Tracker code

**Joplin** · 04 August 2010, 04:54 AM

Google Analytics states that it's code needs to be in the Head, not Body:

Copy the following code, then paste it onto every page you want to track immediately before the closing </head> tag

But it looks like there is no option in the Page or Site set up allowing you to put it anywhere but the body, which is where WD puts it. Has this issue been discussed somewhere, or is there an easy fix?

Google Analytics page

**steve.ledger** · 04 August 2010, 05:55 AM

Create a placeholder object.
Add your GA code to the 'Replace with HTML code' area of Web Properties >>Placeholder.
Apply
Right-click the placeholder object and choose 'Names'
In the dialogue that appears type: <head> then add.

That's it

**Joplin** · 04 August 2010, 06:35 AM

Thanks! I wonder if Xara knows about this. I actually missed the "head" requirement for a week and got some minimal results. Google doesn't automatically check it for you. But since WD puts this major Google tool in the body by default, I'll bet there are a lot of other novices that are wondering why they get few viewers.

**bb2** · 04 August 2010, 10:42 AM

Google used to require the code to be inserted prior to the closing body tag and not within the head section of a web page.

First there was urchin.js. Then came ga.js. Both of these tracking methods required you to insert the code prior to the closing body tag.

Now there's a third version: asynchronous tracking code and the asynchronous tracking code needs to be added to the head section of the web page.

Following the instructions provided by Sledger will allow you to achieve this.

I expect the way the tracker code field works will be revisited within future versions of Web Designer.

**gwpriester** · 04 August 2010, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by bb2

I expect the way the tracker code field works will be revisited within future versions of Web Designer.

By then Google will have changed the location of the code to the middle of the body section.

**Joplin** · 04 August 2010, 06:54 PM

The placeholder system seems to work.

What's really nice is that I was able to use "Repeating Objects" for the placeholder and the code was placed throughout the site! This fix strikes me as so important that Xara should at least post it.

**Joplin** · 04 August 2010, 07:37 PM

Just when I thought I had this figured out, I come across new questions:

Here Google says to add it at the end of the body, saying that "there are two basic ways to set up tracking on your web property: standard setup and customized setup."

Then on another page it says to put it in the head.

Somewhere else it said that if you had two tracking codes in different locations of the page, it may not work right!

**zumwalt** · 06 August 2010, 03:08 AM

If I'm reading the google instructions correctly it looks like placing it in the head maximizes chances for the "tracking beacon" to be sent:

"One of the main advantages of the asynchronous snippet is that you can position it at the top of the HTML document. This increases the likelihood that the tracking beacon will be sent before the user leaves the page."

Not sure how much of an issue this is in real life except for cases where someone makes a quick hit on a page and moves on.

So, I'm assuming the code still works even though it is in the body.