[Web4lib] Google Analytics

[Stacey Knight]

I track clicks on outbound links to get an idea of usage for the off-site
content.  It's not a perfect solution for seeing all access to your
externally hosted content, but you can get some idea of what links users
are clicking most.  The link below has the code to set up link tracking.

http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=5
5527
 

The same idea is used to track clicks on links to pdf files

http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=5
5529


For example, if you want to track all clicks on your online catalog
together, then all links to the online catalog would need something
similar to the following added

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/catalog');

Alternatively, you could track links to the catalog from different pages
separately to see which links get the most use.  The link from the
homepage to the catalog could track as "/outgoing/catalog_home" and a link
from the Find Books page could track as "outgoing/catalog_books"


As for profiles, I run the same tracking code on our whole site, which
puts all pages on the site under the same profile.  I then have filters
set up to break out different IP ranges.  So I can see the traffic for the
site (no filter), internal traffic only (filter includes internal IPs
only), and external traffic (excludes internal IPs).

I assume you have already signed up for an analytics account and have an
account number.  To get started, follow the instructions below to paste
the Analytics tracking code into your pages.  Don't forget to add your
account number to the code.

http://www.google.com/support/googleanalytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=5
5488


Stacey Knight-Davis
Booth Library

Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL  61920

217-581-7549
slknight at eiu.edu 


-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Laura Harris
Sent: Friday, February 19, 2010 8:18 AM
To: Web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Web4lib] Google Analytics

Hello, all -

I must admit to being utterly baffled by Google Analytics, specifically
how
to set them up for my library's website. I daresay we're not unusual, in
that we have a lot of content that's hosted somewhere other than our main
website (gvsu.edu/library) - we've got databases, LibGuides, the catalog,
Summon, ContentDM...I'm really at a loss as to how to set up the accounts
and website profiles in a way that makes sense.

Would anyone be willing to give me access to your own analytics so I can
see
how it looks, or to take screenshots, or otherwise explain your set-up?

Thanks in advance,

Laura Harris
Web Services Librarian
Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI
616-331-3577
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