2016-06-22

Web Analytics Debrief/Discussion

Old business / discussion of metrics.

What metrics to measure going forward?

WASP Inspector Plugin - Jan Macario

http://www.webanalyticssolutionprofiler.com

Chrome plugin.

This is a useful tool to see what analytics data is being sent by a page.

You can see both pageviews and events.

Example of use on www2.gmu.edu

Updated Tracking Code: Multi-Tier Roll-Up Example - Jan Macario

Old Tracking Code
//Google Analytics tracking code (provided by Google Analytics)
	(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
	(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
	m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
	})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
	
	ga('create', 'UA-18937114-1', 'gmu.edu');
	ga('send', 'pageview');

	ga('create', 'UA-1007599-1', 'auto', 'rollUp');
	ga('rollUp.send', 'pageview');
	
New Tracking Code
  • Additional commenting
  • Three-tiered roll-up structure
  • Distinct name for each tracker object
  • Cookie domain set to auto
//Google Analytics tracking code (provided by Google Analytics)
	(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
	(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
	m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
	})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
	
	//Individual analytics account: Office of Admissions
		ga('create', 'UA-18937114-1', 'auto', 'admissions');
		ga('admissions.send', 'pageview');
	//Roll-Up analytics account: Enrollment Management
		ga('create', 'UA-18937114-10', 'auto', 'rollUp_EnrollmentManagement');
		ga('rollUp_EnrollmentManagement.send', 'pageview');
	//Roll-Up analytics account: George Mason University
		ga('create', 'UA-1007599-1', 'auto', 'rollUp_Mason');
		ga('rollUp_Mason.send', 'pageview');
	

Sends data to 3 google analytics profiles.

Note the cookie domain parameter of ‘auto’. This automatically uses the top level domain.

Example: admissions.gmu.edu: sends data to:

  • Admissions analytics account
  • Enrollment Management Roll-Up analytics account
  • Mason Roll-Up analytics account

Cookie-Dependent Analytics Tracking - Jan Macario

This is a solution for controlling whether google analytics scripts will fire. The idea was to prevent the tracking of ‘internal’ use of a webpage in contexts where it is not easy to filter ‘internal’ use.

Note for WordPress users: some WordPress plugins can do this automatically (i.e. Google Analyticator)

This is a cookie-based solution which can be used to control boths page view or event tracking.

Cookie-Dependent Analytics Tracking example

function fnRunIfNoCookieExists(){
		//Get cookie value, if any
			var analyticsStatus=getCookie("analyticsStatus");
		//If cookie is not null (i.e. there is a 'login' cookie)
			if (analyticsStatus!="") {
			    //Alert status
			    	alert('You HAVE the cookie, so I will NOT fire a Javascript event!');
		//If cookie is null (i.e. there is not a cookie)
			} else {
				//Alert status
			    	alert('You DO NOT have the cookie, so I will fire a Javascript event!');
		    	//Run google analytics tracking code
					//Individual analytics account: Office of Admissions
						ga('create', 'UA-18937114-1', 'auto', 'admissions');
						ga('admissions.send', 'pageview');
			}
	}

Analytics Tracking in Radius

Analytics tracking has been implemented in Radius interest forms (as proof-of-principle).

Needs some additional work to:

  • correctly implement cross-domain tracking (as a result, page view numbers are accurate, but session- and user-level analytics are not)
  • override default URL with descriptive name
  • track submission (or direct to single-purpose confirmation page after submission)

Custom Dashboards/Reports - Nicole Hitpas

Custom reports

Great way to analyze and share specific data (a deep dive into a specific set of metrics, dimensions, and segments). Choose from three custom report format options:

  1. Explorer Reports – Five metric groups with an unlimited number of metrics in each and one dimension drilldown with optional filters.
  2. Flat Table Reports – Two dimensions and an unlimited number of metrics with optional filters.
  3. Map Overlays – The map zoom level (world, continent, subcontinent, and country), dimensions down to region and city based on zoom level, and five metric groups with an unlimited number of metrics with optional filters.
  • Can be exported in several file formats
  • Can be shared with others
  • Can be added to multiple views on your account
  • Can be scheduled to be emailed to you on a frequency of your choosing
  • Can be downloaded from the Solutions Gallery
  • Can be added to a Dashboard

To create or edit custom reports,

  1. Log into Google Analytics
  2. Under Customization, Import from Gallery or click + New Custom Report
  3. Name the report and the tab (reports can have multiple tabs to separate data)
  4. Add metrics (e.g., sessions, goal completions, events, bounce rate, etc.)
  5. Add dimensions (e.g., source/medium, campaign, city, etc.)
  6. Add a filter if needed (e.g., mobile, a specific source or campaign, etc.)
  7. Select the view(s) you want this report to be available
  8. Click save.
Dashboards

Similar to custom reports but more visual with charts, graphs, geomaps, tables, timelines, etc. You are limited to 20 dashboards with a maximum of 20 widgets each.

  • Can be exported in PDF
  • Can be shared with others
  • Can be scheduled to be emailed to you on a frequency of your choosing
  • Can be downloaded from the Solutions Gallery

To create a dashboard,

  1. Log into Google Analytics
  2. Under Reporting, click on Dashboards
  3. Select +New Dashboard, then Import from Gallery or Name the dashboard and click Create Dashboard (choose between a blank canvas or starter dashboard)
  4. Add widgets for each metric you want to measure.
  5. Add custom reports to your dashboard by selecting the custom report (under Customization) and then click the Add to Dashboard link at the top of the report.

Goals/Goal Funnels - Nicole Hitpas

Track a specific action you want site visitors to take (a conversion such as making a purchase or submitting a form).

  • Set at the view level
  • Limited to 20 goals per view (goals can’t be deleted, but you can stop recording data for a goal)
  • Goal types include: destination, duration, pages/screens per session, event
  • Destination goal: can set a funnel (the path you expect users to take to complete a goal); the Goal Flow and Funnel report shows where you lose people in the funnel
  • Goals only track conversions/actions from the time the goal is established moving forward.

To create or edit goals,

  1. Log into Google Analytics
  2. Under Admin, select the account, property, and view to which you wish to apply the goal.
  3. Click on Goals (under View)
  4. Click the +New Goal button (or import a goal from the Gallery)
  5. Select the template that best meets your needs or select custom
  6. Name your goal (ensure goals have unique names)
  7. Select the Goal Type and click the Continue button
  8. Define the goal details.
  9. Click the Verify this Goal link to see how many times that goal would have converted based on your last 7 days of data.
  10. Click save. (you can edit your goal at any time)

To view goal conversions, go to Reporting > Conversions > Goals

To review goal conversions related to a campaign, go to Reporting > Acquisition > Campaigns > All Campaigns. On the data grid, you can review campaign performance for a specific goal or choose All Goals.

Campaign Tagging