Google Analytics & Adwords Tracking with Plimus
This revised lesson shows how to add powerful Google Analytics and Google Adwords tracking to all your Plimus-powered BuyNow sales pages.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. One Simple Operation adds Google Analytics Tracking to Plimus
If you have a Google Analytics account you can monitor the performance of your sales process by adding your Google AnalyticsTracking ID details to your Plimus settings through the Control Panel.
This is a great way to fine-tune your sales process so that you maximize sales conversion on our BuyNow pages.
If you do not already have a Google Analytics account go to Google and sign up now for this powerful free service. Plimus also supports Google Adwords tracking as shown at the end of this tutorial (section 15).
The operation is simple. One quick setting for each service automatically adds your tracking code to all sales pages without any messy coding or scripting on your part. Here's how.
2. Open Settings
From the Control Panel home page click Settings to open the General Settings page.
3. Scroll down to Third Party Tracking
Select the 3rd Party Tracking link.
The Google Analytics tab should open.
4. Paste in your precise Google Tracking Code Number
The Plimus Analytics set up page includes help links that expand to explain how to access your Google Analytics ID and set up Goals Tracking. Click to expand these links.
5. Save your New Settings
Just add in your Google Tracking Code Number that can be found on the opening page of your Google Analytics account or extracted as shown from your tracking code sample. Make sure to include all relevant characters and hyphens.
Press Submit to save your work. The tracking code script is automatically added to all your BuyNow pages.
Note: If for any reason you change your code remember to update your Plimus settings.
Plimus' Google Analytics tracking now includes Goals Tracking within Analytics. Just click on the second help link to see our suggested implementation method for defining your Plimus sales goals set up in Google Analytics.
In addition setting up Analytics tracking in your Plimus account will enables you to track important 'Custom Variables.' Plimus has set up four default Customer Variables:
a. Contract ID
b. Template ID
c. Referrer ID (for Vendors working with Affiliates)
d. Vendor ID (for Affiliates working with Vendors)
Goals Tracking and Custom Variables are covered later in this lesson.
6. BuyNow Pages are Now Tracked in Your Analytics Reports
As soon as you add the ID code into Plimus, your BuyNow pages will be automatically start being tracked in Google Analytics.
You'll be able to see information about your Visitors, Traffic Sources and Geographic Information -- just as you do for the pages your own site is hosted on, when accessing your Google Analytics reports.
7. Setting Up 'Goals' for Analytics Tracking
Plimus enables you to track the most relevant goals relating to your sales pages.
We suggest that you set up the two goals that Plimus has defined in your own account to get a full 'funnel' representation of your sales process. We have simplified this process for Plimus Sellers.
(1) Click on the 'How can I define my sales goals in Google Analytics?' link and the relevant instructions will appear.
(2) Paste these details into your Google Account as shown in the next slide. Plimus has defined two goals: the first is what we term 'BuyNow Result Success' which is a successfully completed sale, and the second is 'BuyNow Result Pending,' which relates to a transaction that is waiting for clearance pending Manual Review. A small fraction of transactions are automatically sent for Manual Review as part of our fraud prevention efforts.
8. Benefits of Goals Tracking
By tracking these two goals you can see precisely in your analytics reports what your conversion rate is. The reports can help indicate if there is a problem, and the results can be analyzed according to language, geography etc. So for instance if you see that a large number of sales from Holland are not completing it could be due to the fact that you are not supporting an appropriate local payment method for your shoppers.
9. Adding Plimus Goals to Google Analytics
(1) In your Google Analytics Account, after logging in select the 'Admin' link.
(2) Select the Goals tab
(3) Click on +Goal link.
10. Setting Up Plimus Goals in Google Analytics
This brings up the Goals Set Up page. Follow the precise instructions as set out in the Plimus Control Panel (see section 7. above) to create a new goal for Purchase Successful and Purchase Pending. Your set up page should resemble the screenshot above. Remember to press Save at the foot of the page to add your new goals.
11. The Resulting BuyNow Funnel
If you have set up the goals as indicated you should begin seeing a full funnel showing the conversion through each step of the BuyNow process.
12. Using Custom Variables to Access Key Conversion Metrics
Google Analytics lets you track additional information through the use of 'Customer Variables.'
More information on Custom Variables can found at: http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/tracking/gaTrackingCustomVari...
By following the goal tracking instructions above you also gain access to Plimus' default Custom Variables that you can follow in your reports covering the following:
a. Contract ID - This custom variable will show traffic and conversions according to each contract number.
b. Template ID - This variable shows reports of traffic and conversions according to the different BuyNow templates you are using which is great for A/B comparison testing.
c. Referrer ID (for Vendors working with Affiliates) - shows traffic and conversions broken down according to the different Affiliates who promote your products.
d. Vendor ID (for Affiliates and Cross Vendors working with Vendors) - traffic and conversions according to the Vendor who supply the products you market.
This gives you a much more detailed view of the elements you need to be tracking and provides results according to specific contracts, templates, affiliate referrers and vendors, which will help you track your key metrics in real time.
13. Review Existing Templates
Click back to the Control Panel home page. Select BuyNow Templates.
As soon as Google Analytics tracking has been set up the relevant tracking code is automatically added to each of your BuyNow templates including both default and custom templates.
Review your existing templates; think how you can improve them. Edit old ones, experiment with different colors, graphics and texts and feel free to run some AB testing using the full tracking abilities now available to you.
14. Start Experimenting and Monitoring Results to Optimize & Maximize Conversion
Start using different template pages. You can quickly see the results in your Google Analytics reports.
Monitor which pages perform best and keep improving them to increase conversion.
Pay attention if there is any part of the process where people are dropping out and try to improve the relevant elements.
15. Google AdWords Tracking
Plimus also provides AdWords tracking so you can assess the effectiveness of your advertising spend.
Select the 3rd Party Tracking link from the menu as previously indicated. This time select the Google AdWords tab.
You will need to input your Google Conversion ID and Google Conversion Label. The help link contains full details of how to extract these details, which must be inputted accurately for the tracking to work.
Remember to press Submit to save your settings and your BuyNow templates will now also track your AdWord conversion metrics.
Video: Adding Google Analytics to Plimus BuyNow Pages
View this Flash Video [2' 19]
Please note that there have been some interface changes since this video was made however it still provides a guide to the basic steps for implementing Google Analytics on Plimus.
