Answers
Sep 18, 2015 - 12:28 PM
If we're talking about a discrepancy in conversions, then it sounds like both systems (most likely a DSP or ad server) and Google Analytics attribute them in different ways. We might be working with with a 30 day post-view window, while the advertiser might be using a 30 minute in-session window only (that's a real example by the way).
Keep in mind that Google Analytics was developed as a site analytics tool, not a reporting tool for programmatic campaigns. But this shows you that it's important to make sure we know how the client will be looking at their campaign results, and if they say "using GA" then some education might be needed as to the purpose of GA.
Also good to know is that Google Analytics (i.e. the free version) works with sampled data, and extrapolates results based on that smaller data source, while GA Premium (it costs around $80k / year!) does not.
If you want to understand more about GA, have a look through the below - this comes from a few sessions we ran in the UK office (jokes aside)...
Funny:
Google Analytics In Real Life - Online Checkout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk7c...
Google Analytics In Real Life - Site Search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtf1...
Google Analytics In Real Life - Landing Page Optimization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Wur...
Informative:
WEEK 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3ON...? an intro video (30 mins) we’ll watch in this first session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
WEEK 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UZ1...? a more hands-on video (30 mins) for our 2nd session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
Keep in mind that Google Analytics was developed as a site analytics tool, not a reporting tool for programmatic campaigns. But this shows you that it's important to make sure we know how the client will be looking at their campaign results, and if they say "using GA" then some education might be needed as to the purpose of GA.
Also good to know is that Google Analytics (i.e. the free version) works with sampled data, and extrapolates results based on that smaller data source, while GA Premium (it costs around $80k / year!) does not.
If you want to understand more about GA, have a look through the below - this comes from a few sessions we ran in the UK office (jokes aside)...
Funny:
Google Analytics In Real Life - Online Checkout
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk7c...
Google Analytics In Real Life - Site Search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtf1...
Google Analytics In Real Life - Landing Page Optimization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Wur...
Informative:
WEEK 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3ON...? an intro video (30 mins) we’ll watch in this first session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
WEEK 2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UZ1...? a more hands-on video (30 mins) for our 2nd session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
Sep 18, 2015 - 12:30 PM
TESTING TO REPLICATE
If we're talking about a discrepancy in conversions, then it sounds like both systems (most likely a DSP or ad server) and Google Analytics attribute them in different ways. We might be working with with a 30 day post-view window, while the advertiser might be using a 30 minute in-session window only (that's a real example by the way). Keep in mind that Google Analytics was developed as a site analytics tool, not a reporting tool for programmatic campaigns. But this shows you that it's important to make sure we know how the client will be looking at their campaign results, and if they say "using GA" then some education might be needed as to the purpose of GA. Also good to know is that Google Analytics (i.e. the free version) works with sampled data, and extrapolates results based on that smaller data source, while GA Premium (it costs around $80k / year!) does not. If you want to understand more about GA, have a look through the below - this comes from a few sessions we ran in the UK office (jokes aside)... Funny: Google Analytics In Real Life - Online Checkout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk7c... Google Analytics In Real Life - Site Search https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtf1... Google Analytics In Real Life - Landing Page Optimization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Wur... Informative: WEEK 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3ON...? an intro video (30 mins) we’ll watch in this first session in case you would rather watch it at another time. WEEK 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UZ1...? a more hands-on video (30 mins) for our 2nd session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
If we're talking about a discrepancy in conversions, then it sounds like both systems (most likely a DSP or ad server) and Google Analytics attribute them in different ways. We might be working with with a 30 day post-view window, while the advertiser might be using a 30 minute in-session window only (that's a real example by the way). Keep in mind that Google Analytics was developed as a site analytics tool, not a reporting tool for programmatic campaigns. But this shows you that it's important to make sure we know how the client will be looking at their campaign results, and if they say "using GA" then some education might be needed as to the purpose of GA. Also good to know is that Google Analytics (i.e. the free version) works with sampled data, and extrapolates results based on that smaller data source, while GA Premium (it costs around $80k / year!) does not. If you want to understand more about GA, have a look through the below - this comes from a few sessions we ran in the UK office (jokes aside)... Funny: Google Analytics In Real Life - Online Checkout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk7c... Google Analytics In Real Life - Site Search https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbtf1... Google Analytics In Real Life - Landing Page Optimization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Wur... Informative: WEEK 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC3ON...? an intro video (30 mins) we’ll watch in this first session in case you would rather watch it at another time. WEEK 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UZ1...? a more hands-on video (30 mins) for our 2nd session in case you would rather watch it at another time.
