Posts tagged analytics

How to generate a QR code and track site visitors from it Format your URL to include additional tracking parameters for your analytics platform. I use Google Analytics, so the URL looks like this:http://YOURURL.COM/SPECIFICPAGE/?utm_source=SOURCE&utm_medium=MEDIUM&utm_campaign=CAMPAIGN-ID  Test the URL by pasting it into a browser and ensure it goes where you intended Add the URL using a free online QR code generator (look for one that gives you high resolution downloadable images without watermarks or redirects, like this one) Download the QR code to your computer and snap a photo of it with your phone using a QR code reader, such as the Google Search App, to ensure that it goes where you intended.  Although there is usually a delay, you should begin seeing the visits in your analytics dashboard within a few hours. You can now drill down to the SOURCE, MEDIUM and/or CAMPAIGN level to track visitor behavior from your QR code.

How to generate a QR code and track site visitors from it

  1. Format your URL to include additional tracking parameters for your analytics platform. I use Google Analytics, so the URL looks like this:

    http://YOURURL.COM/SPECIFICPAGE/?utm_source=SOURCE&utm_medium=MEDIUM&utm_campaign=CAMPAIGN-ID
     
  2. Test the URL by pasting it into a browser and ensure it goes where you intended
  3. Add the URL using a free online QR code generator (look for one that gives you high resolution downloadable images without watermarks or redirects, like this one)
  4. Download the QR code to your computer and snap a photo of it with your phone using a QR code reader, such as the Google Search App, to ensure that it goes where you intended. 

Although there is usually a delay, you should begin seeing the visits in your analytics dashboard within a few hours. You can now drill down to the SOURCE, MEDIUM and/or CAMPAIGN level to track visitor behavior from your QR code.

Twitter’s Official Analytics Product Has Arrived

NEW (well, beta) Google In-Page Analytics

From Google:

“[those who] rely on the Site Overlay report in Google Analytics, which, admittedly, hasn’t worked as well it could…”

“…with In-Page Analytics, you can see your Google Analytics data superimposed on your website as you browse.”

Although it’s in beta, this sounds like a great new feature for people using Google Analytics. It will surely put a lot of small companies with similar platforms on the ropes, most likely bringing more users over to (free) Google Analytics.

Basic URL Strategies for Tracking Offline Channels

I recently had a strategy session with a client and tracking offline channels came up. I thought that it would be good to share some of the basic URL strategies for tracking offline channels and the advantages/disadvantages of each.

Just to set the stage, I’ll outline things in terms of a single website or landing page with the address (URL) www.domain.com. Advantages will be “+” and disadvantages will be “-”.

UNIQUE DOMAIN

+ Allows for tracking effectiveness by channel
- Does not track down to creative or market level
- Campaign can seem disjointed with multiple domains in market

domain.com – used for all TV ads
url.com – used for all print ads

I’ve recently seen quite a few variations of the unique domain where the root term is placed after a unique number. (www.15domain.com, www.16domain.com) I would assume that this helps make some connection in the users mind when exposed to multiple spots, but I still think that using a unique domain can hurt a campaign that relies on a level of branding. On the positive side, by putting the unique identifier first, I would also assume that fewer users would fall through the cracks by not including it, since it is seemingly required.

UNIQUE DIRECTORY

+ Maintains domain/brand/campaign cohesiveness
+ Unlimited number of unique tracking addresses available (can get as granular as you need to)
- Percentage of users will not type the directory, therefore be unaccounted for

domain.com/ABC- used for TV spot 1
domain.com/QRS – used for TV spot 2
domain.com/XYZ – used for print ad 1

I feel that although not all users will include the directory (characters after the “/”), in most cases, this is the best approach and will give you a relative measure of effectiveness across all of your offline media channels. Since some of the direct URL type-in traffic will be accounted for by these offline channels, you can make some assumptions by setting a baseline before the campaign begins, then use the amount of lift after campaign launch to calculate an estimate of the effect from this campaign. To get a bit more granular, the ratio of the channels that were tracked through the unique directories can be put against the amount of lift to get a breakdown estimate.

Keeping the directory name both related to the campaign as well as easy to remember are things to consider when utilizing this approach. For example: domain.com/free would most likely garner more visits than www.domain.com/tv123

UNIQUE DOMAIN + UNIQUE DIRECTORY

+ Allows for channel and creative metrics
+ Ensures channel is tracked at minimum
- Campaign can seem disjointed

domain.com/ABC – used for TV spot 1
domain.com/123 – used for TV spot 2
url.com/ABC – used for print ad 1

This combination of both tactics can be used in some situations, such as where multiple campaigns are live at the same time or where constraints do not allow for spill-over from other channels.

Based on the feedback that I get on this initial outline, I will most likely follow up on this topic.