using digital analytics to assess the real world
TRANSCRIPT
Using Digital Analytics to Assess the Real World
Tabatha FarneyDirector of Web Services & Emerging TechUniversity of Colorado Colorado Springs@sharebrarian | [email protected]
What is digital analytics?
The analysis of digital data from your online presence.
Defining the Online Presence
Library WebsitesSearch Tools
Electronic Resources
Social MediaEmail
brick and mortar online
“Goal,” Blue Diamond Gallery, http://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/scrabble/images/goal.jpg
The toolsThere isn’t one tool to rule them all.
Digital analytics features include:• Campaign URLs• Measurement Protocol
• Custom metrics and dimensions • Uploading data sets
• Free• Combines data from Google
Analytics, Google Spreadsheets, and other data sources
• Sharable and easy to update
• Limited to 5 reports• Difficult to integrate data
sources in one chart
• Beta and bugs
“Link Humans,” Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/linkhumans/17362908918
Digital Analytics for Library Staffing
“Collaboration Space,” Kraemer Family Library, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, https://www.flickr.com/photos/27640054@N08/26253986013
Focus on the reference desk“Reference Desk,” Kraemer Family Library, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, https://www.flickr.com/photos/27640054@N08/with/18275542498/
Content
Websites• Library website
Filters• Hour• Staffed vs Non-
staffed hours
Metrics• Sessions • Pageviews • Content groups• User actions
Data
GA CustomizationsEvent Tracking• Used Google Tag Manager• Track outbound links,
downloads, emails, searches, form submissions, chat
Content Groups• Admin feature• Categorized content
in large groups
Report
1. Wasn’t a significant change in content usage between staffed and non-staffed hours
2. Repeat analysis in search tools
Digital Analytics for Assessing Instruction
Websites• LibGuides (online
guides)
Filters• Pagetitle• Guide Title
Metrics• Sessions • Users• Returning Users• Pageviews • User actions
• Search terms• Outbound links
• User rating• User comments
Data
GA CustomizationsEvent Tracking• Used Google Tag Manager• Track outbound links,
searches, form submissions
Google Forms• Import data into GDS• Averaged user
rating metric
Report
Results• Guide editors love the data
• Want instruction date metric and quiz data
“Mario’s Flag,” Banjo2015, Deviant Art, http://img11.deviantart.net/cb81/i/2015/319/7/d/mario_s_flag_by_banjo2015-d9gr95f.png
Digital Analytics for E-Resources
Discoverability
Websites• Library website• Discovery service• LibGuides• Catalog
Filters• Electronic resource
clicks
Metrics• Sessions • Users • Click-through rate• Cost per click• Electronic resource
clicks
Data
GA CustomizationsEvent Tracking• Yes, again…
Calculated metrics • Click-through rate • Cost per click
Report
LimitationsTreats all clicks the same
“Doh,” QuotesGram, https://quotesgram.com/homer-simpson-quotes-doh/
ResultsGreater emphasis on discovery service and website
“Woohoo,” Clipart Panda, http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/simpson-clip-art
MarketingGoal: Understanding the most effective means of marketing library programs
Data• Campaign URLs for all marketing links (social media, emails,
digital signage)• Library program metadata• User Feedback (online form)
Collection Development
• Failed search data• Search queries
• Coding the data
“Library books,” CCAC North Library, Flickr, https://www.flickr.com/photos/ccacnorthlib/4131076475
Additional Resources• Farney, Tabatha. “Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager,” Library
Technology Reports. 52.7 (October 2016).• Google Analytics Academy, https://analyticsacademy.withgoogle.com/ • Kaushik, Avinash, Occam’s Razor, http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/