Enhanced link attribution was announced last week for Google Analytics. Since links can dramatically affect SEO ratings, I thought it was important to hit the highlights. But first, let me explain the issues this update solves. Before In-Page Analytics only showed clickthrough info by URL, meaning it didn’t show the actual link on the page. This was problematic, especially if you had links from the same entity but from different pages… important info when managing your site’s overall inbound link health for SEO.
Link Attribution & In-Page Features
What are the top three in-page features? Glad you asked. They are:
- Can now track the clicks according to a specific link rather than just the destination page. This is particularly helpful to determine if link placement is a major factor in getting clicks.
- Get info even if 301 redirects are used.
- If a link was contained in elements like a graphic or button, data can now be tracked.
Google is releasing this feature over the next several weeks. So you may see a delay in having the option to enable these new features in your website’s settings. For the more advanced Google Analytics user, you can tag specific pages now to begin collecting attribution data. For more Enhanced Link Attribution how-tos and steps to tag pages, Google’s help center is a great resource.
Sound like techno gobbly-gook to you? No problem, drop me a line. I’m happy to help explain these exciting changes.
Images – Selection & Optimization