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vineri, 13 iulie 2012

What is “?gclid=” & Why is The Analytics Cookie (Not Set)?

What is “?gclid=” & Why is The Analytics Cookie (Not Set)?

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 04:51 AM PDT

Recently we were a little stumped with gclid and the Google Analytics cookie that's placed on user's computers. We were asked:

"I went to my website through an ad, and the Analytics cookie set on my computer says: utmgclid=StrangeGibberishHere456|utmccn=(not%20set)|utmcmd=(not%20set) )|utmctr=my%20search%20term – why are the medium and campaign not set?"

So we did a little digging around to figure out why 'utmccn' was 'not set' and thought it was appropriate that we share it with all of you too. So here's the low down on what we've learnt:

When an AdWords account is linked to an Analytics account, and you enable automatic tagging, AdWords uses the gclid to hide all the information it needs to pass to Analytics.

If the link between Analytics and AdWords is set up properly, you shouldn't see "?gclid=" in Analytics – it should recognise the tag as being from AdWords and decode all the data from it.

See the Analytics Help page on auto-tagging.

Going back to the initial query:

"I went to my website through an ad, and the Analytics cookie set on my computer says utmgclid=StrangeGibberishHere456|utmccn=(not%20set)|utmcmd=(not%20set) )|utmctr=my%20search%20term – why are the medium and campaign not set?"

The medium and campaign are set – it's just that they're hidden in the gclid. The 'gclid= StrangeGibberishHere123' contains all the information Analytics needs to assign 'campaign', 'ad group', 'placement' etc., so having 'utmccn' and 'utmcmd' set on top of that would just confuse things.

Also, having information hidden in a 'gclid' and not in 'utmcmd' means competitors can't just look at the cookies set on their computers to determine your AdWords account structure.

Another question we were asked was:

"When I look at Analytics Real Time, I see active pages tagged with things like /landingpage.html?gclid=blahblahblah – what's going on?"

When someone clicks on an ad, they'll actually go to the URL /landingpage.html?gclid=blahblahblah. Usually Analytics would strip away the gclid parameter and show just /landingpage.html as the page – but the gclid still shows up in Analytics Real Time, presumably because Real Time is only in beta.

But what are your thoughts? Have you had similar queries thrown at you and have you got any insights to share? Please feel free to add to the discussion within the comments below.

Seth's Blog : Monetizing digital attention

Monetizing digital attention

The most effective way to make a living from attention paid online is to earn trust, connect a tribe and then sell something that isn't online. The Ironman triathalon, say, or Louis CK's concert tickets. Attention is precious and trust even more so.

Many folks, though, would like to be able to deliver a digital 'product', an ebook or video or some other online good that they can produce at low cost and sell in volume. There's a long history of brilliant writers and directors finding markets for their work using movies, books and other media that used to be new, and it would be gratifying if it could work here.

Unfortunately, most people do it wrong. They use a long sales pitch letter with highlighted boxes and fake testimonials. They make grandiose promises of secret riches or long-hidden techniques. And most disappointing to those that would build trust, they enlist a legion of affiliate salespeople, linking to one another and gaming search results or buying fake search ads.

There's a better way. Consider two counter-examples: Paul Wolfe's site about how to learn the bass, and Susan Piver's Open Heart project on meditation. I'm lucky enough to know both Susan and Paul, and I've seen how they've used the power of digital media to build successful businesses.

In both cases, the model is the same: it's free to get started. So free, in fact, that most people who engage discover that all they need is the free stuff. Since the marginal cost of sharing these samples is free, it costs them nothing to add one more person to the ever-growing list of those that trust, that pay attention and that gladly give permission to their teacher.

The magic comes in because of the inevitable movement of the most motivated students from free to paid. Not because the teacher has to hold anything back to sell out of panic or greed, but because the committed student is happy and eager to pay.

It's almost impossible to hold information hostage online. People are unlikely to sit still as you dangle something valuable but not share what's inside the box. The approach that Paul and Susan take is to eagerly share, and then to clearly delineate between what's free and what's not.

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joi, 12 iulie 2012

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

Demographic Time Bomb in Pictures and Dollar Amounts; Ratio of Social Security Beneficiaries to Private Employment Now Exceeds 50%
Car Maker Peugeot to Cut 8,000 Jobs, Close Plant; Shape of Things to Come
Mish on Capital Account: "Time for Krugman to Leave Ivory Tower for Real World"

Demographic Time Bomb in Pictures and Dollar Amounts; Ratio of Social Security Beneficiaries to Private Employment Now Exceeds 50%

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 01:04 PM PDT

Here is a chart from reader Tim Wallace showing social security and disability stats for June of 2012 compared to June in prior years.

click on chart for sharper image

Chart shows those receiving benefits. Those not in the labor force claiming a disability is much higher.

Not in Labor Force - With a Disability, 16 Years and Over

In terms of effect on unemployment stats, the above chart applies.

Beneficiary Data

Beneficiary Data in first chart is from Social Security Online. Here are additional charts from the site.

Number of Beneficiaries by Type

Number of Beneficiaries as of December 2011

A few more charts will put this in perspective.

Civilian Labor Force

Private Employment

Quick Stats

As of 2012-06 the civilian labor force was 155,163,000
As of 2012-06 there were 111,145,000 in the private workforce
As of 2012-06 there were 56,174,538 collecting some form of SS or disability benefit
Ratio of SS beneficiaries to private employment just passed the 50% mark (50.54%)

Here is one final chart to ponder.

Social Security Benefits in Dollars

As of May 2012, the outlays are $756.9 billion annualized. Fewer worker relatively speaking, support more and more recipients with exponentially growing payments. This is supposed to work?

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Car Maker Peugeot to Cut 8,000 Jobs, Close Plant; Shape of Things to Come

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 09:37 AM PDT

Citing a plunge in auto sales, Peugeot to Cut 8,000 Jobs, Close Plant

French carmaker Peugeot Citroen has set out plans to cut 8,000 jobs and close an assembly plant outside Paris as losses mount.

Last week, Peugeot said its first-half sales had fallen 13% amid a "profound crisis" in its eurozone markets. Peugeot's chairman, Phillipe Varin, said the situation was grave.

"I am fully aware of the seriousness of today's announcement, as well as of the shock and emotions they will arouse in the company," he said in a statement.

Unions described the announcement as a "declaration of war" and an "earthquake", the AFP press agency reported.

The carmaker said it expected to report a loss for the first half of this year and to return to break-even by the end of 2014.

Peugeot also this year entered into an alliance with GM of the US, under which GM takes a 7% stake in Peugeot, making GM the second-biggest shareholder in the French firm after the Peugeot family.

The company said the effects of that deal would not be felt until after 2014.

Closures and Firings

The Aulnay plant near Paris, which employs 3,000 workers, would stop production in 2014.
Another plant, at Rennes in western France, is set to shed 1,400 posts from the 5,600 it employs there.
Another 3,600 jobs would be lost across all facilities in France.

Press Release

Here is the official press release: Peugeot Citroën Presents a Project to Reorganise

Shape of Things to Come

This is a start of what I expect to happen. For further discussion, please see Global Collapse In Auto Sales Coming Up.

More importantly this may be the trigger for French president Francois Hollande to follow through with his Economically Insane Proposal: "Make Layoffs So Expensive For Companies That It's Not Worth It"

Alternatively, it may be an act by Peugeot to fire workers while they still can. This is how I described the proposal in the preceding link:

Four Things, All of Them Bad

Mass layoffs will occur before the law passes.
Companies will move any jobs they can overseas.
Ongoing, if it's difficult to fire people, companies will not hire them in the first place.
Corporate profits will collapse along with the stock market should the need to fire people arise.

The proposal to force companies to sell plants rather than fire workers as outlined by Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg and Labour Minister Michel Sapin is nothing short of economic insanity.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Mish on Capital Account: "Time for Krugman to Leave Ivory Tower for Real World"

Posted: 12 Jul 2012 12:54 AM PDT

I was on Capital Account once again on Wednesday with Lauren Lyster. The topics of discussion this time were the US and global recessions, auto sales, and Paul Krugman.

Here is a video clip:

Link if video does not play: Paul "King" Krugman knocked off his Ivory Tower as Fools Sack the Hill!

I regards to Krugman, I concluded with ...

"His Keynesian thesis simply does not add up. We saw endless Keynesian and monetarist stimulus in Japan. It got them nothing. He learned nothing from Japan. He learned nothing from the great depression. Yet, because he has a Nobel prize, he can write a book and tell everyone what they should be doing. Man, this guy needs to get out of his ivory tower, Lauren, and get into the real world."

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
Click Here To Scroll Thru My Recent Post List

Seth's Blog : Two deadlines (and a read)

Two deadlines (and a read)

The application deadline for my free college student summer seminar is Friday morning. Please remind any college students you know that they're almost out of time...

The Kickstarter project I launched last month is almost over. The thing to get that's not yet sold out is the behemoth oversized best-of book, which is turning out to be really special, and this is going to be your best chance to get a copy.

I'm really enjoying Kurt Andersen's new book. It's always a treat when he publishes something.

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vineri, 13 iulie 2012

What is “?gclid=” & Why is The Analytics Cookie (Not Set)?

What is “?gclid=” & Why is The Analytics Cookie (Not Set)?

Seth's Blog : Monetizing digital attention

Monetizing digital attention

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