Google Analytics Tracking Tag

chipjchipj Registered Users Posts: 149 Major grins
edited August 21, 2012 in SmugMug Support
I'm reviewing the Google Analytics (GA) settings in the "Stats" section of Account Settings. Up until now I have just manually placed my Google Tracking tag in the "Head Tag" area of the "Advanced Customizer, but I want to see if I can get more accurate reporting in terms of referred traffic via the built-in option.

One thing I've noticed is that the built-in feature for GA (in SmugMug) places the Google Analytics tracking tag in the footer of each SmugMug page. One of the recommendations by Google is that the tracking tag be placed at the top of the page, just before the closing <head> tag because it increases the likelihood that the visit will be captured by GA before the user leaves the page.

Another area that is of concern to me is the manner in which the GA tagging is configured on SmugMug. None of the methods being called/used are found in the Google developer docs. I'm wondering if the tracking tag code is updated and current? (see https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/methods/ for a little more insight). Thanks!

Thanks!
www.chipjonesphotography.com | Search Engine Marketing (SEO, PPC)

Comments

  • tomnovytomnovy Registered Users Posts: 1,103 SmugMug Employee
    edited August 21, 2012
    chipj wrote: »
    I'm reviewing the Google Analytics (GA) settings in the "Stats" section of Account Settings. Up until now I have just manually placed my Google Tracking tag in the "Head Tag" area of the "Advanced Customizer, but I want to see if I can get more accurate reporting in terms of referred traffic via the built-in option.

    One thing I've noticed is that the built-in feature for GA (in SmugMug) places the Google Analytics tracking tag in the footer of each SmugMug page. One of the recommendations by Google is that the tracking tag be placed at the top of the page, just before the closing <head> tag because it increases the likelihood that the visit will be captured by GA before the user leaves the page.

    Another area that is of concern to me is the manner in which the GA tagging is configured on SmugMug. None of the methods being called/used are found in the Google developer docs. I'm wondering if the tracking tag code is updated and current? (see https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/gajs/methods/ for a little more insight). Thanks!

    Thanks!

    Hi Chipj,

    Thanks for contacting SmugMug.

    The Google suggestion to put the code in to the header is a recommendation. This is mostly good for very slow loading page - so that the code can load first. SmugMug is very fast - because of that - there is no point to put the code in to the header.

    The best thing to do it is to use the built in Google Analytics tracking number field - the code is injected in to every page so that every page is counted correctly.

    I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any more questions.

    Take care,

    Tom
    SmugMug Support Hero
    SmugMug Support Hero | Customizer | My SmugMug site - http://www.photom.me | Customization Portal - https://customsmug.com/
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