Track exit link for a page within a site

[jladobe]

We want to track exit links for a page whenever the user leaves the page whether to a different page within the site or a completely different site. I've tried slightly different versions of the steps below: 

1. Configure a rule that sets a variable upon landing on the page, without sending a beacon or clearing the variable.

2. A second rule that gets fired when history changes and the above variable exists. It sets a page URL variable, sends a beacon and then clears the variable.

But it seems like the variable doesn't exist when the user leaves the page, so #2 never gets fired. I think there's something about eVars and props that I don't understand. Or should I try a completely different approach? I've also tried props with pathing but wasn't sure if that was working either, and I've also read I should try to use eVar over prop.

[Jennifer_Dungan · Accepted solution]

First off, a link that goes to another page in your site is not an exit link... if you start referring to those as such you are going to create a massive amount of confusion, as "exit links" have a specific definition.. a link that exits your site....

You could just use Activity Map?

Every link that is clicked on your site will record three pieces of information about the link:

• Activity Map Link
• Activity Map Region
• Activity Map Page

Region is only really useful once you apply so extra settings to make the regions of your site identifiable (otherwise it will just use the closest ancestor "id" attribute, which generally something only your developers will be able to understand)

But, it sounds like in this case you would need Link and Page.

Create a segment for "Activity Map Page equals Page X", then you can use Activity Map Link (dimension) and Activity Map Link Instance (metric) to see all the clicks from that page.

Activity Map when linking internally within your site will track the data on the next page view (thereby not using up an extra server call), when the link exits your site (assuming you have exit link tracking enabled) it will attach the Activity Map data to the exit link call.

Thereby capturing all links on your page with out of the box solutions.

[jladobe]

Activity Map worked, thank you. One thing I need to mention is that I needed to use it without creating a segment "Activity Map Page equals Page X" because that excluded links outside of the page while we needed to see them for this purpose.

[Jennifer_Dungan]

Activity Map Page is captured on Exit Links, so that segment wouldn't exclude exits on that page, the segment is needed to ensure that you are looking only at clicks on Page X.

Unless I am misunderstanding your need?

Based on your "We want to track exit links for a page whenever the user leaves the page whether to a different page within the site or a completely different site", I interpret this as needing to see all the clicks on a specific page. Let's use "home page" as an example.

Scenario 1: Home Page > Another Page Inside your Site

• Home Page (enter site)
  • No Activity Map Data Here
• Section X
  • Activity Map Data (on Section X PV)
    • Activity Map Page = home
    • Activity Map Link = section x
    • Activity Map Region = menu (for example)

Scenario 2: Home Page > Exit to Adobe.com

• Home Page (enter site)
  • No Activity Map Data Here
• Click on link to Adobe.com
  • Exit Link triggered
  • Activity Map Data (on Exit Link)
    • Activity Map Page = home
    • Activity Map Link = adobe.com
    • Activity Map Region = footer (for example)
• Adobe.com loads

Scenario 3: Page on your Site > Home Page > Another Page Inside your Site

• About Us Page
  • Activity Map Data if from within the site before this, or none if this was the entry point
• Home Page
  • Activity Map Data (on Home PV) 
    • Activity Map Page = about us
    • Activity Map Link = home
    • Activity Map Region = header (for example)
• Section X
  • Activity Map Data (on Section X PV)
    • Activity Map Page = home
    • Activity Map Link = section x
    • Activity Map Region = menu (for example)

In both cases, Activity Map Page will record that the click was made on your home page, and if you are trying to report on what clicks are being made from your home page, restricting your report to just home page clicks would be needed, otherwise you will get all clicks from every page on the site....

Activity Map Page is the page where the click was made, not the page you are landing on, or going to.

[mohammadz]

You can not use the exit link tracking for the traffic moving internally within the website.

If you are looking to count the number of visits having Page X as the last page of the visit or move from Page X to any other page - you can build a segment where in a  Exit Page is Page X OR Previous Page is Page X.

[yuhuisg]

Can you also elaborate on why you want to track your "next clicked link" in such a way? What is the business objective that you're trying to achieve?