Scaling Drupal Implementing Google Analytics

Starting Point Drupal 5.2 Google Analytics AWStats

Drupal 5.2

Google Analytics

AWStats

Drupal Google Analytics Module Not updated in a timely fashion when GA js is updated Not recommended!

Not updated in a timely fashion when GA js is updated

Not recommended!

Recommended Implementation Load GA js on all pages via template file Invoke GA js as low as possible on each page Reporting results tweak Move GA js to web server Load GA js from web server Invoke GA js as high as possible on each page

Load GA js on all pages via template file

Invoke GA js as low as possible on each page

Reporting results tweak

Move GA js to web server

Load GA js from web server

Invoke GA js as high as possible on each page

Implementation Validation AWStats Configure to generate accurate page view counts e.g. exclude xmlrpc.php, *.js, *.css, etc May be higher than GA number, because of: Visitors that bounce from the site before the GA script runs Visitors that disable js and cookies Misc

AWStats

Configure to generate accurate page view counts e.g. exclude xmlrpc.php, *.js, *.css, etc

May be higher than GA number, because of:

Visitors that bounce from the site before the GA script runs

Visitors that disable js and cookies

Misc

Setting up a GA account Register at http://www.google.com/analytics/ Add GA js to pages GA can take up to 24 hours for data to populate at first *and* thereafter

Register at http://www.google.com/analytics/

Add GA js to pages

GA can take up to 24 hours for data to populate at first *and* thereafter

Extending your analytics GA User Defined Segments Anonymous vs. registered vs. other GA Benchmarking Google Webmaster Tools CrazyEgg, Quantcast, Alexa, Etc Voxant - video Clearspring - widgets

GA User Defined Segments

Anonymous vs. registered vs. other

GA Benchmarking

Google Webmaster Tools

CrazyEgg, Quantcast, Alexa, Etc

Voxant - video

Clearspring - widgets

Analytics Highpoints Pages per visit 5+ good, 10+ great Time on site 5 minutes+ good, 10 minutes+ great Bounce rate < 30% fantastic, 30% - 50% good, 50% - 70% room for improvement, 70%+ something is wrong Bounce rate under 5% means you have a fantastic site or something is wrong, under 1% something is definitely wrong

Pages per visit 5+ good, 10+ great

Time on site 5 minutes+ good, 10 minutes+ great

Bounce rate < 30% fantastic, 30% - 50% good, 50% - 70% room for improvement, 70%+ something is wrong

Bounce rate under 5% means you have a fantastic site or something is wrong, under 1% something is definitely wrong

Summary Always validate Google Analytics numbers There is no such thing as a free lunch Google Analytics is great at some point(s) in a company’s lifecycle, but eventually you’ll need to move to commercial tools Test in multiple browsers to make sure the GA placement is optimal When adding javascript to pages retest GA functionality

Always validate Google Analytics numbers

There is no such thing as a free lunch

Google Analytics is great at some point(s) in a company’s lifecycle, but eventually you’ll need to move to commercial tools

Test in multiple browsers to make sure the GA placement is optimal

When adding javascript to pages retest GA functionality

Contact Arman Anwar, Director of Systems Development [email_address] Marc Benton, Director of Product Development [email_address] Andy Forbes, CTO [email_address]

Arman Anwar, Director of Systems Development

[email_address]

Marc Benton, Director of Product Development

[email_address]

Andy Forbes, CTO

[email_address]