be critical: going beyond the defaults with ga and gtm (smx munich 2015)

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLONETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

BE CRITICALGOING BEYOND THE DEFAULTS WITH GA AND GTM

SMX Munich, 17th March 2015

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLONETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

SIMO AHAVA @ NetBooster

Head of Analytics, Nordics

Google Developer Expert 2014-2016

Twitter: @SimoAhava

Google+: +SimoAhava

#SMX | @SimoAhava

www.simoahava.com

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO 3

The Rant

AGENDAOVERVIEW

#01

The Workaround

The Takeaway

#02

#03

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

THE RANT

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Google Analytics is a tool

designed to work for

9,163,750*

different businesses

* Author’s estimate, not an official figure

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

It is thus conceivable

Google does not know

what your business KPIs

are

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

2,578,000

DEAR BOSS,

Last month, the number of Sessions on our site was…

…which is an uplift of +2.78% compared to the previous month.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

21.20%

DEAR BOSS,

Last month, the Conversion Rate for eCommerce on our site was…

…which is an uplift of +5% compared to the previous month.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Reporting on a single metric or snapshot of a funnel

is like telling only the punchline of a joke.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Reporting on a single metric or snapshot of a funnel

is like telling only the punchline of a joke.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Raw (hit) data

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0

0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Schema

Raw (hit) data

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0

0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Schema

Raw (hit) data

Sessionized data

1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0

0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1

0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 1

0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1

1 0 1 1 0

0 0 1 1 1

1 0 0 0 1

0 1 1 1 1

1 1 0 0 1

0 1 1 0 0

1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection

/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the

schemas of said platform.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection

/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the

schemas of said platform.

Sessionization schema

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection

/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the

schemas of said platform.

Event tracking schema

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

All metrics and dimensions used by a data collection

/ processing / reporting platform subscribe to the

schemas of said platform.

Transactional schema

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

This has two major implications on how we process,

analyze, and report on the data.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

All sessionized

data is

arbitrary

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Fictional

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Fictional

Fictional

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Fictional

Fictional

Fictional

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Fictional

Fictional

Fictional

Fictional

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

How can an arbitrary,

fictional metric ever be

a good KPI?*

* Rhetorical question, it can’t

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Data quality is

something you

work towards

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Stay away from

aggregate metrics.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Stay away from

aggregate metrics.

Segment, customize,

combine, visualize.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Aggregate

Segmented

User-centric

Cohorts

Predictive21.20%

Our website’s eCommerce

Conversion Rate for January

was…

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Aggregate

Segmented

User-centric

Cohorts

Predictive12.57%

Visitors who landed on our site

through our January Facebook

campaign had an eCommerce

Conversion Rate of…

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Aggregate

Segmented

User-centric

Cohorts

Predictive19.20%

Visitors with no previous

transactions who landed on

our site through our January

Facebook campaign had an

eCommerce Conversion Rate

of…

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Aggregate

Segmented

User-centric

Cohorts

Predictive

New customers via Facebook

vs.

Old customers via Facebook

vs.

Overall eCommerce Conversion Rate

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Aggregate

Segmented

User-centric

Cohorts

Predictive

This data, combined with

information from our sales

engine and CRM, gives us the

following optimization

opportunities…

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

THE WORKAROUND

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

We need to collect

data in a meaningful

way.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Sometimes it means

we need to tweak the

data collection

mechanism.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Take Bounce Rate,

for example.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Remember, Bounce Rate

is a heavily sessionized

metric that is not inherently

good or bad.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

After X seconds on the

page, send a pulse to GA

which negates the bounce.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Google Tag Manager

1. Create new Timer

Trigger

2. Set Interval to X ms

3. Set Limit to 1

4. Fire Event Tag with

this Trigger

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

However, you’re playing

into the hands of the

schema overlords.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Instead of trying to get

Bounce Rate lower by

tweaking a metric, how

about improving internal

linking?

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

…or measuring calls-to-

action?

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

…or combining dwell time

with scroll depth?

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

http://cutroni.com/blog/2014/02/12/advanced-content-tracking-with-universal-analytics/

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Adapted for Google Tag

Manager:

https://github.com/sahava/content/

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

1 Universal Analytics Tag 1 Custom Event Trigger 9 Data Layer Variables

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

OK, this is better for

understanding intent (and

content)…

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Reader

Scanner

Scanner

Reader

Reader

Intent Content

53 % read

89 % read

60 % read

21 % read

85 % read

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Bounce Rate became more

meaningful for users and

content.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Come to my session tomorrow at 11:15am!

If this strikes true,

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

…But let’s take a more

focused example.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Page Views measures the

number of times pages are

viewed.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

…or does it?

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Visible: document['hidden'] = falseHidden: document['hidden'] = true

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Visible: document['hidden'] = falseHidden: document['hidden'] = true

document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', function() {

dataLayer.push({'event' : 'visibilityChange’

});});

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Upon Page Load

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Upon Page Load

If Page IS Visible, send Page View

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Upon Page Load

If Page IS Visible, send Page View

If Page IS NOT Visible, do not send Page View

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Upon Page Load

If Page IS Visible, send Page View

If Page IS NOT Visible, do not send Page View

If Visibility changes to Visible, send Page View

Visible Hidden

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

http://goo.gl/SdAjo5

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

We just made a metric

more meaningful.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

THE TAKEAWAY

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Takeaway 1/5

Be critical: Sessions is the product of an algorithm, and it doesn’t

(necessarily) represent your business life cycle.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Takeaway 2/5

Be critical: Even non-sessionized data like Pageviews might be

flawed.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Takeaway 3/5

Be critical: Fixing data collection so that it measures your business

objectives more accurately requires work.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Takeaway 4/5

Be critical: HTML5 is ripe with APIs that might, or might not, help you

tweak the data stream.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

#SMX | @SimoAhava

Takeaway 5/5

BE CRITICAL!

Data quality is directly proportional to how

well you understand the data collection.

NETBOOSTER NORDIC // COPENHAGEN // AARHUS // STOCKHOLM // HELSINKI // OSLO

THANK YOU

Twitter: @SimoAhava

Google+: +SimoAhava

www.simoahava.com

[ See you tomorrow at 11:15am! ]

#SMX | @SimoAhava