Tracking PDF downloads from SERP clicks
-
For the longest time, our company policy has always been to put PDFs in a secure folder (hence they are not indexed and do not appear in search results). After evaluating this strategy, there has been clamor in recent months to allow Google to index our whitepapers.
My question: Once PDFs start appearing in search results, what is the best way to start tracking clicks due to these "downloads"?
-
To address the main question (sorry we got a bit off track) - you can set up virtual page-views which fire when links to these PDF URLs are clicked. In some browsers this will trigger a download, in other browsers (like Chrome, which contains a built-in PDF viewer) - unless the site has been coded a certain way, a download may not actually even occur. The PDF may simply open in a new tab, and render as a web page with a full URL
As such I prefer to use virtual page-views piped to Google Analytics when the links to these documents are clicked, to track their views / downloads (which under normal circumstances, you can't distinguish between those two view types). Even when a PDF is being viewed 'as' a page on your site in a new tab, remember that PDF documents don't support the GA tracking script (so views to those PDF URLs get 'lost' from GA). You need to use virtual page-views, to remedy that
-
You can find lots more discussion of pdf optimization here.
-
I forgot to address the tracking question... We used to get server logs and run them through WeblogExpert. You can set it up to track pdf impressions.
We don't do that any more because we turned off server logs because we felt it might take us out of GDPR compliance.
-
This has actually significantly changed my views on PDF optimisation. I didn't know that they held so much optimisation potential. I have always agreed with allowing them to index, but pushed to have them replaced with pages (which contain optional links / buttons to download the original PDF, for users who prefer that)
The sticking point is usually budget. Many clients can't afford the required redesign efforts, so it's good to know that PDFs actually hold (within their native format) some optimisation potential. Thank you EGOL
-
PDFs can pull in tons of traffic if they have high quality content. I agree with allowing Google to index them.
PDFs can be optimized by editing their properties. Editing the document title in properties has the optimization power of a <title>tag.</p> <p>It is probably worth the effort to look at the PDFs and plan how you can use them to drive traffic (through links) to relevant pages of your website. Then if the PDFs get links, some of that power will pass through to the rest of your site. Breadcrumbs in PDFs will weave them into your website architecture.</p> <p>You can also sell ad space in the PDFs or place your own ads in there. You can also place "buy buttons" in PDFs. </p> <p>There are lots of things that can be done with PDFs that most people have not thought of. </p></title>
Browse Questions
Explore more categories
-
Moz Tools
Chat with the community about the Moz tools.
-
SEO Tactics
Discuss the SEO process with fellow marketers
-
Community
Discuss industry events, jobs, and news!
-
Digital Marketing
Chat about tactics outside of SEO
-
Research & Trends
Dive into research and trends in the search industry.
-
Support
Connect on product support and feature requests.
Related Questions
-
GA Event: to use this feature visit: EVENT-TRACKING.COM
Hi guys, Two days ago our Google Analytics Event tracker began to show this Event/Label, etc. I cannot find its source. Anybody knows what is this about? Thanks for your answers. Ana
Reporting & Analytics | | anagentile1 -
Weird Math in GA Ecommerce Tracking
Hi everybody. I've recently discovered that I have a problem with the ecommerce tracking on a client's website. The client sells concert tickets at an average price of $10 per ticket. The custom ecommerce platform they use is kind of unusual; the same product often has different SKUs, but not always. This isn't associated with different seats, etc. In fact, I don't yet know why they've set it up that way. The problem that I'm facing is this: the data in Analytics is calculating the "average price" of a SKU item as the total price. If, for example, the actual average price for a SKU item is $10 and four of those SKU items were sold, Analytics will tell me the average price is $40. This means that the total revenue for that SKU shows up as $40 x 4 = $160. Needless to say, this is enormously skewing the data. Here's a screenshot. Note, it's the same product: http://screencast.com/t/JyLQkb3jzz6s The total revenue for ticket sales is way off because of this, and I'm not sure if it's a problem with the ecommerce tracking code in Analytics, or something that the ecomm platform is doing. Have any of you experienced anything like this, and if so is it a fix in Analytics? Thank you!
Reporting & Analytics | | newwhy0 -
I want to track product click so how to create project object or how to pass project object ?
Hey, I am reading this post - https://developers.google.com/tag-manager/enhanced-ecommerce#product-clicksIn this there is function like given below - function(productObj) { dataLayer.push({ 'event': 'productClick', 'ecommerce': {.....................................................................................................................Now my developer asking how to create object? or how to pass product object? Like on page we have more than 50 products listed, so if any one clicks on any product from list then how will we know which product has been clicked?Hope you understand what i want to say? Regards,Mitesh
Reporting & Analytics | | bkmitesh0 -
GA Goal Tracking for Proactive Chat
Hi all, Just wondering whether anyone knows how I'd be able to track Proactive Chats as a goal in Google Analytics? So when someone visits our site, and we proactively contact them by initiating a chat (rather than a reactive chat where the visitor initiates it). Thanks!
Reporting & Analytics | | AdrianCordiner0 -
Has anyone experienced Google Analytics track the page visit to a "thank you" page, but not the goal conversion?
Has anyone experienced where Google Analytics would track the page visit to a "thank you" page, but not the goal conversion that should result? The goal had worked for a long time as it is as just a goal url with head match. No funnel. Not case sensitive. For about four days now, no conversions have been recorded, but Google Analytics shows hundreds of people visited the page that should trigger the goal. Additionally, we have received the hundreds of leads. A Screaming Frog search shows the code is embedded throughout the site. For the interested, the GA code looks like (and the 8 Xs are the correct number on the site): Am I missing something?
Reporting & Analytics | | 352inc0 -
How to track subfolders in GA?
Is it possible to get the visitor statistics for a subfolder (example.com/blog/) in Google Analytics? I already have GA tracking set-up like normal, and visitors do get logged, but to see data only for /blog/ I have to go to Content > Site Content > All pages and search for "/blog/". Should I create a new profile in Google Analytics? Or is there a better way to only see stats for a subfolder?
Reporting & Analytics | | Qon0 -
Subdomain GA Tracking??
Hi Mozzers I am tracking a web property www.example.com and we are launching a subdomain.example.com. Should the subdomain tracked on GA by creating a new profile or should it be on its own with a new GA property ID? Thanks for explaining how to do that setup 🙂 Ty
Reporting & Analytics | | Ideas-Money-Art0 -
Tracking Email campaign
I generated the following URL to track visits from newsletter. http://www.example.com/ ?utm_source=newsletter1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newletter2109 Do i have to use this link in our email ? My question is it looks ugly. How do i shorten this ? Using bit.ly ? But isn't it true that URL shortening services such as bitly, as some can increase the likelihood of email being marked as spam
Reporting & Analytics | | seoug_20051