Highlights six best practices for libraries to implement to get the most out of their Google Analytics installations.

1. Enhancing Google Analytics
High-Impact Practices for Your Library
Tabatha Farney
University of Colorado

2. HiP #1
Track every
web service
point.
Websites
Social
Media
Catalog
Library
Web Presences
Blog
Calendar
Mobile
Site

3. HiP #2
Customize your GA
install.

4. HiP #2
Modify your GATC:
<script type="text/javascript">
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-xxxxxx']);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() { var ga = document.createElement('script');
ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ?
'https://' : 'http://') + 'stats.g.doubleclick.net/dc.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();
</script>
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Cross-domain tracking
Demographic info
IP anonymization
User opt-out
Custom variables
Event tracking
Universal Analytics?

5. HiP #3
Focus on the essential
user group(s).
From This
To This

6. HiP #3
Segmenting or Filtering?
How do they differ?
Filtering removes data
from the collection
process.
Segmentation removes
unwanted data at the
report level.

7. HiP #4
Track all the essential
interactions.

8. HiP #4
Event Tracking
Event = An action that
does not generate a
“page view.”
How to Track Events?
You must add the additional
tracking code to each event.
Popular Events to Track:

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Outbound Links
Video/audio players
Embedded widgets or scripts
Document files (ie PDFs)
Online forms
<img src=“image_name.jpg" alt=“description” onClick=“_gaq.push(*‘_trackEvent’, ‘event
category’, ‘event action’, ‘event name’+);”/>

9. HiP #5
Set those goals!

10. HiP #5
Goal Reporting in GA
 GA tracks conversions
A conversion is simply a
desired action on a webpage.
 GA offers 4 Goal types:
1.
2.
3.
4.
URL Destination
Event
Visit Duration
Pages per Visit

11. HiP #5
Goal Examples
Goal 1: Increase the numbers of subscribers to the library
newsletter by xx%.
Goal Type: Event
Goal 2: Library users can find a research database in three clicks
or less regardless of where they enter the library website.
Goal Type: Destination URL or Event (with custom segment)
Goal 3: Increase the usage of the “browse the shelves” feature in
the library catalog.
Goal Type: Event

12. HiP #6
Sharing is caring.

13. Recap
1.
Track all your library’s web presences.
2.
Move beyond the out-of-box GA install.
3.
Find the user through filters or segments.
4.
Implement event tracking for the pageless
stuff.
5.
Goals are necessary to determine site
success.
6.
Data collection is pointless if not used.

14. The Sources
This presentation is based on:
Farney, Tabatha, and Nina McHale. 2013. Maximizing Google Analytics: Six high
impact practices. Chicago, IL: ALA TechSource.
Other good reads include:
Farney, Tabatha and Nina McHale. 2013. Web analytics strategies for information
professionals: A LITA guide. Chicago: ALA TechSource.
Kaushik, Avinash. 2010. Web analytics 2.0: the art of online accountability & science
of customer centricity. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley.
Keeping current on Google Analytics:
Google Analytics on Google Plus https://plus.google.com/+GoogleAnalytics/posts
Google Analytics Blog http://analytics.blogspot.com/

15. Borrowed Images
Slide 5: “Students Studying,” University of Denver. Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uofdenver/3770483632