Posted on Friday 15th of February 2008 at 08:01 in Software

New Google Analytics code available, new features coming, but why is it a secret?

I don't know why Google didn't actually announce the new tracker for Analytics but there is a new one, to replace the standard "urchin.js" that almost everyone is using.

When adding Analytics to a client's website recently I was offered the choice of two different tracking codes: the standard urchin and their "new" one. I don't mind that they've changed it a little, what I do mind is that the new one is better and existing users aren't being told.



Old Urchin
Google themselves say "Refer to this tracking code if your site already has urchin.js installed. Please note that urchin.js will not receive feature updates and is not compatible with new features." Note that Urchin will not track data useful for new features that are in the pipeline.

New Urchin
"Use this tracking code to gain access to a wide range of exciting new features as they become available." New features? Interesting! There's no hint as to what they might be but they're only available to users with the new tracking code.

But Google aren't telling us!
It's only when you go to create a new website that you're offered this choice. So if you (like me) have been using Analytics for quite a long time, at no point do Google tell you that there is a new piece of code to implement.

I wonder if they'd tell us when the new features become available, either way it's there. Go have a look. I'm not sure how to get the tracking code for a current site in the new format out of it yet, but it's worth going to have a nose around.

 

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