The document discusses the implementation of Google Analytics (GA) and introduces a library called GAS for enhanced event tracking. It highlights the ease of setup, the multidimensional nature of events, and details the additional tracking capabilities provided by GAS, such as tracking outbound links and video interactions. The document also covers script examples for tracking multiple domains and various user interactions.

1. May 24, 2012
GAS - Google Analytics
on Steroids
Eduardo Cereto Carvalho
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 1

2. May 24, 2012
Implementing GA is
easy, right?
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 2

3. May 24, 2012
What the basic
implementation gives you?
• One pageview every time a page loads
• That doesn’t seem a lot but with just that
GA can calculate everything you see on the
reports
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 3

4. May 24, 2012
What else could you
want?
• E-commerce
• Custom Vars
• Page Interactions ⃪ Events
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 4

5. May 24, 2012
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 5

6. May 24, 2012
L
I
A
F
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 5

7. May 24, 2012
How to implement Event
Tracking?
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 6

8. May 24, 2012
How to implement Event
Tracking?
<a href="#" onClick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Videos',
'Play', 'Baby's First Birthday']);">Play</a>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 6

9. May 24, 2012
How to implement Event
Tracking?
<a href="#" onClick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Videos',
'Play', 'Baby's First Birthday']);">Play</a>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 6

10. May 24, 2012
How to implement Event
Tracking?
<a href="#" onClick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Videos',
'Play', 'Baby's First Birthday']);">Play</a>
From: https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/eventTrackerGuide
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 6

11. May 24, 2012
The documentation is not
perfect
• There’s so much more you can do with
events,Video usage is just one small example;
• The docs are just examples, you should
never implement events like that in the real
world;
• Videos don’t even have a play button most of
the time.You probably use a player like
youtube.
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 7

12. May 24, 2012
What is GAS
https://github.com/CardinalPath/gas
• A library to help you implement GA
• Implement a lot of events so you don’t have to
• Open Source
• Tested on large deployments
• Easy to get involved
• Regular bug-fixes and new features
• Spoiler: I’m the main developer
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 8

13. May 24, 2012
What GAS gives you for free?
• Outbound links
• Web Form usage
• Download links
• Video Usage
• Youtube
• Vimeo
• HTML5 <video />
• Email: links usage
• Scroll percentage
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 9

14. May 24, 2012
Just upload gas.js and
implement GAS instead of GA
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gas = _gas || [];
_gas.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-YYYYYY-Y']); // REPLACE WITH YOUR GA NUMBER
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', '.mydomain.com']); // REPLACE WITH YOUR DOMAIN
_gas.push(['_trackPageview']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackForms']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackOutboundLinks']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackMaxScroll']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackDownloads']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackYoutube']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackVimeo']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackMailto']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = '/gas.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 10

15. May 24, 2012
Just upload gas.js and
implement GAS instead of GA
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gas = _gas || [];
_gas.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-YYYYYY-Y']); // REPLACE WITH YOUR GA NUMBER
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', '.mydomain.com']); // REPLACE WITH YOUR DOMAIN
_gas.push(['_trackPageview']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackForms']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackOutboundLinks']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackMaxScroll']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackDownloads']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackYoutube']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackVimeo']);
_gas.push(['_gasTrackMailto']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript';
ga.async = true;
ga.src = '/gas.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 10

16. May 24, 2012
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 11

17. May 24, 2012
s s
c e
u c
S
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 11

18. May 24, 2012
Events are multidimensional. So
you can drill-down into them
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 12

19. May 24, 2012
Events are multidimensional. So
you can drill-down into them
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 12

20. May 24, 2012
Events are multidimensional. So
you can drill-down into them
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 12

21. May 24, 2012
Events are multidimensional. So
you can drill-down into them
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 12

22. May 24, 2012
Videos are even cooler
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 13

23. May 24, 2012
Videos are even cooler
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 13

24. May 24, 2012
Videos are even cooler
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 13

25. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

26. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

27. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
(function() {
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.js';
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
ga.js';
})();
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

28. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
<a href="http://www.myothersite.com/intro"
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.myothersite.com/intro.html']); return false;">See my blog</a>
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
(function() {
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.js';
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
ga.js';
})();
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

29. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
<a href="http://www.myothersite.com/intro"
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.myothersite.com/intro.html']); return false;">See my blog</a>
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/"
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.mysite.com/']); return false;">Go back to my site</a>
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
(function() {
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.js';
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
ga.js';
})();
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

30. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
<a href="http://www.myothersite.com/intro"
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.myothersite.com/intro.html']); return false;">See my blog</a>
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/"
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.mysite.com/']); return false;">Go back to my site</a>
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
<form name="f" method="post" onsubmit="_gaq.push(['_linkByPost', this]);">
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
(function() {
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.js';
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
ga.js';
})();
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

31. May 24, 2012
What do you do if your site has
multiple domains?
<script type="text/javascript">
<script type="text/javascript">
L
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
I
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
<a href="http://www.myothersite.com/intro"
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-X']);
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.myothersite.com/intro.html']); return false;">See my blog</a>
<a href="http://www.mysite.com/"
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
onclick="_gaq.push(['_link', 'http://www.mysite.com/']); return false;">Go back to my site</a>
_gaq.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
A
<form name="f" method="post" onsubmit="_gaq.push(['_linkByPost', this]);">
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
F
(function() {
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.js';
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
ga.js';
})();
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
</script>
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 14

32. May 24, 2012
How to do it with GAS?
_gas.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-1']);
_gas.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
_gas.push(['_gasMultiDomain', 'click']);
_gas.push(['_trackPageview']);
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 15

33. May 24, 2012
How to do it with GAS?
_gas.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-XXXXX-1']);
s s
e
_gas.push(['_setAllowLinker', true]);
c
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', 'mysite.com']);
c
_gas.push(['_setDomainName', 'myothersite.com']);
u
_gas.push(['_gasMultiDomain', 'click']);
S
_gas.push(['_trackPageview']);
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 15

34. May 24, 2012
GAS can do a lot more for you
• You can extend GAS by adding plugins
• GAS helps you if you need to use
_setAllowAnchor(true)
• GAS fixes bad formatted events for you
• GAS helps you if you want to send data to
multiple accounts at the same time
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 16

35. May 24, 2012
What else can you expect from
GAS in the future
• Support for more video players
• Support for tracking social widgets usage
• More customization options if you are a
developer
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 17

36. May 24, 2012
https://github.com/CardinalPath/gas
Eduardo Cereto Carvalho
@eduardocereto
ecereto@cardinalpath.com
www.CardinalPath.com © 2012 Cardinal Path, Inc, All Rights Reserved. Proprietary and Confidential. 18