Google Analytics is generally a freemium web analytics service offered by Google and is used in tracking and reporting the traffic in a website. Launched by Google in November 2005, Google Analytics is presently one of the most used services of analytics on the internet. Generally, Google Analytics is available in two versions which include: first is the Google Analytics 360 aka Google Analytics Premium which much targets enterprise users; and secondly the Google Analytics for Mobile Apps which is a Software Development Kit which can allow for the collection of usage data from Android and iOS applications (Clifton, 68).
How Google Analytics collects data
Google Analytics employs the tracking code to collect data. The tracking code is the Analytics snippet small JavaScript code piece that is pasted into web pages. It is used to activate the Google Analytics tracking through inserting ga.js into the web page. Upon the tracking code loading on the web page, a hit is then generated and sent to Google Analytics. The hit collects considerably all of the available user information at that instance inform of snapshots and that information is send at each and every instance that a hit is sent to Google Analytics. Therefore, at any time a transaction is either made or an event triggered or a view is made to a page, a new snapshot about such an activity ids collected and transmitted to Google Analytics (Clifton, 38).
The process of data collection in Google Analytic involves some concepts. Basically the first basic concept is coming up with tracking code and then adding that tracking code to your web page. Finding the tracking code needs either an analytics tracking id or an entire JavaScript tracking code snippet. Generally the data that is used by Google Analytics to provide is from three sources which include the first-party cookies, browser or system information and the HTTP request of the user. The Google Analytics tracking code transmits the information by requesting some small file called the utm.gif. it then loads all the cookie information and data that it collected to the request string for the small file, utm,gif. By so doing, the servers of Google get a record of the time a file was requested or opened and the corresponding page-view information. Another concept include the website tracking to collect the information that one intends to which can be achieved by the very tracking code that one sets. Basically, Google Analytics involves someone visiting your web page or website or even mobile app and the google Analytics tracking code that you set on each page or app they open sending you lots of anonymous information concerning that visit to your Google Analytics account, which as the user or owner, you can access online. Generally, Google Analytics feeds the user with a lot of data which in turn calls for the user to focus with the needed data. However, as a practical fact, Google Analytics will only avail records of data that the user set it up to record (Clifton, 55).
Google Analytics is truly an important and interesting lesson to learn. It has attracted and captivated my interest in knowing more about it. However, I am interested in learning how to come up with the codes and set them up such that no single visit in my page will elude me. Also I am interested in learning how to navigate through conversations and reports quickly knowing that Google Analytic gives a lot of data. Of interest too is learning n how to collect actionable data (Clifton, 67).
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