Comments on: Google Analytics Initial Referrer Update

By: Measuring and Running A/B Testing Using Google Website Optimizer and Google Analytics | Portal Analytics

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:16:53 +0000

[...] first solution is to run Google Analytics prior to running the Google Website Optimizer Control Script. All you have to do is call _initData (which is responsible for setting your utmz cookie based on [...]

By: Katya

Katya — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:01:52 +0000

Ehi evrybody, but this is the old code, but what are talking about new asynchronous code?
It is the same thing? Or what??
Thanks a lot.

By: Firesit

Firesit — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:03:01 +0000

You have to check up these Google Analytics tips

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 14 May 2009 22:12:35 +0000

Is the change you suggest above here the ONLY change to be made to the page? Or, does the above need to be combined with any of the changes suggested in your previous solution? ShoreTel suggests also to add another instance of the full GA tracking code at the bottom of the page, this instance including the page tracker as well? I am totally lost… help ! Many thanks for your assistance !

By: Dpaq

Dpaq — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:45:15 +0000

Hello,

did you see the recent discussion thread?

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/websiteoptimizer/thread?tid=648e25778bb6aee1&hl=en

Two gents started arguing each of theirs was the best solution, and I am confused.

What would you recommend given your own experience on the matter?

Thanks

By: 30+ Google Analytics Tools, Goals, Segments, Filters, Hacks & Resources | SEOptimise

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:44:50 +0000

[...] Google Analytics Initial Referrer Update [...]

By: ophir

ophir — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:39:23 +0000

@Mike:

Using a bogus ID sounds like a good idea (I’ll trust you it works).

I wouldn’t be worried though about Google removing the initData function anytime soon (or at all). Google is pretty good about keeping backwards compatibility. Think of all of the existing installations that would break if they were to do so.

- Ophir

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:13:36 +0000

The initData function is no longer included in the default GATC and may vanish from ga.js altogether. I’d recommend setting the account to some bogus id, then running pageTracker:

var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(”UA-0-0″);
pageTracker._trackPageview();

By: Michael Broukhim

Michael Broukhim — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:43:50 +0000

I’m not sure I’m following - does this process overwrite the ‘last referrer’? How do you then use the ‘initial referrer’ data within GA?

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:01:40 +0000

The solution here is awesome. I will definitely be using this on the site’s I’m working on.

On another note I had a quick question on setting up an A/B test on a WordPress website. The issue I’m having is that Website Optimizer wants the initial control script above the tag. While adding the control script on the page template works it also adds the script to everyone of my pages. Most browsers don’t mind but Chrome gets trapped in an infinite loop.

I searched everywhere and no one has a solution on how to add Website Optimizer code to a Wordpress website for an A/B test. The only thing available is an extension that allows for multivariate testing on headlines and images.

Is it possible to write a conditional statement that writes the needed JavaScript code above the tag when the correct page is served?