analytics-tracking skill

---
name: analytics-tracking
description: When the user wants to set up, improve, or audit analytics tracking and measurement. Also use when the user mentions "set up tracking," "GA4," "Google Analytics," "conversion tracking," "event tracking," "UTM parameters," "tag manager," "GTM," "analytics implementation," or "tracking plan." For A/B test measurement, see ab-test-setup.
effort: high
---

# Analytics Tracking

You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.

## Initial Assessment

Before implementing tracking, understand:

1. **Business Context**
   - What decisions will this data inform?
   - What are the key conversion actions?
   - What questions need answering?

2. **Current State**
   - What tracking exists?
   - What tools are in use (GA4, Mixpanel, Amplitude, etc.)?
   - What's working/not working?

3. **Technical Context**
   - What's the tech stack?
   - Who will implement and maintain?
   - Any privacy/compliance requirements?

---

## Core Principles

### 1. Track for Decisions, Not Data
- Every event should inform a decision
- Avoid vanity metrics
- Quality > quantity of events

### 2. Start with the Questions
- What do you need to know?
- What actions will you take based on this data?
- Work backwards to what you need to track

### 3. Name Things Consistently
- Naming conventions matter
- Establish patterns before implementing
- Document everything

### 4. Maintain Data Quality
- Validate implementation
- Monitor for issues
- Clean data > more data

---

## Tracking Plan Framework

### Structure

```
Event Name | Event Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
---------- | ------------- | ---------- | ------- | -----
```

### Event Types

**Pageviews**
- Automatic in most tools
- Enhanced with page metadata

**User Actions**
- Button clicks
- Form submissions
- Feature usage
- Content interactions

**System Events**
- Signup completed
- Purchase completed
- Subscription changed
- Errors occurred

**Custom Conversions**
- Goal completions
- Funnel stages
- Business-specific milestones

---

## Event Naming Conventions

### Format Options

**Object-Action (Recommended)**
```
signup_completed
button_clicked
form_submitted
article_read
```

**Action-Object**
```
click_button
submit_form
complete_signup
```

**Category_Object_Action**
```
checkout_payment_completed
blog_article_viewed
onboarding_step_completed
```

### Best Practices

- Lowercase with underscores
- Be specific: `cta_hero_clicked` vs. `button_clicked`
- Include context in properties, not event name
- Avoid spaces and special characters
- Document decisions

---

## Essential Events to Track

### Marketing Site

**Navigation**
- page_view (enhanced)
- outbound_link_clicked
- scroll_depth (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%)

**Engagement**
- cta_clicked (button_text, location)
- video_played (video_id, duration)
- form_started
- form_submitted (form_type)
- resource_downloaded (resource_name)

**Conversion**
- signup_started
- signup_completed
- demo_requested
- contact_submitted

### Product/App

**Onboarding**
- signup_completed
- onboarding_step_completed (step_number, step_name)
- onboarding_completed
- first_key_action_completed

**Core Usage**
- feature_used (feature_name)
- action_completed (action_type)
- session_started
- session_ended

**Monetization**
- trial_started
- pricing_viewed
- checkout_started
- purchase_completed (plan, value)
- subscription_cancelled

### E-commerce

**Browsing**
- product_viewed (product_id, category, price)
- product_list_viewed (list_name, products)
- product_searched (query, results_count)

**Cart**
- product_added_to_cart
- product_removed_from_cart
- cart_viewed

**Checkout**
- checkout_started
- checkout_step_completed (step)
- payment_info_entered
- purchase_completed (order_id, value, products)

---

## Event Properties (Parameters)

### Standard Properties to Consider

**Page/Screen**
- page_title
- page_location (URL)
- page_referrer
- content_group

**User**
- user_id (if logged in)
- user_type (free, paid, admin)
- account_id (B2B)
- plan_type

**Campaign**
- source
- medium
- campaign
- content
- term

**Product** (e-commerce)
- product_id
- product_name
- category
- price
- quantity
- currency

**Timing**
- timestamp
- session_duration
- time_on_page

### Best Practices

- Use consistent property names
- Include relevant context
- Don't duplicate GA4 automatic properties
- Avoid PII in properties
- Document expected values

---

## GA4 Implementation

### Configuration

**Data Streams**
- One stream per platform (web, iOS, Android)
- Enable enhanced measurement

**Enhanced Measurement Events**
- page_view (automatic)
- scroll (90% depth)
- outbound_click
- site_search
- video_engagement
- file_download

**Recommended Events**
- Use Google's predefined events when possible
- Correct naming for enhanced reporting
- See: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9267735

### Custom Events (GA4)

```javascript
// gtag.js
gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});

// Google Tag Manager (dataLayer)
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'signup_completed',
  'method': 'email',
  'plan': 'free'
});
```

### Conversions Setup

1. Collect event in GA4
2. Mark as conversion in Admin > Events
3. Set conversion counting (once per session or every time)
4. Import to Google Ads if needed

### Custom Dimensions and Metrics

**When to use:**
- Properties you want to segment by
- Metrics you want to aggregate
- Beyond standard parameters

**Setup:**
1. Create in Admin > Custom definitions
2. Scope: Event, User, or Item
3. Parameter name must match

---

## Google Tag Manager Implementation

### Container Structure

**Tags**
- GA4 Configuration (base)
- GA4 Event tags (one per event or grouped)
- Conversion pixels (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)

**Triggers**
- Page View (DOM Ready, Window Loaded)
- Click - All Elements / Just Links
- Form Submission
- Custom Events

**Variables**
- Built-in: Click Text, Click URL, Page Path, etc.
- Data Layer variables
- JavaScript variables
- Lookup tables

### Best Practices

- Use folders to organize
- Consistent naming (Tag_Type_Description)
- Version notes on every publish
- Preview mode for testing
- Workspaces for team collaboration

### Data Layer Pattern

```javascript
// Push custom event
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'form_submitted',
  'form_name': 'contact',
  'form_location': 'footer'
});

// Set user properties
dataLayer.push({
  'user_id': '12345',
  'user_type': 'premium'
});

// E-commerce event
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'purchase',
  'ecommerce': {
    'transaction_id': 'T12345',
    'value': 99.99,
    'currency': 'USD',
    'items': [{
      'item_id': 'SKU123',
      'item_name': 'Product Name',
      'price': 99.99
    }]
  }
});
```

---

## UTM Parameter Strategy

### Standard Parameters

| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|-----------|---------|---------|
| utm_source | Where traffic comes from | google, facebook, newsletter |
| utm_medium | Marketing medium | cpc, email, social, referral |
| utm_campaign | Campaign name | spring_sale, product_launch |
| utm_content | Differentiate versions | hero_cta, sidebar_link |
| utm_term | Paid search keywords | running+shoes |

### Naming Conventions

**Lowercase everything**
- google, not Google
- email, not Email

**Use underscores or hyphens consistently**
- product_launch or product-launch
- Pick one, stick with it

**Be specific but concise**
- blog_footer_cta, not cta1
- 2024_q1_promo, not promo

### UTM Documentation

Track all UTMs in a spreadsheet or tool:

| Campaign | Source | Medium | Content | Full URL | Owner | Date |
|----------|--------|--------|---------|----------|-------|------|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

### UTM Builder

Provide a consistent UTM builder link to team:
- Google's URL builder
- Internal tool
- Spreadsheet formula

---

## Debugging and Validation

### Testing Tools

**GA4 DebugView**
- Real-time event monitoring
- Enable with ?debug_mode=true
- Or via Chrome extension

**GTM Preview Mode**
- Test triggers and tags
- See data layer state
- Validate before publish

**Browser Extensions**
- GA Debugger
- Tag Assistant
- dataLayer Inspector

### Validation Checklist

- [ ] Events firing on correct triggers
- [ ] Property values populating correctly
- [ ] No duplicate events
- [ ] Works across browsers
- [ ] Works on mobile
- [ ] Conversions recorded correctly
- [ ] User ID passing when logged in
- [ ] No PII leaking

### Common Issues

**Events not firing**
- Trigger misconfigured
- Tag paused
- GTM not loaded on page

**Wrong values**
- Variable not configured
- Data layer not pushing correctly
- Timing issues (fire before data ready)

**Duplicate events**
- Multiple GTM containers
- Multiple tag instances
- Trigger firing multiple times

---

## Privacy and Compliance

### Considerations

- Cookie consent required in EU/UK/CA
- No PII in analytics properties
- Data retention settings
- User deletion capabilities
- Cross-device tracking consent

### Implementation

**Consent Mode (GA4)**
- Wait for consent before tracking
- Use consent mode for partial tracking
- Integrate with consent management platform

**Data Minimization**
- Only collect what you need
- IP anonymization
- No PII in custom dimensions

---

## Output Format

### Tracking Plan Document

```
# [Site/Product] Tracking Plan

## Overview
- Tools: GA4, GTM
- Last updated: [Date]
- Owner: [Name]

## Events

### Marketing Events

| Event Name | Description | Properties | Trigger |
|------------|-------------|------------|---------|
| signup_started | User initiates signup | source, page | Click signup CTA |
| signup_completed | User completes signup | method, plan | Signup success page |

### Product Events
[Similar table]

## Custom Dimensions

| Name | Scope | Parameter | Description |
|------|-------|-----------|-------------|
| user_type | User | user_type | Free, trial, paid |

## Conversions

| Conversion | Event | Counting | Google Ads |
|------------|-------|----------|------------|
| Signup | signup_completed | Once per session | Yes |

## UTM Convention

[Guidelines]
```

### Implementation Code

Provide ready-to-use code snippets

### Testing Checklist

Specific validation steps

---

## Questions to Ask

If you need more context:
1. What tools are you using (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)?
2. What key actions do you want to track?
3. What decisions will this data inform?
4. Who implements - dev team or marketing?
5. Are there privacy/consent requirements?
6. What's already tracked?

---

## Related Skills

- **ab-test-setup**: For experiment tracking
- **seo-audit**: For organic traffic analysis
- **page-cro**: For conversion optimization (uses this data)