How GA Works Flashcards
What is the name for the type of data Google Analytics collects?
User-interaction Data
What are the 4 main parts to the Google Analytics system?
Collection
Configuration
Processing
Reporting
When Google Analytics collects data from a website, what must be placed in each pages code?
A small JavaScript tracking code
Various sources of information Google Analytics can collect with websites:
From: The website itself (like what pages they visit)
The user’s browser (like the language of the user, device, etc.)
The referring source (the site that brought the user to the website)
What happens to the information collected?
It is packaged up and sent Google’s servers to await processing.
Each package (which is data from a single visitor) is usually referred to a "hit" or "interaction".
Every time a visitors view another page on the website what does Google Analytics do?
Collect additional information and send it to the server to update the “hit” or “interaction” package of data.
What should you keep in mind about Google Analytics ability to track information?
JavaScript tracking codes can always be customized to track what you need to track
What is different about collecting information from mobile apps when compared to websites?
The implementation (ex:JavaScript code) is different based on the operating system of the device (like iOS or Android)
Data is collected after each activity, instead of page view. (Extra code must be added to each activity you want to track)
Mobile “hits” can be stored and sent to server whenever the device connects to the Internet.
To implement Google Analytics in a digital environment other than websites and apps, what do you have to do?
Define what is considered a “hit” in that particular environment.
Example: A smart fridge’s hit might be every time they view a food coupon or download it.
Or
A “hit” could be a purchase on a point-of-sale system
What is one way to think of the processing step?
It is when Google takes the “hits” stored on the server and translate those “hits” into useful data, like is the user on a mobile or non-mobile device.
Basically it is the step that translates the raw data.
In the processing step what does Google Analytics also apply to the raw data “hits”?
Your Configuration settings
Ex: You can add filters to your data that will include or exclude certain data, like your own internal users, people that work for your company.
What happens to the data once it’s processed?
Taking into account your configuration setting Google stores the processed data in database.
Note: Once in the database the data cannot be changed
What are the two ways to access your data, the reporting stage?
Typically you will use the Google website
However it is also possible to systemically retrieve data from your GA account using your own application code and the Core Reporting API.
