analytics-tracking
Verified@coreyhaines
npx machina-cli add skill coreyhaines31/marketingskills/analytics-tracking --openclawAnalytics Tracking
You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.
Initial Assessment
Check for product marketing context first:
If .agents/product-marketing-context.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing-context.md in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
Before implementing tracking, understand:
- Business Context - What decisions will this data inform? What are key conversions?
- Current State - What tracking exists? What tools are in use?
- Technical Context - What's the tech stack? Any privacy/compliance requirements?
Core Principles
1. Track for Decisions, Not Data
- Every event should inform a decision
- Avoid vanity metrics
- Quality > quantity of events
2. Start with the Questions
- What do you need to know?
- What actions will you take based on this data?
- Work backwards to what you need to track
3. Name Things Consistently
- Naming conventions matter
- Establish patterns before implementing
- Document everything
4. Maintain Data Quality
- Validate implementation
- Monitor for issues
- Clean data > more data
Tracking Plan Framework
Structure
Event Name | Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
---------- | -------- | ---------- | ------- | -----
Event Types
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Pageviews | Automatic, enhanced with metadata |
| User Actions | Button clicks, form submissions, feature usage |
| System Events | Signup completed, purchase, subscription changed |
| Custom Conversions | Goal completions, funnel stages |
For comprehensive event lists: See references/event-library.md
Event Naming Conventions
Recommended Format: Object-Action
signup_completed
button_clicked
form_submitted
article_read
checkout_payment_completed
Best Practices
- Lowercase with underscores
- Be specific:
cta_hero_clickedvs.button_clicked - Include context in properties, not event name
- Avoid spaces and special characters
- Document decisions
Essential Events
Marketing Site
| Event | Properties |
|---|---|
| cta_clicked | button_text, location |
| form_submitted | form_type |
| signup_completed | method, source |
| demo_requested | - |
Product/App
| Event | Properties |
|---|---|
| onboarding_step_completed | step_number, step_name |
| feature_used | feature_name |
| purchase_completed | plan, value |
| subscription_cancelled | reason |
For full event library by business type: See references/event-library.md
Event Properties
Standard Properties
| Category | Properties |
|---|---|
| Page | page_title, page_location, page_referrer |
| User | user_id, user_type, account_id, plan_type |
| Campaign | source, medium, campaign, content, term |
| Product | product_id, product_name, category, price |
Best Practices
- Use consistent property names
- Include relevant context
- Don't duplicate automatic properties
- Avoid PII in properties
GA4 Implementation
Quick Setup
- Create GA4 property and data stream
- Install gtag.js or GTM
- Enable enhanced measurement
- Configure custom events
- Mark conversions in Admin
Custom Event Example
gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
'method': 'email',
'plan': 'free'
});
For detailed GA4 implementation: See references/ga4-implementation.md
Google Tag Manager
Container Structure
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Tags | Code that executes (GA4, pixels) |
| Triggers | When tags fire (page view, click) |
| Variables | Dynamic values (click text, data layer) |
Data Layer Pattern
dataLayer.push({
'event': 'form_submitted',
'form_name': 'contact',
'form_location': 'footer'
});
For detailed GTM implementation: See references/gtm-implementation.md
UTM Parameter Strategy
Standard Parameters
| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| utm_source | Traffic source | google, newsletter |
| utm_medium | Marketing medium | cpc, email, social |
| utm_campaign | Campaign name | spring_sale |
| utm_content | Differentiate versions | hero_cta |
| utm_term | Paid search keywords | running+shoes |
Naming Conventions
- Lowercase everything
- Use underscores or hyphens consistently
- Be specific but concise:
blog_footer_cta, notcta1 - Document all UTMs in a spreadsheet
Debugging and Validation
Testing Tools
| Tool | Use For |
|---|---|
| GA4 DebugView | Real-time event monitoring |
| GTM Preview Mode | Test triggers before publish |
| Browser Extensions | Tag Assistant, dataLayer Inspector |
Validation Checklist
- Events firing on correct triggers
- Property values populating correctly
- No duplicate events
- Works across browsers and mobile
- Conversions recorded correctly
- No PII leaking
Common Issues
| Issue | Check |
|---|---|
| Events not firing | Trigger config, GTM loaded |
| Wrong values | Variable path, data layer structure |
| Duplicate events | Multiple containers, trigger firing twice |
Privacy and Compliance
Considerations
- Cookie consent required in EU/UK/CA
- No PII in analytics properties
- Data retention settings
- User deletion capabilities
Implementation
- Use consent mode (wait for consent)
- IP anonymization
- Only collect what you need
- Integrate with consent management platform
Output Format
Tracking Plan Document
# [Site/Product] Tracking Plan
## Overview
- Tools: GA4, GTM
- Last updated: [Date]
## Events
| Event Name | Description | Properties | Trigger |
|------------|-------------|------------|---------|
| signup_completed | User completes signup | method, plan | Success page |
## Custom Dimensions
| Name | Scope | Parameter |
|------|-------|-----------|
| user_type | User | user_type |
## Conversions
| Conversion | Event | Counting |
|------------|-------|----------|
| Signup | signup_completed | Once per session |
Task-Specific Questions
- What tools are you using (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)?
- What key actions do you want to track?
- What decisions will this data inform?
- Who implements - dev team or marketing?
- Are there privacy/consent requirements?
- What's already tracked?
Tool Integrations
For implementation, see the tools registry. Key analytics tools:
| Tool | Best For | MCP | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA4 | Web analytics, Google ecosystem | ✓ | ga4.md |
| Mixpanel | Product analytics, event tracking | - | mixpanel.md |
| Amplitude | Product analytics, cohort analysis | - | amplitude.md |
| PostHog | Open-source analytics, session replay | - | posthog.md |
| Segment | Customer data platform, routing | - | segment.md |
Related Skills
- ab-test-setup: For experiment tracking
- seo-audit: For organic traffic analysis
- page-cro: For conversion optimization (uses this data)
- revops: For pipeline metrics, CRM tracking, and revenue attribution
Source
git clone https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills/tree/main/skills/analytics-trackingView on GitHub Overview
This skill helps you set up tracking that delivers actionable insights for marketing and product decisions. It covers initial assessment, core principles, a tracking plan framework, event naming conventions, essential events, and GA4 implementation.
How This Skill Works
Begin with business, current, and technical context to guide what to track. Build aTracking Plan with structured events, naming conventions, and standard properties, then implement using GA4 or a tag manager. Finally, continuously validate data quality and adjust as needed to keep insights reliable.
When to Use It
- You need to set up GA4 or other analytics to measure marketing results.
- You want to audit current tracking for accuracy (are my events firing, analytics isn't working).
- You are building or updating a tracking plan with consistent event naming.
- You need to define essential events for marketing site or product/app.
- You want to ensure data quality, privacy, and compliance in analytics implementation.
Quick Start
- Step 1: Clarify business decisions and gather context (what decisions will data inform and what are key conversions).
- Step 2: Create a Tracking Plan with structured events, names (object-action), and properties; document decisions.
- Step 3: Implement in GA4/Tag Manager, then validate data through real-time/debug views and data quality checks.
Best Practices
- Track for decisions, not data: prioritize events that inform actions and outcomes.
- Start with the questions: define what you need to know and what actions follow.
- Name things consistently: use a clear object-action format and documentation.
- Maintain data quality: validate implementations and monitor for issues.
- Document decisions: keep a living record of event definitions, properties, and rules.
Example Use Cases
- Marketing Site: cta_clicked with button_text and location; form_submitted with form_type; signup_completed with method and source.
- Product/App: onboarding_step_completed with step_number and step_name; feature_used with feature_name; purchase_completed with plan and value.
- Event Library: reference comprehensive events in references/event-library.md and align names with the recommended format.
- Campaign Measurement: use Campaign properties (source, medium, campaign, content, term) to analyze channel performance.
- GA4 Implementation: follow the Quick Setup steps to create and configure a GA4 property and link to a tag manager if used.
Frequently Asked Questions
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