Tracking Migration for Google Analytics

As Google Analytics is probably the most popular free web analytics tools out there. To support web the analysts, it would be important for me to cover and share the findings with you.

One of the thing I’ve noticed recently is that Google Analytics have introduced their new tracking code in 2007. According to their migration guide(www.google.com/analytics/GATCmigrationguide.pdf), the original urchin.js will continue to function for at least a year after the new version is released. Which means sometime in 2008.

The benefit of the new tracking code is:

- Easily customize the tracking code for the site’s need.
- Conveniently set up e-commerce and cross-domain tracking.
- Quickly enjoy new features and reports as they roll out.
There are a lot of custom trackings that could be done by utilizing the tracking code which a lot of it is listed out in the document. Following are some of the examples:
- Tracking virtual page views
- Tracking downloaded files
- Tracking a page in multiple accounts
- Tracking subdomains
- Track a visitor across domains using a link
- Track a visitor across domains using a form
- E-commerce transactions
- Adding organic sources
- Segmenting visitor types
- Restrict cookie data to a subdirectory
- Control data collection settings
- Control session timeout
- Control campaign conversion timeout
- Custom campaign fields
- Using the anchor (#) with campaign data
- Setting keyword ignore preferences
- Control the data sampling rate
- Using Google Analytics and Urchin

It is important to follow what is Google is doing with their analytics solution since they are continuously rolling out changes to their system. One best way to follow is checking out their blog and discussion forum.

Google Analytics Blog: http://analytics.blogspot.com/
Google Groups: http://groups.google.com/group/analytics-help