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Help to set up Site Search on Google Analytics

A
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Hello. I've set up the site search on our Google Analytics (old/UA) account a couple of days ago, but it's not working, we didn't get any results.

I doubled check with Docebo support that my set up was correct and they said that it was, but I think that it isn't, because after reading  Google documentation (https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1012264#Post&zippy=%2Cin-this-article) I wonder if Docebo uses a POST-Based Search Engine, so in this case we shouldn't add a query parameter to our site search settings.

It seems that Docebo has to either configure the platform to append the query keywords to the end of the URL or Customize the tracking code !?

Can someone help with that?

 

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Best answer by alekwo 5 October 2021, 15:25

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alekwo
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Hi @amussap this will not work, as Google Analytics can only analyze search terms that are included in the Query String (the part of the URL after the ? question mark).

In Docebo, search keywords are added as a part of the path, so they can not be picked up by Google.

As a workaround you can use the Content Grouping function to group your pages by the search term used:

Then, you will be able to see a summary of search terms in the Behavior / Site Content section after selecting the search Content Grouping

 

I know it’s not as robust as Site Search analysis, but so far I didn’t find any better solution to track what are the most used search terms.

Of course, ideally Docebo would add the keyword to the Query String, and then it will be possible to use Search analysis from Google.

-- Alek Oleszkiewicz - linkedin.com/in/aleko
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@alekwo Thank you for the feedback. Let me try this workaround and I’ll reply back how it worked for me so it might be helpful to others as well.

And, yes, we, users, shouldn’t have to go through all this trouble.

Moreover, in this specific case, I’m really disappointed with Docebo support because I asked them in first place (I have a support ticket) and I was told that the configuration was as simple as adding the global-search string, so I’ve wasted a lot of time trying to figure out why this isn’t working.

A
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Hi @alekwo 

I've opened a support ticket on Docebo, and I was told to configure my query parameter as /global-search/, global, search (see screenshot).

Five days have passed and I still don't see any results, but I can't guarantee that people were searching the site. 
So, I've decide to duplicate my view and I just created the Content Grouping as you've recommended. 


Now, I'm going to ask my team to intentionally perform some searches to ensure that there were searches in the site, and I'd like to ask you how long it usually takes for GA to pick up this configuration and start to show results.


If we perform searches today, will they appear in the content grouping results by tomorrow? Or we have to perform searches today and tomorrow to guarantee that GA will pick up these?


Thanks 
Andrea

alekwo
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If we perform searches today, will they appear in the content grouping results by tomorrow? Or we have to perform searches today and tomorrow to guarantee that GA will pick up these?

 

I think that Google Analytics is processing captured data overnight, so you should see the results on the following day.

-- Alek Oleszkiewicz - linkedin.com/in/aleko
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I think that Google Analytics is processing captured data overnight, so you should see the results on the following day.

 

AAMOF, I can see the results already! That’s excellent. But one thing I don't get it how to know the number of time people searched for the term. If the (Behavior) Site Search report worked I'd get -

The searched term - total unique searches

but with the grouping, I just the get number of page views, e.g., I can see:

kubernetes = 4 Page views

Does this mean that people searched for kubernetes 4 times?

The amount of page views is the same of the amount of the searches for a term?

 

Thanks

Andrea

 

alekwo
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@amussap yes, when someone is performing search, they are opening the search results page, so yes, you can assume that the number of page views is an estimation of the number of times the specific term was searched for.

As said before, that’s a workaround for the limitations in the Docebo’s integration with Google Analytics, so it won’t provide you the same level of detail as the native search analysis from GA.

 

Note, that neither standard GA search analysis, nor this, will show you cases, when people enter the term and click on one of the four suggestions, instead of opening the search results page.

-- Alek Oleszkiewicz - linkedin.com/in/aleko
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@alekwo @amussap I was able to track search terms on the LMS by setting up a view Filter (Lower Left Admin Gear > Filter under View Column).

 

Set up a new Custom Advanced Filter that looks like my below screen shot and you should start seeing search terms appear under Behavior > Site Search > Search Terms:

 

 

For what it’s worth I originally followed method 2 outlined in this article: https://www.lovesdata.com/blog/site-search-setup#site-search-2

 

Hope this works for you!

 

alekwo
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@nick.tosto that’s awesome. Didn’t event know it’s possible in GA.

Just set it up on our account.

Thanks a million.

-- Alek Oleszkiewicz - linkedin.com/in/aleko
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@nick.tosto Yes, brilliant! 

Just set it up on our account as well.

Just one detail I did differently, I was reading about the caret RegEx, and if I got it right I think that we can create our URL either as /learn/global-search/(.*) or ^/global-search/(.*), so I’m using the first option and tomorrow I’ll let ye know if it worked :grin:

Thanks a mil!

Jenna M.
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@nick.tosto  Thank you for sharing!

A
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reading about the caret RegEx, and if I got it right I think that we can create our URL either as /learn/global-search/(.*) or ^/global-search/(.*), so I’m using the first option and tomorrow I’ll let ye know if it worked 

Hi,
in case this is helpful to someone, the ^/global-search/(.*) expression didn't work for me, but the /learn/global-search/(.*) has worked

Lucy.blake
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Has anyone figured out how to do the search terms for the new G4A analytics? I accidentally turned it on, now I can’t turn it off and the old analytics is no longer collecting search terms. 

lrodman
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Is this to track what people search for in the searchbar? I would really love that data.

 

How are people doing GA4? Thought docebo doesn’t support it.

lrodman
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And my search filter is on! Not working though...

 

Basic website google analytics are indeed working.

 

Will mobile app show up here too? Or no.

martiniwinski
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How do we do this for GA4? I wasn’t able to add ‘global-search’ in the advanced options there. GA4 didn’t like the ‘-’ hyphen and couldn’t save. I have this so far, not sure yet if it works or not.
 

 

Martin Iwinski
sabine.deliveroo
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@martiniwinski doesn’t work for me as well

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