analytics-tracking

# Analytics Tracking

You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.

## Initial Assessment

Before implementing tracking, understand:

1. **Business Context**
   - What decisions will this data inform?
   - What are the key conversion actions?
   - What questions need answering?

2. **Current State**
   - What tracking exists?
   - What tools are in use (GA4, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)?
   - What's working/not working?

3. **Technical Context**
   - What's the tech stack?
   - Who will implement and maintain?
   - Any privacy/compliance requirements?

---

## Core Principles

### 1. Track for Decisions, Not Data
- Every event should inform a decision
- Avoid vanity metrics
- Quality > quantity of events

### 2. Start with the Questions
- What do you need to know?
- What actions will you take based on this data?
- Work backwards to what you need to track

### 3. Name Things Consistently
- Naming conventions matter
- Establish patterns before implementing
- Document everything

### 4. Maintain Data Quality
- Validate implementation
- Monitor for issues
- Clean data > more data

---

## Tracking Plan Framework

### Structure

```
Event Name | Event Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
---------- | ------------- | ---------- | ------- | -----
```

### Event Types

**Pageviews**
- Automatic in most tools
- Enhanced with page metadata

**User Actions**
- Button clicks
- Form submissions
- Feature usage
- Content interactions

**System Events**
- Signup completed
- Purchase completed
- Subscription changed
- Errors occurred

**Custom Conversions**
- Goal completions
- Funnel stages
- Business-specific milestones

---

## Event Naming Conventions

### Format Options

**Object-Action (Recommended)**
```
signup_completed
button_clicked
form_submitted
article_read
```

**Action-Object**
```
click_button
submit_form
complete_signup
```

**Category_Object_Action**
```
checkout_payment_completed
blog_article_viewed
onboarding_step_completed
```

### Best Practices

- Lowercase with underscores
- Be specific: `cta_hero_clicked` vs. `button_clicked`
- Include context in properties, not event name
- Avoid spaces and special characters
- Document decisions

---

## Essential Events to Track

### Marketing Site

**Navigation**
- page_view (enhanced)
- outbound_link_clicked
- scroll_depth (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)

**Engagement**
- cta_clicked (button_text, location)
- video_played (video_id, duration)
- form_started
- form_submitted (form_type)
- resource_downloaded (resource_name)

**Conversion**
- signup_started
- signup_completed
- demo_requested
- contact_submitted

### Product/App

**Onboarding**
- signup_completed
- onboarding_step_completed (step_number, step_name)
- onboarding_completed
- first_key_action_completed

**Core Usage**
- feature_used (feature_name)
- action_completed (action_type)
- session_started
- session_ended

**Monetization**
- trial_started
- pricing_viewed
- checkout_started
- purchase_completed (plan, value)
- subscription_cancelled

### E-commerce

**Browsing**
- product_viewed (product_id, category, price)
- product_list_viewed (list_name, products)
- product_searched (query, results_count)

**Cart**
- product_added_to_cart
- product_removed_from_cart
- cart_viewed

**Checkout**
- checkout_started
- checkout_step_completed (step)
- payment_info_entered
- purchase_completed (order_id, value, products)

---

## Event Properties (Parameters)

### Standard Properties to Consider

**Page/Screen**
- page_title
- page_location (URL)
- page_referrer
- content_group

**User**
- user_id (if logged in)
- user_type (free, paid, admin)
- account_id (B2B)
- plan_type

**Campaign**
- source
- medium
- campaign
- content
- term

**Product** (e-commerce)
- product_id
- product_name
- category
- price
- quantity
- currency

**Timing**
- timestamp
- session_duration
- time_on_page

### Best Practices

- Use consistent property names
- Include relevant context
- Don't duplicate GA4 automatic properties
- Avoid PII in properties
- Document expected values

---

## GA4 Implementation

### Configuration

**Data Streams**
- One stream per platform (web, iOS, Android)
- Enable enhanced measurement

**Enhanced Measurement Events**
- page_view (automatic)
- scroll (90% depth)
- outbound_click
- site_search
- video_engagement
- file_download

**Recommended Events**
- Use Google's predefined events when possible
- Correct naming for enhanced reporting
- See: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9267735

### Custom Events (GA4)

```javascript
// gtag.js
gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});

// Google Tag Manager (dataLayer)
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'signup_completed',
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});
```

### Conversions Setup

1. Collect event in GA4
2. Mark as conversion in Admin > Events
3. Set conversion counting (once per session or every time)
4. Import to Google Ads if needed

### Custom Dimensions and Metrics

**When to use:**
- Properties you want to segment by
- Metrics you want to aggregate
- Beyond standard parameters

**Setup:**
1. Create in Admin > Custom definitions
2. Scope: Event, User, or Item
3. Parameter name must match

---

## Google Tag Manager Implementation

### Container Structure

**Tags**
- GA4 Configuration (base)
- GA4 Event tags (one per event or grouped)
- Conversion pixels (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

**Triggers**
- Page View (DOM Ready, Window Loaded)
- Click - All Elements / Just Links
- Form Submission
- Custom Events

**Variables**
- Built-in: Click Text, Click URL, Page Path, etc.
- Data Layer variables
- JavaScript variables
- Lookup tables

### Best Practices

- Use folders to organize
- Consistent naming (Tag_Type_Description)
- Version notes on every publish
- Preview mode for testing
- Workspaces for team collaboration

### Data Layer Pattern

```javascript
// Push custom event
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'form_submitted',
  'form_name': 'contact',
  'form_location': 'footer'
});

// Set user properties
dataLayer.push({
  'user_id': '12345',
  'user_type': 'premium'
});

// E-commerce event
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'purchase',
  'ecommerce': {
    'transaction_id': 'T12345',
    'value': 99.99,
    'currency': 'USD',
    'items': [{
      'item_id': 'SKU123',
      'item_name': 'Product Name',
      'price': 99.99
    }]
  }
});
```

---

## UTM Parameter Strategy

### Standard Parameters

| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|-----------|---------|---------|
| utm_source | Where traffic comes from | google, facebook, newsletter |
| utm_medium | Marketing medium | cpc, email, social, referral |
| utm_campaign | Campaign name | spring_sale, product_launch |
| utm_content | Differentiate versions | hero_cta, sidebar_link |
| utm_term | Paid search keywords | running+shoes |

### Naming Conventions

**Lowercase everything**
- google, not Google
- email, not Email

**Use underscores or hyphens consistently**
- product_launch or product-launch
- Pick one, stick with it

**Be specific but concise**
- blog_footer_cta, not cta1
- 2024_q1_promo, not promo

### UTM Documentation

Track all UTMs in a spreadsheet or tool:

| Campaign | Source | Medium | Content | Full URL | Owner | Date |
|----------|--------|--------|---------|----------|-------|------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

### UTM Builder

Provide a consistent UTM builder link to team:
- Google's URL builder
- Internal tool
- Spreadsheet formula

---

## Debugging and Validation

### Testing Tools

**GA4 DebugView**
- Real-time event monitoring
- Enable with ?debug_mode=true
- Or via Chrome extension

**GTM Preview Mode**
- Test triggers and tags
- See data layer state
- Validate before publish

**Browser Extensions**
- GA Debugger
- Tag Assistant
- dataLayer Inspector

### Validation Checklist

- [ ] Events firing on correct triggers
- [ ] Property values populating correctly
- [ ] No duplicate events
- [ ] Works across browsers
- [ ] Works on mobile
- [ ] Conversions recorded correctly
- [ ] User ID passing when logged in
- [ ] No PII leaking

### Common Issues

**Events not firing**
- Trigger misconfigured
- Tag paused
- GTM not loaded on page

**Wrong values**
- Variable not configured
- Data layer not pushing correctly
- Timing issues (fire before data ready)

**Duplicate events**
- Multiple GTM containers
- Multiple tag instances
- Trigger firing multiple times

---

## Privacy and Compliance

### Considerations

- Cookie consent required in EU/UK/CA
- No PII in analytics properties
- Data retention settings
- User deletion capabilities
- Cross-device tracking consent

### Implementation

**Consent Mode (GA4)**
- Wait for consent before tracking
- Use consent mode for partial tracking
- Integrate with consent management platform

**Data Minimization**
- Only collect what you need
- IP anonymization
- No PII in custom dimensions

---

## Output Format

### Tracking Plan Document

```
# [Site/Product] Tracking Plan

## Overview
- Tools: GA4, GTM
- Last updated: [Date]
- Owner: [Name]

## Events

### Marketing Events

| Event Name | Description | Properties | Trigger |
|------------|-------------|------------|---------|
| signup_started | User initiates signup | source, page | Click signup CTA |
| signup_completed | User completes signup | method, plan | Signup success page |

### Product Events
[Similar table]

## Custom Dimensions

| Name | Scope | Parameter | Description |
|------|-------|-----------|-------------|
| user_type | User | user_type | Free, trial, paid |

## Conversions

| Conversion | Event | Counting | Google Ads |
|------------|-------|----------|------------|
| Signup | signup_completed | Once per session | Yes |

## UTM Convention

[Guidelines]
```

### Implementation Code

Provide ready-to-use code snippets

### Testing Checklist

Specific validation steps

---

## Questions to Ask

If you need more context:
1. What tools are you using (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)?
2. What key actions do you want to track?
3. What decisions will this data inform?
4. Who implements - dev team or marketing?
5. Are there privacy/consent requirements?
6. What's already tracked?

---

## Related Skills

- **ab-test-setup**: For experiment tracking
- **seo-audit**: For organic traffic analysis
- **page-cro**: For conversion optimization (uses this data)