How the Tracking Code Works
Understanding Code is the First Step to Accurate Analysis
If there is one area of Google Analytics that lacks understanding it’s installing the tracking code. As it turns out, this step to tracking and taking action from your data is arguably just as important as reporting itself. You can make the best action plans with bad data and be on the short end of the stick with incorrect data every time.
From experience we know that if you don’t follow a process from installation to reporting, allot of unnecessary time and data can be wasted. Our clients and prospects began to tell us where the common misunderstandings were. So, we have prepared a small white paper on how to get set up with Google Analytics following a process.
What is Google Analytics Tracking Code?
GATC (Google Analytics Tracking Code) is a small snippet of code you place on web pages that you want to track. The tracking code can be placed on most popular website publishing formats but there are some acceptations to the rule. If you want to set a a Google Anlaytics account and get your own tracking code placed on your website there are currently 3 ways to do it:
- Create a free Google Analytics account http://www.google.com/analytics (Get your code here)
- Click the Analytics Tab in your AdWords Account. (Click Analytics tab)
- Use your existing user name and password you use for other Google products. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are an AdWords Advertiser click the Analytics tab after turning auto-tagging on.
The current standard tracking code looks like this (May 2009):
Most of the time the tracking code is placed with minimal efforts. Does that mean you are ready to start your deliberations with sound data? Currently it is estimated almost half of websites with Google Analytics installed do not have the code installed incorrectly.
According to EpikOne (an authority site in Google Analytics) installations are not as good as most people think they are. Note: the sample size is almost 54 million web pages scanned.
In the tutorials I cover simple ways to modify the tracking code to better suit your business. There are countless ways you can modify your tracking code and apply filters to deliver more meaningful data to you.
