This feature available on the Pro Plan
Overview
Analytics provide detailed reports on the performance of campaigns and their widgets, tracking metrics such as Views, Entries, Shares, and more. All analytics data can be exported as a PDF for further analysis.
Getting There
To access campaign analytics:
- From the Campaign Manager, click the pie chart icon to the right of the campaign name.
- The analytics for that campaign will appear in a pop-up window.
Open Analytics in a New Tab
If you prefer to view analytics in a new tab instead of a pop-up:
- Click the New Tab icon in the bottom-left corner of the pop-up.
Reading Analytics
Setting a Date Range
- The top-left of the pop-up shows the date range for the displayed analytics.
- Click the Day link to view additional date range options.
- To select a custom date range:
- Choose Select Date Range under the Custom category.
- Enter the Start Date and End Date.
- Select whether you want analytics displayed by Hour, Day, Week, or Month.
- Click the Apply button.
Note: Analytics data is only retained for two years. Export older campaign analytics before they are deleted.
Scoreboard
The Scoreboard spans the top of the Analytics pop-up and provides a snapshot of key metrics, including:
- Campaign Views
- Unique Views
- Entries
- Email Opens
Navigation Menu
Below the Scoreboard, there are five tabs:
-
Traffic: Displays data on campaign views, including:
- Total Views (Overall)
- Views by Device (Desktop, Mobile, Tablet)
- Traffic Sources (web sources of visitors)
- Views by Environment (Web, Facebook, Embedded)
- Views by Country (IP-based location)
- Views by Platform (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, etc.)
- Interactive map of visitor locations
-
Entries: Tracks the number of entries received and the devices used to submit them.
-
Sharing: Shows the number of shares and the platforms where sharing occurred (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn).
-
Autoresponder: Reports on autoresponder email performance, including:
- Emails Sent
- Opens
- Clicks
-
Clicks: Details the number of clicks within the campaign and identifies which links were clicked.
Exporting Analytics
To export analytics data as a PDF:
- Click the Export as PDF button in the bottom-right corner.
- The download will begin automatically.
Alternative Tracking Methods
Google Analytics Tracking
You can track campaign analytics using Google Analytics (Universal Analytics or GA 4) by adding a Tracking Widget:
- Add the Tracking Widget to your campaign.
- Configure the widget by:
- Selecting your tracking method.
- Adding your Google Analytics tag in the Setup section.
- Customizing events (for UA) or using pre-configured events (for GA 4).
Facebook Pixel Tracking
Similarly, you can use the Tracking Widget for Facebook Pixel tracking:
- Add the Tracking Widget to your campaign.
- Configure the widget by:
- Adding your Pixel ID in the Setup section.
- Selecting events to track (e.g., Page View, Form Submit).
For detailed instructions, refer to the Tracking Widget Help Doc.
Customizing Behavior with Events
If you are familiar with JavaScript and jQuery, you can write custom code to enable more granular event tracking using a Code Widget.
- Note: Custom code is outside of the scope of our support.
ShortStack Analytics vs. Google Analytics
Using both ShortStack's analytics and third-party platforms like Google Analytics can provide a more comprehensive view, though data discrepancies may occur due to different tracking methodologies:
ShortStack’s Tracking
- Combines user agent strings and IP addresses to create a Visitor GUID.
- Tracks views and unique views based on this GUID.
- Does not use cookies, ensuring GDPR compliance.
Google Analytics Tracking
- May have access to cookies, user login statuses, and additional metadata.
- Can display variations due to cookie consent or logged-in user data.
Why the Numbers May Differ:
- ShortStack Unique Views may undercount visits from different users sharing the same IP and user agent string.
- It may overcount visits if a single user accesses the campaign from multiple browsers or networks.
- Google Analytics may show discrepancies due to access to cookies and unique identifiers unavailable to ShortStack.
By combining both systems, you can gain a broader perspective on campaign performance.