Google Analytics Scanner – How It Works

SiteScan is designed to help you configure Google Analytics, whether using the older urchin.js code or if you recently upgraded to the new ga.js tracking code. This diagnostic tool scans for several common configuration pitfalls and organizes the results in an easy to read CSV file. SiteScan identifies pages on your website that have GA tracking code properly and improperly installed. For pages with improperly installed tracking code, the associated error is noted and described in the report. This makes it easy for you to isolate the pages with tracking problems, fix them, and effectively manage your Google Analytics installation.

Once you submit your site, SiteScan will begin scanning your pages, and send an email confirming the scan has started. Once the scan is completed, you will receive another email with a link to the results. You must enter a valid email address to receive your scan results. Results include a summary of your scan with a link to the CSV download containing page/URL level problems found during the scanning process.

Please note that you can only run four (4) scans per day for a single domain. This allows resources to be freed up for other individuals wanting to use the tool. We are constantly upgrading SiteScan. As demand increases, we plan on adding further enhancements for quicker results and faster scans.

SiteScan checks the following on websites with old tracking code (urchin.js):

  • Every Page Tagged with Tracking Code
  • Every Page Calling the urchinTracker() Function
  • Every Page Declaring a Google Analytics Account
  • No New Tracking Code Found
  • Query Parameters Check to Determine if a Filter is Required

SiteScan checks the following on websites with new tracking code (ga.js):

  • Every Page Tagged with New Tracking Code
  • Every Page Calling the pageTracker._trackPageview(); Method
  • Every Page Declaring a Google Analytics Account
  • No Old Tracking Code Found
  • Query Parameters Check to Determine if a filter is Required

SiteScan Does Not Scan or Complete the Following:

  1. Directories with more then 1000 files
  2. Pages that are protected by a Robot.txt file (meaning that if your pages are not indexed by Google, they will not be scanned).
  3. Pages that are password protected
  4. Checkout Pages or any area of your website that requires a certain sequence of events or trigger to access (Like adding a product to cart before checking out
  5. Repair identified errors or change your Google Analytics configuration.