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Distilled
December 04, 2014
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Annie Cushing-Annie Cushing-Are Your Google Analytics Reports Pretty Little Liars?
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December 04, 2014
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Transcript
Are Your Reports Pretty Little Liars? Annie Cushing @AnnieCushing
DR DATA just call me
relying on nebulous “USER” data
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USERS NEW USERS COUNT OF SESSIONS DAYS SINCE LAST SESSION
% NEW SESSIONS USER TYPE USER DEFINED VALUES metric dimension (FKA UNIQUE VISITORS) (NEW/RET VISITOR)
=
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google knows these are not visitors.
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there are a few CAVEATS
site must have a login
visitors need to actually log in
site must upgrade to universal
site must capture customer id
you must set up a new view
WARNING: your user data will shrink
quite the BOON for sites like these ….
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ignoring LOGGED IN users
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TWO WAYS to accomplish this
custom variables
custom variables
custom dimensions
custom dimensions
custom dimension setup
• customer id good candidates
• customer id • logged in good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author good candidates
good candidates • customer id • logged in • author
• page category (not tags)
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender • age good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender • age • membership level good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender • age • membership level • number of help articles viewed good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender • age • membership level • number of help articles viewed • complaint good candidates
• customer id • logged in • author • page
category (not tags) • publication date • gender • age • membership level • number of help articles viewed • complaint good candidates
missing metrics that MATTER
good candidates • cost of goods sold
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score • awards
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score • awards • points
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score • awards • points • email opens
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score • awards • points • email opens • email sends
good candidates • cost of goods sold • profit •
margin • number of members • population • game score • awards • points • email opens • email sends
what MARKETERS care about
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what BUSINESS OWNERS care about
when these COLLIDING realities intersect
examples from the WILD
email metrics in campaign reports? ALL DAY
see medium history for a registered USER
hosing your CAMPAIGN tagging
labels matter
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reports impacted if you get MEDIUM wrong
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what happens when you tag INTERNAL links
1.4 MILLION sessions overwritten
1.4 MILLION sessions overwritten
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using THIRD-PARTY services
booking engines
event services
payment gateways
application sites
partner sites
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PLAN A keep them on your site
PLAN B cross-domain tracking
how to CHECK your tracking
STEP 1: install google analytics debugger
STEP 2: open the console ctrl-shift-j command-opt-j
STEP 3: check the visitor/client id
STEP 4: make sure domain is different
STEP 5: check for a match
PRO TIP: set up auto-linking
GET ALL THE LINKS
W: ANNIELYTICS.COM/SERVICES E:
[email protected]
T: @ANNIECUSHING L: LINKEDIN.COM/IN/ANNIECUSHING