Olapic’s Google Analytics integrations create a feed of Olapic data that automatically populates in your Google Analytics account, helping to consolidate data so you have a holistic view of site performance. There are several predefined reports you can use to get started with your Google Analytics integration.
If you're interested in Olapic's Google Analytics integration, please reach out to techsupport@socialnative.com for further information.
Overview
The Google Analytics (GA) integration is a seamless integration and involves no further action or code changes as long as the following items are present on your website:
At least one Olapic Widget (API builds not included)
An existing GA implementation utilizing the basic Universal Analytics implementation (analytics.js library / ga() function) on the pages that have Olapic widgets.
Olapic’s widget code collects event information that power the Analytics section of the Olapic platform. With this integration, Olapic is able to send this data directly to your GA account.
Because Olapic’s widget is already on your website, it will reference the GA code to get the GA Tracking ID to begin sending requests.
Please note, that if there is custom tracking already implemented within the JS Callbacks code of the Olapic widget, ensure that none of the event actions are named the same as below so they will not conflict with Olapic’s GA integration.
Tracking Widget Events
After this feature is turned on for the account, Olapic will be able to automatically send the following widget tracking data to the Google Analytics service.
Analytics Tracking Service | Google Analytics Event Action | Google Analytics Event Label | Flagged as Non-Interaction Hit |
Click (clicks on any media content) | olapic_media_click | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
Close (closing the lightbox) | olapic_media_close | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
Load_more (click Load More button in wall widget) | olapic_widget_move | [stream_id or category_id] | False |
Move (scroll through the lightbox) | olapic_media_move | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
Move (scroll thru the widget) | olapic_widget_move | [stream_id or category_id] | False |
Play_click (click play on video media) | olapic_media_play_click | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
Render (media was loaded) | olapic_media_render | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | True |
Render (widget was loaded) | olapic_widget_render | [stream_id or category_id] | True |
Shop (product was clicked under “Shop this Look” and user was redirected to PDP) | olapic_shop_this_product | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
Upload_click (upload media button was clicked) | olapic_widget_upload_click | [stream_id or category_id] | False |
View (when an image is opened in the lightbox) | olapic_media_view | [stream_id or category_id]_[media id] | False |
View_all (when the “View All” button is clicked leading to the Gallery page) | olapic_widget_view_all | [stream_id or category_id] | False |
Olapic will pass the following values for the following standard GA event handler parameters below.
Event Category: in this parameter, Olapic sends the widget instance name, for example olapic_Olastories_Gallery. This can be used to then compare traffic in relation to specific widgets.
Event Action: here we send the tracking event triggered, for example olapic_widget_render. Please note the importance of the naming convention being used. All Event Actions begin with the prefix “olapic_”. This can be used in the GA Segments to pinpoint interactions with Olapic widgets.
Event Label: this parameter contains certain Olapic IDs associated with the widget content. A few definitions to help explain what is being passed.
For example: a widget that is sourced with only content for product stream ID 123, and someone clicks on media ID 456, then the output will look like “123_456.” However if this widget was sourced from all photos within the account, then the value would look like “456.”
Olapic will also pass a True for the Non-Interaction Hit flag for the render Event Actions above. This way the Olapic GA integration will not interfere with your bounce rate and time metrics for non-interactive events.
How can I use the Olapic data in Google Analytics?
The following set of links will enable you to easily import predefined segments based on the Olapic data (and in the process load the Olapic Event Actions listed above). These (and GA segments in general) can then be used within GA reporting. You can always create new or additional segments to use in your GA reporting that differ from the provided ones.
Olapic Interaction Segment https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=ErsvpDcsTCu4yC6HefePvg
Olapic Rendered Segment https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=PuwcmLGpS6-p52QTLx0Qgg
Olapic Rendered But No Interaction Segment https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=XHATi9cMTyuZtfxpOzndSA
Olapic Did Not Render Segment https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/template?uid=_kLtoS0ASym2Nj5R2MmWMg
Log into the GA account, and then click on the segment URLs above to bring up the pop up that enables you to load them into your GA account.
Once imported, you can see what conditions make up that particular segment. For example, the Olapic_interacted segment consists of Event Actions that match olapic_media_click OR olapic_widget_move OR olapic_widget_upload_click:
Once imported, you can easily change the conditions / criteria you want bucketed into that segment and / or create new segments.
Once you have finalized the segments they would like to use, you can then activate or deactivate them as needed within various reporting views. Below is an example of how the behavior and Ecommerce section of GA would look when activating two of those segment reports:
How can I validate or do a test and see the results of this integration?
Once there have been interactions recorded for Olapic widgets within your site, you can go to Reports > REAL-TIME > Events. From there, you can see Olapic related Event Action fires.
Why does the Google Analytics data not exactly match up with the Olapic platform analytics dashboard data?
There are differences in how GA and Olapic process data since they use different counting methodologies and technology to measure performance. Here are some examples of why the data may look different from the GA view compared to the view within Olapic:
Your GA configuration is different than your Olapic configuration. GA offers a wide range of implementation types (product impressions, promotions, campaigns, sales at product level, etc.).
GA tracks the whole site, which means GA will have more overall tracking in terms of visits and visitors across pages.
Specific filters may be applied when tracking or reporting data with GA. Additionally, you have the ability to layer additional events and conditions into the Olapic widget tracking that Olapic does not have access to.
Definitions may be different. Conversions in GA is based on your goals could mean something different from what Olapic calls a conversion (which requires an Olapic checkout pixel implementation for us to track conversion data).
The way GA calculates sessions vary based on your vertical and size.
The logic behind and the length of the conversion windows are different than Olapic’s. (Olapic has two options: 30 minutes and 2 weeks.)
End-users may have set their browser preferences in ways that prevent GA from collecting data properly.
Some specifics on your website (ex: redirects on landing pages) could interfere with GA or Olapic’s ability to properly identify traffic.