The promise and reality of Google Universal Analytics? measurement Protocol (Guest Blog)

Google

Google recently released Universal Analytics to the general public after several months in beta.?

Google recently released Universal Analytics to the general public after several months in beta. To the untrained user, Universal Analytics might seem very similar to Google Analytics. However, there are some significant additions, including:

• Different data-collection methods that put more focus on visitors and what they do than on visits.
• Custom dimensions and advanced segments that give a deeper view and more sophisticated reporting abilities.
• The user ID parameter now allows the ability to track specific users across multiple platforms and devices.
• The most exciting new change, utilizing the Measurement Protocol, allows data from virtually any source to be fed into and integrated with Google Analytics.

It's been said that Google's Universal Analytics will change the way businesses use data. Any time such a bold claim is made, we should be wary if the promise is more than reality can deliver.

It never hurts to be a little bit skeptical. Google Universal Analytics hasn't been quite as overhyped as some other recent software changes. In this case, we are actually talking about a huge leap forward for businesses' ability to get a holistic view of their efforts through Google's Measurement Protocol.

The drawback is there may still be a considerable amount of effort required to integrate various business systems and other sources of data with Universal Analytics.

The benefit is there is now a standard interface to do this. Let?s face it: It is hard to beat "free." Google?s model of offering enterprise-class tools to the masses at no cost.

This type of data integration has been possible for years, but primarily through very expensive proprietary tools that have a large upfront cost and-or licensing fee. The fact this is now available on a free tool is a huge win for businesses.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/bizj_washington/~3/UtBSSGeOvpE/the-promise-and-reality-of-google.html

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