Introduction

Google Analytics can be used to track access to your public content on archive-it.org. Typical audience statistics retrieved by Google Analytics include: number of sessions, users, average session duration, and pageviews, as well as detailed technical information about your users, such as which web browsers they use.

Tracking is currently enabled at the account level only. You may associate all archived content that you make publicly available through archive-it.org with a Google Analytics property. You cannot yet selectively track only certain collections, seeds, or URLs, however filtering options in Google Analytics may help you to focus on your key interests.

Follow the directions provided below if you wish to add a Google Analytics tracking code to to you account. As soon as you do so, all access to your archives from that point on will be collected by Google Analytics. Summary statistics are typically available in Google Analytics on the following day (ie. behavior tracked on Monday will be available for you to analyze on Tuesday).

How to set up Google Analytics for your account

There are a few easy steps to connect your account with Google Analytics:

1. Log into a Google account or create a Google Analytics account at http://www.google.com/analytics/

2. Go to the Admin section from the top navigation bar and create a "property" for your Archive-it account:
   
   
   

3. In the "Website URL" field, enter your partner organization page on archive-it.org. For example: https://archive-it.org/organizations/89

4. Copy your tracking ID from Google Analytics: 
   
   
   
   

5. Access the Account Admin section of the web application  (any administrator of your account has permission to do this) and paste your Google Analytics Tracking ID into the field under the "Page Statistics" heading:
   
   
   

Further information

For a case study in good practice and analytical opportunities for Archive-It partners using Google Analytics, see the U.S. Government Publishing Office's example:

• On the Archive-It blog: Understanding web archive access and use with Google Analytics: Lessons and questions from the Federal Depository Library Program
  
• And as a short video walkthrough in the Access to Archive-It Collections webinar.

Google Analytics is a tool offered directly by Google. Extensive documentation is available here: https://support.google.com/analytics/?hl=en. Because we do not manage the Google Analytics service or interface, we at Archive-It can only provide support regarding connecting your Archive-It account to Google Analytics. Please refer to the Google Analytics documentation for all other questions regarding its interface and statistics.

Have further questions for Archive-It partners about their experience or advice for using Google Analytics? Reach them here in the Community Forum.