Adobe Analytics

Ankit_EG · 4/25/23

Hi We have configured marketing channels using processing rules and would like to understand how can we test them in lower environment. the website is not live yet

Configurations are as below

1. Branded Paid

Matches Paid Search Detection Rules

Search Keywords -> contains -> website related keywords

2. Generic Paid Search

Matches Paid Search Detection Rules -> Does not contains -> website related keywords

3. Natural Search

Matches Natural Search Detentions Rules

4. direct

Referrer -> Does not exists

5. Email

utm parameters

6. Social

refering root domain -> contains -> facebook.com etc

7. Referral

Refering Domain -> is Not Empty

Jennifer_Dungan · 4/25/23

Hi,

Depending on how comfortable you feel with manipulating code using your Browser's Console (Elements tab).

My first note however has to start with your first item:

1. Branded Paid
Matches Paid Search Detection Rules
Search Keywords -> contains -> website related keywords

This really isn't going to work... Search Keywords doesn't work for most search engines any longer..

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/analytics/components/dimensions/search-keyword.html?lang=en

Now, your other options, this is where you can get creative.... You may also want to do each of these from separate Incognito sessions, or if you want to test the overwrite, do a few in the same session.

2. Go to Google, perform a search... Right click and Inspect any link on the page. In the elements tab, you can right click on the anchor tag and choose to "Edit as HTML".. replace the value in href="xxxx" with the link to your Dev/QA site (include the paid search parameters). Click outside the "edit mode" to make sure the changes have stuck (when you hover over the modified link, you should see your browser telling you it will take you to your site, instead of the original link... click on it... now you will be entering your Dev site from Google with the Paid Search parameters.

3. Do the same as above from Google without the paid search parameters to test Natural Search.

4. Direct is easy, just open your site url directly

5. Open your site directly with your Email UTM parameters (by the way, you should change the order of Direct and Email... or most of your email traffic will be caught by the Direct rule before getting here - webmail, with referrers will probably make it here, but a lot of email apps and desktop programs don't code referrers, so they will go into Direct)

6. Do the same trick as Search above, open up Facebook, and manipulate a link to point to your Dev/QA site... or share a link that only you can see to you Dev/QA site, and click on the link (if you post your own invisible link, you can also test this from mobile devices if you need). You can always delete the post when you are done.

7. Go to any other domain, you can even do from here on Experience League, use your Inspect Element to manipulate any link to point to your Dev/QA site.

Now the "fun" part, waiting for the data to show in your Workspace to validate it.

View solution in original post

Jennifer_Dungan · 4/25/23

Hi,

Depending on how comfortable you feel with manipulating code using your Browser's Console (Elements tab).

My first note however has to start with your first item:

1. Branded Paid
Matches Paid Search Detection Rules
Search Keywords -> contains -> website related keywords

This really isn't going to work... Search Keywords doesn't work for most search engines any longer..

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/analytics/components/dimensions/search-keyword.html?lang=en

Now, your other options, this is where you can get creative.... You may also want to do each of these from separate Incognito sessions, or if you want to test the overwrite, do a few in the same session.

2. Go to Google, perform a search... Right click and Inspect any link on the page. In the elements tab, you can right click on the anchor tag and choose to "Edit as HTML".. replace the value in href="xxxx" with the link to your Dev/QA site (include the paid search parameters). Click outside the "edit mode" to make sure the changes have stuck (when you hover over the modified link, you should see your browser telling you it will take you to your site, instead of the original link... click on it... now you will be entering your Dev site from Google with the Paid Search parameters.

3. Do the same as above from Google without the paid search parameters to test Natural Search.

4. Direct is easy, just open your site url directly

5. Open your site directly with your Email UTM parameters (by the way, you should change the order of Direct and Email... or most of your email traffic will be caught by the Direct rule before getting here - webmail, with referrers will probably make it here, but a lot of email apps and desktop programs don't code referrers, so they will go into Direct)

6. Do the same trick as Search above, open up Facebook, and manipulate a link to point to your Dev/QA site... or share a link that only you can see to you Dev/QA site, and click on the link (if you post your own invisible link, you can also test this from mobile devices if you need). You can always delete the post when you are done.

7. Go to any other domain, you can even do from here on Experience League, use your Inspect Element to manipulate any link to point to your Dev/QA site.

Now the "fun" part, waiting for the data to show in your Workspace to validate it.

Ankit_EG · 4/25/23

Hi @Jennifer_Dungan Thanks for your detailed response on this.

Here are my thoughts on some of the point. please suggest me.

2. Go to Google, perform a search... Right click and Inspect any link on the page. In the elements tab, you can right click on the anchor tag and choose to "Edit as HTML".. replace the value in href="xxxx" with the link to your Dev/QA site (include the paid search parameters). Click outside the "edit mode" to make sure the changes have stuck (when you hover over the modified link, you should see your browser telling you it will take you to your site, instead of the original link... click on it... now you will be entering your Dev site from Google with the Paid Search parameters.

Search for website name fairview microwave in google and did the inspect element.

this is what its look like

I am not aware of what could be the paid search parameters. Please guide me on this.

this is what it looks like after the changes in href:

Jennifer_Dungan · 4/25/23

Yep! Those changes look good... those should now detect as "Natural Search"...

For Paid Search vs Natural Search, you need to configured your Paid Search Detection Rules.

Admin > Report Suites

(Choose suite)

Edit Settings > General > Paid Search Detection

Now, here is where you need to understand how your paid search is setup... here is a sample that we use, but it may not be limited to these:

utm_medium=cpc (cpc = cost per click)

utm_medium=ppc (ppc = pay per click)

utm_medium=paidsearch (variation 1 of paid)

utm_medium=paid (variation 2 of paid... I think this variation would cover the first, but I have both to be safe)

We are trying to consolidate our variations, but I have to deal with a lot of different business units right now that have been doing "their own thing" for years...

If you are using Adobe's cid, then your rules may look very different, you may have to account for how your cid formats code in "paid search" variations.

(You can also tie rules to specific search engines if you need, but most of the time, "Any" will do just fine)

These are the rules that "Matches Paid Search Detection Rules" uses to determine a paid search from know search engines.... and "Matches Natural Search Detentions Rules" is traffic from known search engines that don't match the Paid Search rules.

Ankit_EG · 4/25/23

Hi @Jennifer_Dungan thanks for the detailed explanation, I checked Paid Search Detection were missing in my system, added it.

Also, i have some links from stakeholders like utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc

Referring what you mentioned earlier, I think now I have started understanding what these things are.

So to validate this change what should I add in the href, Referring to what you mentioned in the first reply.

Appreciate your inputs on this!!

Jennifer_Dungan · 4/25/23

Yes, there's a lot of little pieces that all work together

And you are definitely on the right track confirming how to test this, instead of just assuming it's all going to work...

Since you don't have these live yet, you can also clear out / reset your Marketing Channel values in your QA/Dev account as you are testing... so if you have a 30 day or 7 day expiry, you don't have to wait for it to naturally clear... but if you are using incognito, you should register as a new user anyway, and should be fine.

But to clear (in case you need to - or want to clear prod once you make all your changes):

Admin > Report Suites

(Choose Suite)

Edit Settings > Marketing Channels > Marketing Channel Expiration

Josh__Stephens · 4/26/23

Some great suggestions @Jennifer_Dungan! Love the tweaking of some of the elements. I'll play with these next time I get a chance

Hemang35 · 4/25/23

Hey Buddy,

You can follow these steps:

- Create a test page: Set up a simple test page in your lower environment that includes the Adobe Analytics tracking code. This test page will be used to simulate user interactions and test your marketing channel configurations.

- Use the Adobe Experience Platform Debugger: Install the Adobe Experience Platform Debugger extension in your browser. This tool allows you to see the variables and data being sent to Adobe Analytics in real-time, which will help you in testing your marketing channel configurations.