Google has updated their Google Analytics service, adding back in their Site Overlay feature. Unlike the overlay features from other vendors, it operates within a frame of the reporting UI. Four measures are included that I can see: Clicks, Clicks %, G1/Clicks, and Avg. Score. I don't have any goals setup, so I don't have a ton of data to review at this time.
Here's a screenshot of the site overlay frame using data for this blog:
From what I've seen so far, they've made the tool relatively simple and limited in scope. Per their help, it's currently limited to "static pages with unique links to content located elsewhere on the website". They also note that the overlay is "not currently able to work with the following types of content:
- Javascript links
- CSS content
- Flash navigation
- downloadable files (.pdf)
- outbound links
- frames
- auto redirects."
As I'm checking out the service, I'm intrigued by something. As you navigate inside the overlay window, your browser isn't actually requesting content from your site directly, but rather, the data is coming through Google's systems - I'm assuming they're acting as a proxy for the content. I had to test it to make sure the site wasn't coming from a cache...and it's not...interesting.
From what I've seen so far, they've made the tool relatively simple and limited in scope. Per their help, it's currently limited to "static pages with unique links to content located elsewhere on the website". They also note that the overlay is "not currently able to work with the following types of content: 
some of your readers might find this post helpful on map overlays in Analyticsif they are looking for more information :)
ReplyDeleteI think they had to act as a proxy to download the data to get around the browser's "same origin" security policy.
ReplyDelete