For months now I must have thought that an article about visitor IDs is really overdue. It is the last remaining principle aspect of Adobe Analytics that I have not explained, I think. Also, in step 6 of my post on processing hits, I mentioned the "Visitor Profile" and didn't really explain it. Bad blogger! … Continue reading Visitor IDs & Visitor Profile
API Best Practices
Summit is over, *phew*. I love Summit in London! It is a great occasion to meet all those people I speak with throughout the year. ... For the past couple of years, I have been involved in the preparation of the analytics track at Summit, both as a speaker as well as the "guy responsible … Continue reading API Best Practices
A Short History of Processing a Hit
In the article about Modifying Data Server-Side, we gave a brief list of the steps that every bit of data has to go through before your friendly marketer will see it in her reports. Let's expand on that and also mention the different points where you can add information or retrieve it. Let's start in … Continue reading A Short History of Processing a Hit
KPIs and Success Events
Ah... months with 5 Tuesdays... I don't like them. When do I post? Week 1 and 3, as usual? Do I leave a gap in week 5, then? Or do I post more frequently — say in weeks 1, 3 & 5, shortening the potential gap? How about posting in weeks 1 & 4, as … Continue reading KPIs and Success Events
Quick Tip: Save Variables
In the post about "Variables" I neglected to mention one important characteristic of Adobe Analytics: with each Report Suite, you get 75 props (traffic variables), 75 eVars (conversion variables) and 100 events. Now everyone who has ever worked in the field will tell you that 75/75/100 is ample for everyone. And it really is. But … Continue reading Quick Tip: Save Variables
Implementation Phase is NOT Key
I published an article on my German-speaking blog last week about the implementation phase and how I think it is more than overrated. Feedback was interesting, so I think it makes sense to summarize it here as well. You - being a developer - might not need to be convinced, but you might want to … Continue reading Implementation Phase is NOT Key
How to Use Merchandising Variables
Merchandising variables are a special feature of Adobe Analytics. The Reference page in the help section says "Merchandising variables let you configure an eVar to hold multiple values." To be precise: a Merchandising eVar can hold one value per product. If you want to know why you'd use Merchandising eVars, or if you want to … Continue reading How to Use Merchandising Variables
How Classifications are Different
[Due to a mistake I made yesterday evening, this post went out partly, so I decided to post it now rather then wait for Apr 1. No April's fool joke in here.] I hear singing on TV, the girls are watching CBeebies, the BBC channel for children. They're watching a show called "3rd & Bird" … Continue reading How Classifications are Different
Oops
I just accidentally posted an article that was only due on April 1st. Rectified my mistake right away, but I think notifications might have been sent. Sorry about that! You'll see the article in April.
Simplicity is Hard
This article is not about development as much as it is supposed to give you, the developer, a handle on a subject that should be dear to you: simplicity. You're a developer, right? You have seen what happens when things are done as simply as possible: less bugs, easier maintenance — beauty emerges. It's the … Continue reading Simplicity is Hard
Web Analytics for Developers 