Comments on: Google Analytics Custom Variables Overview http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/ Untangling the world of web analytics Fri, 18 May 2012 18:02:47 -0400 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Justin Cutroni http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-5264 Justin Cutroni Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:40:04 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-5264 @ XYZ (Is that your real name?) - I'm assuming you are trying to track individual people using the website? If that is the case then you should not have any problems using just two visitor level custom variables. When someone logs into the site, or registers, you should set two visitor scoped custom variables. This means that each user will get two custom variables stored in two slots. You get 5 custom variables per user, not across all users. <strong>HOWEVER, there is a MAJOR problem with what you want to do. The Google Analytics terms of service states that you can not store any personally identifiable information in Google Analytics. That includes names. So I would recommend that you do not store StudentName in a CV. Roll number is also considered personally identifiable.</strong> Hope that helps. @ XYZ (Is that your real name?) – I’m assuming you are trying to track individual people using the website? If that is the case then you should not have any problems using just two visitor level custom variables. When someone logs into the site, or registers, you should set two visitor scoped custom variables. This means that each user will get two custom variables stored in two slots. You get 5 custom variables per user, not across all users.

HOWEVER, there is a MAJOR problem with what you want to do. The Google Analytics terms of service states that you can not store any personally identifiable information in Google Analytics. That includes names. So I would recommend that you do not store StudentName in a CV. Roll number is also considered personally identifiable.

Hope that helps.

]]> By: XYZ http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-5244 XYZ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:18:42 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-5244 I have a question on using custom variables in GA code. My requirement is: I have 5 varbales (which can be saved in 5 different slot) and I want to give multiple values to those variables and want to maitain all the values in GA custom variables. For example, I have a variable named : StudentName(slot 1; scope 1), StudentRollNumber(slot 2; scope 1) etc. In first hit I provided the values as Neha(StudentName) and 1(StudentRollNumber ). In the second hit I provided the values as Preeti(StudentName) and 2(StudentRollNumber ).. In the third hit, values are Pooja(StudentName) and 3(StudentRollNumber ) and so on.. Now if i check in GA, I should get: StudentName(slot 1) StudentRollNumber(slot 2) Neha 1 Preeti 2 Pooja 3 But right now I am not getting all the values.. I am getting only the last values. It is not adding the values. Values are getting updated. Is there any problem with the scope? Which scope should I use in order to retreive all the values? Please reply.. I have a question on using custom variables in GA code. My requirement is: I have 5 varbales (which can be saved in 5 different slot) and I want to give multiple values to those variables and want to maitain all the values in GA custom variables. For example, I have a variable named : StudentName(slot 1; scope 1), StudentRollNumber(slot 2; scope 1) etc. In first hit I provided the values as Neha(StudentName) and 1(StudentRollNumber ). In the second hit I provided the values as Preeti(StudentName) and 2(StudentRollNumber ).. In the third hit, values are Pooja(StudentName) and 3(StudentRollNumber ) and so on..

Now if i check in GA, I should get:
StudentName(slot 1) StudentRollNumber(slot 2)
Neha 1
Preeti 2
Pooja 3

But right now I am not getting all the values.. I am getting only the last values. It is not adding the values. Values are getting updated. Is there any problem with the scope? Which scope should I use in order to retreive all the values? Please reply..

]]> By: Justin Cutroni http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-4178 Justin Cutroni Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:23:54 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-4178 @ Alessio: I'm not sure what you are asking, but you can use both custom variables and events on the same site. They are completely different pieces of data that have their own specific JavaScript.. @ Alessio: I’m not sure what you are asking, but you can use both custom variables and events on the same site. They are completely different pieces of data that have their own specific JavaScript..

]]> By: Alessio http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3811 Alessio Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:15:11 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3811 Could I use custom variables with trackevent method? Could I use custom variables with trackevent method?

]]> By: Tutoriaux Webmasters http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3701 Tutoriaux Webmasters Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:07:28 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3701 Thanks for this useful information ! Thanks for this useful information !

]]> By: Justin Cutroni http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3577 Justin Cutroni Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:05:50 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3577 @Stephen: You can pass any value you want into a custom variable. When your homepage loads you'll need to dynamically choose a value for the custom var using JavaScript (or server side code) and then add that the custom var code. @Stephen: You can pass any value you want into a custom variable. When your homepage loads you’ll need to dynamically choose a value for the custom var using JavaScript (or server side code) and then add that the custom var code.

]]> By: Merging Google Analytics with your Data Warehouse – Analytics Talk http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3556 Merging Google Analytics with your Data Warehouse – Analytics Talk Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:44:44 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3556 [...] we add the customer ID to Google Analytics we store in a visitor scoped custom variable. This means that the ID is stored in a cookie on the visitor’s machine. We normally set the [...] [...] we add the customer ID to Google Analytics we store in a visitor scoped custom variable. This means that the ID is stored in a cookie on the visitor’s machine. We normally set the [...]

]]> By: Google Tackles Campaign Attribution with AdWords Search Funnels | Analytricks http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3220 Google Tackles Campaign Attribution with AdWords Search Funnels | Analytricks Sat, 05 Feb 2011 19:11:04 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3220 [...] We can also create all sorts of custom JavaScript to store the first click and last click in a Custom Variable. But again, these are just [...] [...] We can also create all sorts of custom JavaScript to store the first click and last click in a Custom Variable. But again, these are just [...]

]]> By: Google Tackles Campaign Attribution with AdWords Search Funnels | Knowledge Sharing http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3217 Google Tackles Campaign Attribution with AdWords Search Funnels | Knowledge Sharing Sat, 05 Feb 2011 00:34:58 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3217 [...] We can also create all sorts of custom JavaScript to store the first click and last click in a Custom Variable. But again, these are just [...] [...] We can also create all sorts of custom JavaScript to store the first click and last click in a Custom Variable. But again, these are just [...]

]]> By: Stephen http://cutroni.com/blog/2009/10/20/google-analytics-custom-variables-overview/comment-page-1/#comment-3001 Stephen Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:29:30 +0000 http://www.epikone.com/blog/?p=1222#comment-3001 I am looking to use a custom variable at the pageview level to view how traffic behaves to a dynamic homepage. Can a dynamic value be set within the CV? For example, the homepage for the site changes on a daily basis. I would like to still view the homepage within my analytics as a pageview but then be able to see the data for each different version of the page. I believe the best way to do this is pass a dynamic value into the custom variable. It is kind of similar to tracking different categories except it would be different versions of the same page. Do you know of any examples of something similar? I am looking to use a custom variable at the pageview level to view how traffic behaves to a dynamic homepage. Can a dynamic value be set within the CV?

For example, the homepage for the site changes on a daily basis. I would like to still view the homepage within my analytics as a pageview but then be able to see the data for each different version of the page. I believe the best way to do this is pass a dynamic value into the custom variable.

It is kind of similar to tracking different categories except it would be different versions of the same page. Do you know of any examples of something similar?

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