How to integrate Google Analytics in your video player for advanced event tracking

Google Analytics (GA) is a web analytics service that uses a combination of cookies and APIs to enter events into a tracking site. The VIXY player includes a plugin that communicates the events to Google Analytics.

The collection of events can then provide an analysis of player actions. To use this plugin, you must first have a Google analytics account: http://www.google.com/analytics/

After signing up, you'll receive an urchin ID (UA-CODE) under property settings, appearing similar to UA-XXXXXXXXX-1. This ID is the link between your player and the Google Analytics account.

Please note that you have two options:

Setup a new property for basic event tracking. This will allow to track events separately and is useful when you don't have full access to the property that's already being used on the targeted website (where the player is embedded).
Use a standard website property for advanced event tracking. This is useful when you already have full access to the Google Analytics property that's being used by the website where the video will be embedded. By integrating a property that's also applied for website tracking, you are able to extend your knowledge by correlating the player events with the pageviews on your website. This gives you advanced insight into customer journeys on your website, for example: the path from traffic sources, player events and exit pages.

When choosing the second option it's important to enable "do not allow page tracking" in the player settings.

Notes on Step 1:

In Google Analytics, go to: "Account → Property → Create new property (or choose existing)".
Property Name: a random name from which the property is recognized.
Default URL, fill in: https://platform.vixyvideo.com (when needed)
Default View: leave empty (All Web Site Data)
Industry Category: leave empty (or choose your industry).

Notes on Step 2:

Go to VIXY and open the Universal Player Studio (Select 'Studio' in the main menu).
Open a current player or create a new player by clicking on the blue button on the right → open the analytics tab by clicking on the analytics icon on the left.
!! Select the Universal analytics plugin (this is the newest Google Analytics plugin) !!
Enable Google Analytics event tracking by clicking on the boolean / square → fill in the fields as specified above (left image)
Choose a "Events default category" name, this is the name for the events to appear in Google Analytics.

Important: enable option "Do not allow page tracking" to exclude player events from pageviews and bounce-rates. This is especially important when you use a standard property to also track website pageviews event.

How to read events in Google Analytics

After you install configure Google Analytics in the player, events may be reported to your Google Analytics account and will be collected under the Behaviour → Events page.

To drill down into events: Go to Behaviour → Events → Pages.

You can further filter data by selecting "Secondary dimension", for example if you want to display exit pages, select: Behaviour → Exit Page.

Events explained:

kdpReady

The player has been fully loaded.

mediaReady

The player has been fully loaded and the media is ready to be viewed.

changeMedia

Tracks 'related videos' and similar video changes such as selecting another video from the player menu.

playerPlayed

The player actually has been played (user clicks on play button for the first time)

doPause

Pausing the video.

doPlay

Actually viewing the video (stats are also measured when a player goes from pause state to play state).

firstPlay

Actually viewing the video for the first time.

doSeek

Seeking in the video (seeking backward or forward in the video).

openFullScreen

The player goes into full screen.

closeFullScreen

The player goes from full screen into normal view.

25_pct_watched

The player reaches the 25% mark of the video.

50_pct_watched

The player reaches the 50% mark of the video.

75_pct_watched

The player reaches the 75% mark of the video.

100_pct_watched

The player reaches the 100% mark of the video.