Best practices for tagging domains and sub-domains

[Pat Healy]

We are currently in the process of loading google analytics on our website. 

The question came up as to best strategy for tagging our domains and sub-domains, as our first attempt was to create unique tracking codes for each sub-domain, such as one for Admissions, one for Financial Aid, one for the Registrar's Office, etc.

Further readings from both Kyle James and Google own blog suggest that a better way might be to use one code for the primary university domain, use it to cover all of our sub-domains, and then use profiles to limit the reports for each unit, ie Admissions, Financial Aid, and the like.

Do you see any problems with the approach?

The thinking from our IT guys is that this is something we may not want to do, as everyone will have access to everyone else's data (can we restrict access to profiles by groups). The web guys like it because we can track sessions between domains, which is something we haven't been able to do (like tracking a prospective student on the Admissions site when they investigate cost of attendance data on the Financial Aid site).

Any advice from those of you who have been there and done that. 

[Tim Schneider]

Pat,

There are a couple options you can use. One is the primary domain account, then use profiles/filters to limit the reports.

However, because of some of the limitations of GA, you should probably go with the roll up account strategy instead.

Details on the roll up set up here: http://analytics.blogspot.com/2009/09/advanced-structure-your-accou...

The main roll up account is the one that tracks visitors across your entire main domain.

Each school/faculty/unit can have their own account added as a way to segment their own numbers.

I recommend having each secondary GA account set up by the people who own the account and have them grant you access to be an admin. This is how we set it up.

Having each unit set up their own account allows you to get around some of the limitations related to accounts (50) and profiles (50).

Hope that helps.

TS

[Pat Healy]

Tim,

Brilliant. It looks each unit can own their own information, with a unique tracking code, but sessions, or even goals, across sub-domains could be tracked with roll up coding. I think I got that right.

So, as I understand it, we could track a session despite changes in domains, that starts in Admissions, for instance, and finishes by opting into a email communication form in a different domain.The roll up code can take care of that; and the problem of seeing one visitor as two or more whenever they change domains.

Thanks for your time and advice. Much appreciated.

[Tim Schneider]

That's it.

The only other piece to make sure of is that you're using the async version of the code.

[Pat Healy]

On it.

Thanks for the help.

[Michael J. Powers]

That is super-useful, Tim. Thanks!