Analytics

Steward your site by monitoring usage.

Overview

The UBCMS supports the collection of usage data including Google Analytics and Universal Analytics.

UB’s centralized code (GTM-T5KRRKT) is added automatically to all published UBCMS pages. To confirm this code is on your pages, view the HTML source code (e.g. Ctrl-U) and do a find-on-page for “GTM-“.

University Communications manages a Google Analytics GA4 property that collects usage data across all UBCMS websites. This data is available to all units in the UBCMS. UWLs and Site Owners/Managers can request viewer access to the GA4 property.

Google Analytics captures these metrics:

Audience: demographic, geographic and device information.
Acquisition: how users reach our pages
Behavior: how users interact with our pages
- Site Content – traffic on and between pages
- Events – key page interactions (e.g. link clicks, navigation and plays)

Event Data Collected by Google Analytics

University Communications maintains a set of tags that collect data into different event categories. Each time a user 'clicks' a tagged element, Google Analytics records the link text (label) and URL under the corresponding category.

Universal Analytics Categories (ending July 1, 2023)

Event Category	Page Scope	Description
UB - All Link Clicks - Page	Entire Page	Captures clicks for every link on the page, including navigation.
UB - All Link Clicks - Issues Banner	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the Issues Banner and Emergency Banner.
UB - All Link Clicks - Header	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the header and sticky nav, including mobile and desktop.
UB - All Link Clicks - Header Mobile ONLY	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the header and sticky nav on mobile only.
UB - All Link Clicks - Body	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the body section of the page. Specifically links within the '#columns' ID.
UB - All Link Clicks - Footer	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the footer.
UB - Faces and Voices Hero	Component	Captures clicks for each quote and attribution in the slider. Also captures clicks on the '<' and '>' navigation arrows.
UB - CTA Button Bar - Links	Component	Captures clicks on buttons in the CTA Button Bar component
UB - YouTube	Component	Video Plays in the YouTube Component
UB - Button Clicks	Component	Captures clicks for any UBCMS Button Component links
UB - Downloads - Links	Component	Captures clicks for the File Download component.
UB - Key Tasks - Links	Component	Captures clicks on any Key task component link
UB - Tabs - Nav	Component	Captures clicks on tabs within tab component

GA4 Categories (effective June 1, 2023)

Event Category	Page Scope	Description
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Page	Entire Page	Captures clicks for every link on the page, including navigation.
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Issues_Banner	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the Issues Banner and Emergency Banner.
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Header	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the header and sticky nav, including mobile and desktop.
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Header_Mobile_ONLY	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the header and sticky nav on mobile only.
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Body	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the body section of the page. Specifically links within the '#columns' ID.
UB_All_Link_Clicks_Footer	Page Section	Captures clicks for every link in the footer.
UB_Faces_and_Voices_Hero	Component	Captures clicks for each quote and attribution in the slider. Also captures clicks on the '<' and '>' navigation arrows.
UB_CTA_Button_Bar_Links	Component	Captures clicks on buttons in the CTA Button Bar component
UB_YouTube	Component	Video Plays in the YouTube Component
UB_Button_Clicks	Component	Captures clicks for any UBCMS Button Component links
UB_Downloads_Links	Component	Captures clicks for the File Download component.
UB_Key_Tasks_Links	Component	Captures clicks on any Key task component link
UB_Tabs_Links	Component	Captures clicks on tabs within tab component

Roles and Permissions Requests

We can only delegate access to Gmail accounts or Google accounts that are locally managed by UB. This section is for access by UB units. For outside vendors, please see GTM access for Vendors and Developers.

GA4 supports these roles:

Viewer (default) -- new name for 'Read & Analyze'
- Can see settings and data, change which data appears in reports (e.g., add comparisons, add a secondary dimension); see shared assets via the user interface or the APIs. Cannot collaborate on shared assets.

GTM supports these roles:

Read (default)
- Can see the container listed and browse tags, triggers, and variables in the container, but cannot make any changes.
Edit (highly skilled UB users)
- Can create workspaces and make edits but cannot create versions or publish changes.

How do I track a UBCMS tab..?

UBCMS tabs are considered by Google to be separate pages. Each is tracked as a “dot” version of the main page, labeled by the name of the tab.

For example, the UB at a Glance page has a set of tabs that are labeled ‘Students’ and ‘Faculty’.

The main ‘Students’ tab is considered as the main page, so it can be filtered as the same URL as the parent page:
www.buffalo.edu/home/ub_at_a_glance.html
The secondary tab, ‘Faculty, is considered a separate page, which can be filtered as follows: (note the “dot” + faculty” in the URL path).
www.buffalo.edu/home/ub_at_a_glance.faculty.html

These guidelines apply to adding Google Analytics to UBCMS websites.

All sites in the UBCMS are required to run the main tracking code (GTM-T5KRRKT). The main code can be disabled for an individual page in the Google Analytics section in the Advanced tab of that page's Properties, but we strongly discourage this action.
Please be aware that while adding multiple Google Analytics codes should not have a large impact on page performance, adding analytics scripts to pages (e.g. for heat mapping) can have an impact. Always be cautious before adding any custom code to your pages, and test for function and accessibility as recommended for all customizations.
A single code can be added by entering its type and ID in the Google Analytics section in the Advanced tab of page Properties. This will be applied to child pages as well, so it is typically set on your home page and is the preferred way to add a second code.
Additional codes can also be added in an HTML Snippet in your site's header, with custom JavaScript to load it on every page of your site. But the page Properties method is preferred to this approach.
Custom HTML code, such as analytics snippets can also be added to the <head> section of an individual page under Head Content in the Advanced tab of that page's Properties. This code only applies to that one page.

To work correctly, Google Analytics can be placed in an HTML Snippet on the header (or footer), or in the Properties of your site's home page, but NOT in the header or footer page Properties.

Master Class

Google Analytics 4 - Navigating the new terrain (11/1/2023)

Solutions Group Date: November 1, 2023

Presenters: Nick Peterson, Rebecca Bernstein, Doug Kozar & Chuck Pustelnik

Video: Google Analytics 4 - Navigating the new terrain

Presentations: Google Analytics 4 - Navigating the new terrain

GTM Access for Vendors and Developers

Please see detailed information about GTM access for Vendors and Developers

Analytics

On This Page

Overview

Event Data Collected by Google Analytics

Universal Analytics Categories (ending July 1, 2023)

GA4 Categories (effective June 1, 2023)

Roles and Permissions Requests

Master Class

Google Analytics 4 - Navigating the new terrain (11/1/2023)

GTM Access for Vendors and Developers

Was This Information Helpful?

Overview

UBCMS Updates

Policies

University Style

Training & Support

UBCMS Technical Details

Accessibility Tools

University Web Applications

UB Web Management

Analytics

On This Page

Overview

Event Data Collected by Google Analytics

Universal Analytics Categories (ending July 1, 2023)

GA4 Categories (effective June 1, 2023)

Roles and Permissions Requests

Tips and Best Practices

Guidelines for Developers

Master Class

Google Analytics 4 - Navigating the new terrain (11/1/2023)

GTM Access for Vendors and Developers

Was This Information Helpful?

Overview

UBCMS Updates

Policies

University Style

Training & Support

UBCMS Technical Details

Accessibility Tools

University Web Applications

UB Web Management