Google Analytics Integration

# Google Analytics Integration Track your booking website's performance, understand customer behavior, and make data-driven decisions with Google Analytics integration. RecSystems supports Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for comprehensive website analytics. ## What You'll Learn - Setting up Google Analytics 4 - Connecting to RecSystems - Understanding tracking features - Viewing analytics data - Creating custom events - Setting up goals - Troubleshooting tracking issues ## Integration Overview ### What Google Analytics Tracks - Page views and sessions - User behavior flow - Booking funnel performance - Traffic sources - Device and browser data - Geographic information - Custom events ### How It Works 1. GA4 tracking code added to your site 2. Customer interactions tracked 3. Data sent to Google Analytics 4. View reports in GA4 dashboard 5. Make informed business decisions ## Google Analytics Setup ### Step 1: Create GA4 Property 1. Go to [analytics.google.com](https://analytics.google.com) 2. Click **"Admin"** (gear icon) 3. Click **"Create Property"** 4. Enter property details: - Property name (e.g., "RecSystems Rentals") - Time zone - Currency 5. Click **"Create"** ### Step 2: Get Measurement ID 1. In GA4 property settings 2. Go to **"Data Streams"** 3. Click **"Web"** stream 4. Copy Measurement ID (starts with "G-") 5. Keep this for RecSystems setup ### Step 3: Configure Data Stream 1. Enter your website URL 2. Name the stream 3. Enable enhanced measurement: - Page views - Scrolls - Outbound clicks - Site search - Form interactions 4. Save configuration ## Connecting to RecSystems ### Access Integration Settings Navigate to: **Dashboard → Integrations → Google Analytics** ### Enter Measurement ID 1. Paste your GA4 Measurement ID 2. Format: `G-XXXXXXXXXX` 3. Click **"Save Settings"** 4. Tracking code automatically added ### Verify Installation 1. Open your booking site 2. Use Google Analytics Debugger 3. Check real-time reports in GA4 4. Confirm data is flowing ## What Gets Tracked ### Automatic Tracking **Page Views**: - Home page visits - Fleet browsing - Unit details viewed - Booking form steps - Confirmation pages **User Engagement**: - Time on site - Pages per session - Bounce rate - Scroll depth - Click interactions **E-commerce Data**: - Booking value - Conversion rate - Cart abandonment - Revenue by source - Average order value ### Booking Funnel RecSystems tracks the complete booking journey: 1. **Landing** - How users arrive 2. **Browse** - Fleet/unit views 3. **Select** - Date/time selection 4. **Checkout** - Payment process 5. **Confirmation** - Completed bookings ## Understanding Reports ### Key Reports to Monitor **Acquisition Reports**: - Where customers come from - Best traffic sources - Campaign performance - Referral sites - Search terms **Engagement Reports**: - Most viewed pages - User flow paths - Event tracking - Conversion paths - Site search terms **Monetization Reports**: - Revenue by source - Product performance - Booking trends - Customer lifetime value - Transaction details ### Custom Dashboards Create dashboards for: - Daily booking performance - Weekly revenue trends - Seasonal patterns - Marketing ROI - Customer behavior ## Setting Up Goals ### Recommended Goals **1. Booking Completion** - Trigger: Confirmation page - Value: Booking amount - Type: Destination goal **2. Form Submissions** - Trigger: Contact form submit - Value: Lead value - Type: Event goal **3. High-Value Bookings** - Trigger: Booking over $X - Value: Transaction amount - Type: Event goal **4. Newsletter Signups** - Trigger: Email submission - Value: Subscriber value - Type: Event goal ### Creating Goals in GA4 1. Go to **Admin → Events** 2. Click **"Create event"** 3. Set matching conditions 4. Mark as conversion 5. Assign value if needed ## Enhanced E-commerce ### Enable Enhanced E-commerce 1. In GA4 property settings 2. Go to **"Data collection"** 3. Enable e-commerce tracking 4. Configure currency 5. Set up product parameters ### What's Tracked - View item (unit viewed) - Add to cart (date selected) - Begin checkout - Purchase (booking complete) - Refund (if applicable) ### Revenue Attribution See revenue by: - Traffic source - Campaign - Device type - Geographic location - Time of day ## Custom Events ### Useful Custom Events **Availability Check**: ```javascript gtag('event', 'check_availability', { 'fleet_type': 'Jet Ski', 'location': 'Marina', 'date_range': '7 days' }); ``` **Price Calculator Use**: ```javascript gtag('event', 'calculate_price', { 'fleet_type': 'Pontoon', 'duration': '4 hours', 'calculated_price': 299 }); ``` **Support Contact**: ```javascript gtag('event', 'contact_support', { 'method': 'chat', 'page': 'booking_form' }); ``` ### Implementation Notes - Events fire automatically - No coding required - Customize in GA4 - Create audiences - Build remarketing lists ## Best Practices ### Privacy Compliance **GDPR Compliance**: - Cookie consent banner - Opt-out mechanism - Data retention settings - Privacy policy updates - User rights management **Cookie Settings**: - First-party cookies only - Anonymize IP addresses - Respect Do Not Track - Clear documentation ### Data Quality **Ensure Accuracy**: - Filter internal traffic - Remove bot traffic - Set up alerts - Regular audits - Cross-reference with RecSystems **Prevent Issues**: - Test before launching - Monitor for anomalies - Document customizations - Regular maintenance - Keep ID secure ## Advanced Features ### Audience Building Create audiences for: - Repeat customers - High-value bookings - Abandoned carts - Geographic segments - Device preferences ### Integration with Google Ads - Import conversions - Create remarketing lists - Optimize bidding - Track ROI - Audience targeting ### BigQuery Export For large operations: - Raw data access - Custom analysis - Machine learning - Data warehouse - Advanced reporting ## Troubleshooting ### No Data Showing 1. Verify Measurement ID correct 2. Check tracking code installed 3. Clear browser cache 4. Disable ad blockers 5. Wait 24-48 hours ### Missing Transactions - Ensure e-commerce enabled - Check confirmation page - Verify values passed - Review filters - Contact support ### Duplicate Tracking - Check for multiple IDs - Review tag manager - Inspect page source - Remove old code - Test thoroughly ### Data Discrepancies Normal to see differences: - Time zone differences - Bot filtering - Sampling in GA4 - Attribution models - Processing delays ## Reporting Tips ### Daily Checks - Real-time overview - Conversion tracking - Error monitoring - Traffic spikes - Technical issues ### Weekly Analysis - Booking trends - Source performance - Content engagement - Goal completion - Revenue patterns ### Monthly Review - Growth metrics - Seasonal patterns - Campaign ROI - User behavior - Optimization opportunities ## Getting Help ### RecSystems Support - Integration setup help - Tracking verification - Troubleshooting - Best practices ### Google Support - GA4 documentation - Community forums - Google Partners - Training resources ### Useful Resources - GA4 Academy courses - YouTube tutorials - Analytics blog - Developer guides - Case studies ## Related Guides - [Stripe Integration](./stripe-payments.md) - Payment tracking - [Custom Domains](../05-growth-tools/custom-domains.md) - Multi-site tracking - [Reports Overview](../01-daily-operations/index.md) - Internal reporting - [Marketing Tools](../05-growth-tools/index.md) - Growth strategies --- *Analytics Tip: Focus on actionable metrics. Track what matters for your business decisions, not just vanity metrics.*