How Google Analytics Works Flashcards
What programming language does Google Analyitics use to run its tracking code?
Javascript
Where does Google store and retrieve a visitor’s information?
Cookies
Where are “Cookies” stored?
In a visitor’s Web Browser
How do Cookies work?
If Google Analytics (GA) finds existing information stored in a cookie, then the cookie is updated. If there is no cookie, then a new cookie is created in the browser.
Where does Google store the information about all the visitors to your website?
a) In your Analytics account
b) In a Database through Google Servers
b) In a Database through Google Servers
When you are viewing a report on your website you are simply querying the database.
Why is so important to set up Google Analytics correctly from the beginning?
Because all the data collected about visitors is processed by Google Servers and collected in a database on these same servers. Once the data has been processed there is no way to change it.
What is a Session?
It’s a group of interactions that take place on your website within a certain timeframe
Can multiple sessions be recorded for the same user?
yes
What is the inactivity time frame Google uses to separate multiple sessions by same user?
30 minutes
If a User visits your website on his laptop and then on his phone, how many Users will GA record?
GA will record two different users because each device has its own set of cookies.
What could be some of the main reasons GA might not be able to track someone interacting with your website?
This someone:
- has blocked Javascript from running on their browser
- has blocked cookies on their browser
- is navigating in Private mode on his browser
- has installed an opt-out browser plugin
If Someone has been to your website and then deleted the cookies from their browser how does GA record this user as?
a) new visitor
b) returning visitor
a) new visitor
What is a Bounce Rate?
it’s the percentage of sessions where someone only viewed a single page on your website and then left.
Is timing recorded when People “Bounce”? Why?
No.
Because GA is able to calculate a time spent on a page only by subtracting the time you visit a second page from the time you visited the first page. If you don’t visit a second page GA is unable to perform the calculation and therefore record any time at all.
Dimensions and Metrics.
In a table, which ones correspond to columns and which to rows?
Dimensions are the rows in a table
metrics are the columns in a table
