay
On the visitors chart:
- Solid area: the current period
- Dashed line: the previous period
- Hover: the tooltip shows both the current and previous value for that point
Color indicators
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | A change in the favorable direction |
| Red | A change in the unfavorable direction |
Context matters. A red delta on bounce rate is actually good, because Zenovay treats a falling bounce rate as an improvement. Always read each metric on its own terms.
Percentage change calculation
Formula
% Change = ((New Value - Old Value) / Old Value) × 100
Examples
| Current | Previous | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 | 800 | +200 | +25% |
| 1,000 | 1,200 | -200 | -16.7% |
| 1,000 | 1,000 | 0 | 0% |
Special cases
- Previous = 0: a percentage change can't be calculated against a zero baseline
- Both = 0: there's nothing to compare
- Very small base values: small absolute moves can show as large percentages
Metric-specific reading
Visitors
- Growth indicates expanding reach
- A decline may signal an issue or seasonality
- Cross-check the source breakdown to see where the change came from
Bounce rate
- Lower is usually better (and is treated as the favorable direction)
- Small changes may not be significant
- Read it alongside traffic volume
Session duration
- Higher often means deeper engagement
- Context matters (a quick answer found vs. a long read)
- Compare across traffic sources
Interpreting results
Signal vs noise
Consider how much data you have:
- Large sample: small changes can still be meaningful
- Small sample: large percentage swings may just be noise
External factors
Account for things outside your dashboard:
- Seasonality and holidays
- News events
- Marketing activity
- Site or tracking changes
Correlation vs causation
A change might not mean what you think:
- A traffic spike could be bots
- A bounce-rate drop could follow a tracking change
- Investigate before concluding
Comparison best practices
Apples to apples
Keep comparisons fair:
- The previous period already matches your selected length day-for-day
- Watch for a holiday that lands in only one of the two periods
- Consider your business cycle
Note the context
When you share a number, note what was happening:
- Campaigns running
- Site changes made
- External events
Establish a cadence
A simple routine keeps you honest:
| Frequency | What you're looking at |
|---|---|
| Daily | Today vs yesterday |
| Weekly | Last 7 days vs the prior 7 |
| Monthly | Last 30 days vs the prior 30 |
Troubleshooting
No comparison data
If deltas or the dashed line don't appear:
- Make sure you're not on the All time window (it has no previous period)
- Check that data exists for the previous period
- Confirm the previous period is within your plan's retention window
Percentages look wrong
If a percentage seems off:
- A very small base number can produce a large percentage
- Confirm both periods actually have data
- Remember bounce rate is read as "down is good"
Chart shows only one line
If the dashed previous-period line is missing:
- Check that the vs previous toggle is on
- The previous period may have no data for that window
Reporting with comparisons
Use period-over-period numbers in your updates: the headline metric, its delta, and a one-line explanation of any external factor. On the Scale plan you can also schedule recurring reports so these summaries land in your inbox automatically.