Web Tracking: Pageviews, Forms, Logins

What it is

The Data Talks web tracker allows customers of the CDP to collect both anonymous and identifiable customer web visitor information by installing the tracking service through Google Tag Manager. 

Using the web tracker, web behavioral data, such as pageviews, contact form submissions and website logins can be captured and stitched to the supporter profiles in the CDP. 

This data allows integrating forms from your websites, and to enrich your profile information about behavioral data, that can not only be used to conduct traditional website marketing analysis (pageviews, visitors, referrals, time spent on site), but also to create highly personalized campaigns. For example, by identifying more and more visitors on your website, you will be able to segment on profiles who read article X on the site but did not purchase, and target them with a personalized newsletter or place them in a Custom Audience / Lookalike Audience for social media advertising. 

How it works

This guide will provide step-by-step instructions on how you can set up your Data Talks Web Tracking using Google Tag Manager (GTM). First, you need to create and configure your domains and GTM containers in the CDP, and then finish the configuration in GTM.

In this guide, we are going to:

1. Create a new Google Tag Manager container for your websites
2. And then attach the Data Talks web tracking solution to capture Page View events.

In addition, the document provides you with the optional configuration required in order to capture the email of a logged-in user, and then collect information from web contact forms.

Requirements

• Google Account
• Add the container code into your website
• Capture email address (optional)
  • Add the Data Layer code into your website
  • Provide the required values to the Data Layer

Step 1. Create Google Tag Manager Account

If you already have a GTM account, please go straight to Step 2.

1. First, go to https://tagmanager.google.com to start the setup for the Google Tag Manager (GTM) and login with your Google credentials. 
2. After logging in, you need to create your account in GTM. NOTE: If you already have a container created for your account, you can skip this step and proceed directly to “The Setup process” below.
   1. Fill out the Account Name, Country and Container Name fields accordingly. We will choose “Web” as the Target Platform.
   2. Accept the Data Processing Terms by marking the checkbox at the bottom left and then Accept the GTM Terms of Service by pressing the Yes button on the top right corner.

Step 2. Data Talks Web Tracking for your Domains

If you finished your Google Tag Manager setting, there are only a few steps left. Let’s go to the Web Tracking Deployment page which you can find in the admin section of the CDP.

1. Click the Configure New Domain button.
2. Fill in the Domain Name and GTM Container ID.
   
   • Domain Name: This is the URL you are going to use to track web behavior. It is required to be written with a valid format of HTTP/HTTPS URL!
     For example: https://www.example.com
   • GTM Container ID: This is the ID of your Google Tag Manager account. You can find it after you have created an account on: tagmanager.google.com. The account is required to be written in a valid format which starts with ‘GTM-‘ and is followed by characters. The characters can only include uppercase alphabetical letters and numbers.
     For example: GTM-12EXAM3
3. Register the new domain by clicking Save Changes.
   The portal will create an Application ID for each domain automatically which you will use inside GTM when configuring your websites.

Web Tracking Deployment Page in Admin

Now you can see the list of the domains you registered, delete each domain, and check their tracking status and the application ID created for each domain. You can use the application ID for the final changes explained below.

Step 3. Finish the Setup of your Google Tag Manager

3-1. File Upload

In order to make the GTM configuration as easy and fast as possible, use the attached .json files. They contain a template container configuration. By importing them to your GTM container, you are then able to set up your web tracking in just a few clicks. Continue to follow this guide to set it up correctly.

Choose one of the following files to upload to your GTM account based on what your would like to track. The basic configuration is “Pageviews” which includes regular web behavioral tracking. On top of this, you have the option to track page Login events and Contact form submissions.

In case you would like to modify your configuration in GTM at a later point, you need to delete the existing configuration and add the new file.

Files List

1. First, start by visiting the Admin tab from the GTM navigation bar. If you log in to GTM and end up in the Workspace section, you will find the Admin tab on the right-hand side.

Click Admin tab

1. By doing so, you will be directed to this menu (see the image below). In the right column, there is an option called Import Container. That is the option you need to select in order to proceed.

GTM Container Admin Page

1. Next, you will be presented with a few options displayed in the following image that will be explained one by one below.

Import Container Page

1. Select a file to import → Click the Choose container file button and select the .json file. appropriate for you.
2. Choose workspace and then → Select Existing and Default Workspace
3.  Choose an import option:
   When configuring the Data Talks Web tracking service, select Merge. Then, in the Merge option, select Overwrite conflicting tags, triggers, and variables.

Depending on your configuration case, the amount of Modified and New Tags, Triggers, and Variables may vary from the image.

1. Finally, select Confirm.

3-2. Final Changes

There are a few changes you need to make in order to configure the container. Depending on the actions/tags you want to include in the container, you will need to make the following changes.

NOTE: The change included under Page View is required for every type of configuration.

Page View

In the Variables menu → choose User-Defined Variables, and then → choose Snowplow Analytics Settings. Here, we then need to change the value of the Application ID.

Application ID

Each domain you configure in the CDP will receive an application ID (app ID), a unique identifier which we will use to recognize and connect the visits to your site(s). The app ID is created automatically in the portal once you configure your domain on the Web Tracking page in the portal (see image below).

Where to find the created App ID

Cookie information

The Data Talks Web tracker service uses 3 types of cookies as described below.

The data each cookie collects are:

1. spid (essential)
   • ID for the user
   • Domain visits counter
   • Timestamp from first visit
   • Timestamp from last visit
   • Session ID
2. spses (essential)
   • Used to identify if the user is in an active session on the website or if this is a new session for a visitor (i.e. cookie doesn’t exist or has expired)
3. DTCookie (optional)
   • User’s identification provided by a web tracking feature

All cookies are being updated upon revisiting the website. It would have to be 1 year of inactivity (not returning to the website) for the cookie to expire. After its expiration and if the same user visits the website, the system would detect a new visitor instead of a returning and a new cookie will be assigned to them.

*A Session is considered the time when a user remains active within the website. In case the user becomes idle for more than 30 minutes, the active session is considered terminated. In the event the user visits the page again, a new session will begin, therefore a new spses cookie will be created.

Cookies installed on websites are the responsibility of website owners, including obtaining the necessary consent(s) from their visitors. The website owners are further required to provide information to visitors about how their visitor data is collected and used. These requirements vary between locations, hence, it is advised that you consult your legal representatives so they stay in line with your local data regulations.

For further information about the Data Talks cookies, please turn to your Customer Success Manager.