Analytics in a Mobile App

Presented by:Nathan Mellor

CritterMap Software

Why do Analytics in Apps?

• Track conversion goals for various business models– Paid Apps, Ads, Subscriptions, Affiliate

programs, Traffic to website(s). • Check usability and user Acceptance of App• Track discovery of app and who uses it• Get ideas for more content, features, and

other apps.

Mobile AnalyticsOptions

• Website For High End Devices– High End device like Android, Iphone, Palm Pre– Can be tracked as a normal website with Google Analytics

• Website for Low End devices– No javascript– Needs Server side code.

• Interaction with a native IPhone or Android Application– Can be tracked as if the app were a website– Requires the Google Analytics SDK for that

platform

Strengths and limitations• Tracks Page Views

(custom pages)• Tracks tagged referrals

(through Android Market only)

• Tracks Events and event data

• Can track Map Overlay, languages, and networks.

• Doesn’t allow custom user attributes– This *would* be really

useful

• Referrals from your own website often untracked

• No search keywords from Android Market ( without additional work)

ImplementationAndroid SDK

    tracker = GoogleAnalyticsTracker.getInstance();

    // Start the tracker in manual dispatch mode...    tracker.start("UA-YOUR-ACCOUNT-HERE", this);

        tracker.trackEvent(            "Clicks",  // Category            "Button",  // Action            "clicked", // Label            77);       // Value

        tracker.trackPageView("/testApplicationHomeScreen");

• Include library and a few select lines of code

• Note: SDK has bad memory leak. – Replace “this” with

getApplication() • Make up your own

page views• Make up your own

Events

Analytics ProfileMobile App as a site

Android AppPage Views

• Page Views are chosen in code– Could be screens of

your app • In this example, pages

are different map types chosen by users.

• /preview/mytopo is viewing a map online

• /offline/mytopo is viewing a map saved on storage card.

Android AppEvents

• Event category, label, and action are chosen in code just as in javascript

• Important: urlencode event labels

• In this example, Place Name Search is recorded as an event

• Top searched locations are here.

Android App DiscoveryTagging Android Market Links

• Tagged Urls are encouraged• http://market.android.com/details?id=com.crittermap.

backcountrynavigator&utm_source=Website&utm_medium=Link&utm_campaign=Download

• This url will take you directly to Android Market Listing– Tags will pass through

• But *ONLY* if you click it on an Android device• Same url will give you an “Oops! This link appears

to be broken.” if used on your PC.

• These can be encoded in a barcode.

Paid campaign Option #1Ad campaign links to Market Listing

• Referral information will track if urls tagged.

• Limited sales copy – 325 characters in listing

• Users can take immediate action

Paid Campaign Option #1Adwords Ad new features

• Adwords on Android can change referral link to ‘Download Android App’

• Potential to stand out from other ads

• User can take immediate action

• But Adwords Approval team seems unaware of this feature

Paid Campaign Option #2Adwords Ad to Landing page to

Market Listing

• Referral information needs to be passed on to Android Market (cross domain)

• More sales copy – but needs to be mobile optimized. Try it Try it

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Android App Referral Tracking

• Numbers indicate that many/most visitors to the website will just search the market rather than follow a link

• Referer is constant once app is installed.

• Direct Request dominates

• These are referrals from the Android market.

• Search terms not available without workaround

Android App Referral TrackingWith proprietary keyword solution

• Androidmarket/device is a campaign source/medium

• Keywords from Market Search (2.2 and above)

• Some keywords indicate previous exposure to brand

• Most developers do not have this information.

• Learn more at crittermap.com.

Android Market KeywordsBenefits

• Combine keywords with conversion data. • Choose which words are most valuable for

your huge 325 character app description• Use the keywords in content creation for

your site• With a keyword solution, you can judge the

relative value of keywords from the Android Market and market accordingly

Android App analyticsConclusions

• With standard installation, Android App Analytics is sufficient for conversion tracking and usability

• You can also track referrals from a webpage or paid campaign.

• With a keyword solution, you can judge the relative value of keywords from the Android Market and market accordingly

To Learn More. . .

• Join my newsletter at www.crittermap.com

• Contact me at @Nathan_Mellor