Displaying Subdomains In Your Google Analytics Reports

Goal

To create a hostname filter in your Universal Google Analytics account that incorporates subdomain data into your reports, allowing for easy and accurate traffic analysis across various subdomains.

Ideal Outcome

Your Google Analytics reports will accurately reflect traffic data for each subdomain, making it easy to distinguish and analyze traffic sources and patterns among them.

Prerequisites or Requirements

• Google Analytics Setup: Google Analytics must be running on your main website and all associated subdomains. Setup instructions are available in SOP 009 (web version).

Why This Service?

• Detailed Traffic Analysis: Provides a clear understanding of traffic distribution across different subdomains.
• Simplified Reporting: Eliminates the need for extra steps to distinguish subdomain traffic in analytics reports.
• Accurate Data Segmentation: Enhances the accuracy of traffic segmentation and analysis for subdomains.
• Improved Decision Making: Offers better insights for making informed decisions regarding each subdomain's performance.
• Time-Saving: Saves time in report analysis by automatically including subdomain information.

When to Use This Service

• Initial Analytics Setup: When setting up Google Analytics for a website with multiple subdomains.
• Analytics Review: If reviewing your current analytics setup and discovering a need for more detailed subdomain tracking.
• Post Website Expansion: After adding new subdomains to your website.

Process for Setting Up Hostname Filter

• Subdomain Identification:

  • Identify and list all the subdomains for which traffic needs to be tracked.

• Analytics Configuration:

  • Configure your Google Analytics settings to include hostname data in the reporting view.

• Filter Creation and Implementation:

  • Create and implement a custom filter in Google Analytics that appends subdomain information to each page URL in the reports.

• Testing and Verification:

  • Thoroughly test the filter to ensure that it accurately reflects subdomain traffic in the reports.

• Reporting and Insights:

  • Adjust your reporting setup to effectively utilize the new subdomain data for insights and analysis.

• Training and Documentation:

  • Provide training on interpreting the modified reports and documentation for future reference.

• Ongoing Support and Adjustments:

  • Offer ongoing support for any future changes or adjustments to the filter setup.