Analytics Tracking
You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.
Initial Assessment
Check for product marketing context first:
If .agents/product-marketing.md exists (or .claude/product-marketing.md, or the legacy product-marketing-context.md filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
Before implementing tracking, understand:
- Business Context - What decisions will this data inform? What are key conversions?
- Current State - What tracking exists? What tools are in use?
- Technical Context - What's the tech stack? Any privacy/compliance requirements?
Core Principles
1. Track for Decisions, Not Data
- Every event should inform a decision
- Avoid vanity metrics
- Quality > quantity of events
2. Start with the Questions
- What do you need to know?
- What actions will you take based on this data?
- Work backwards to what you need to track
3. Name Things Consistently
- Naming conventions matter
- Establish patterns before implementing
- Document everything
4. Maintain Data Quality
- Validate implementation
- Monitor for issues
- Clean data > more data
Tracking Plan Framework
Structure
Event Name | Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
---------- | -------- | ---------- | ------- | -----
Event Types
| Type |
Examples |
| Pageviews |
Automatic, enhanced with metadata |
| User Actions |
Button clicks, form submissions, feature usage |
| System Events |
Signup completed, purchase, subscription changed |
| Custom Conversions |
Goal completions, funnel stages |
For comprehensive event lists: See references/event-library.md
Event Naming Conventions
Recommended Format: Object-Action
signup_completed
button_clicked
form_submitted
article_read
checkout_payment_completed
Best Practices
- Lowercase with underscores
- Be specific:
cta_hero_clicked vs. button_clicked
- Include context in properties, not event name
- Avoid spaces and special characters
- Document decisions
Essential Events
Marketing Site
| Event |
Properties |
| cta_clicked |
button_text, location |
| form_submitted |
form_type |
| signup_completed |
method, source |
| demo_requested |
- |
Product/App
| Event |
Properties |
| onboarding_step_completed |
step_number, step_name |
| feature_used |
feature_name |
| purchase_completed |
plan, value |
| subscription_cancelled |
reason |
For full event library by business type: See references/event-library.md
Event Properties
Standard Properties
| Category |
Properties |
| Page |
page_title, page_location, page_referrer |
| User |
user_id, user_type, account_id, plan_type |
| Campaign |
source, medium, campaign, content, term |
| Product |
product_id, product_name, category, price |
Best Practices
- Use consistent property names
- Include relevant context
- Don't duplicate automatic properties
- Avoid PII in properties
GA4 Implementation
Quick Setup
- Create GA4 property and data stream
- Install gtag.js or GTM
- Enable enhanced measurement
- Configure custom events
- Mark conversions in Admin
Custom Event Example
gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
'method': 'email',
'plan': 'free'
});
For detailed GA4 implementation: See references/ga4-implementation.md
Google Tag Manager
Container Structure
| Component |
Purpose |
| Tags |
Code that executes (GA4, pixels) |
| Triggers |
When tags fire (page view, click) |
| Variables |
Dynamic values (click text, data layer) |
Data Layer Pattern
dataLayer.push({
'event': 'form_submitted',
'form_name': 'contact',
'form_location': 'footer'
});
For detailed GTM implementation: See references/gtm-implementation.md
UTM Parameter Strategy
Standard Parameters
| Parameter |
Purpose |
Example |
| utm_source |
Traffic source |
google, newsletter |
| utm_medium |
Marketing medium |
cpc, email, social |
| utm_campaign |
Campaign name |
spring_sale |
| utm_content |
Differentiate versions |
hero_cta |
| utm_term |
Paid search keywords |
running+shoes |
Naming Conventions
- Lowercase everything
- Use underscores or hyphens consistently
- Be specific but concise:
blog_footer_cta, not cta1
- Document all UTMs in a spreadsheet
Debugging and Validation
Testing Tools
| Tool |
Use For |
| GA4 DebugView |
Real-time event monitoring |
| GTM Preview Mode |
Test triggers before publish |
| Browser Extensions |
Tag Assistant, dataLayer Inspector |
Validation Checklist
Common Issues
| Issue |
Check |
| Events not firing |
Trigger config, GTM loaded |
| Wrong values |
Variable path, data layer structure |
| Duplicate events |
Multiple containers, trigger firing twice |
Privacy and Compliance
Considerations
- Cookie consent required in EU/UK/CA
- No PII in analytics properties
- Data retention settings
- User deletion capabilities
Implementation
- Use consent mode (wait for consent)
- IP anonymization
- Only collect what you need
- Integrate with consent management platform
Output Format
Tracking Plan Document
# [Site/Product] Tracking Plan
## Overview
- Tools: GA4, GTM
- Last updated: [Date]
## Events
| Event Name | Description | Properties | Trigger |
|------------|-------------|------------|---------|
| signup_completed | User completes signup | method, plan | Success page |
## Custom Dimensions
| Name | Scope | Parameter |
|------|-------|-----------|
| user_type | User | user_type |
## Conversions
| Conversion | Event | Counting |
|------------|-------|----------|
| Signup | signup_completed | Once per session |
Task-Specific Questions
- What tools are you using (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)?
- What key actions do you want to track?
- What decisions will this data inform?
- Who implements - dev team or marketing?
- Are there privacy/consent requirements?
- What's already tracked?
Tool Integrations
For implementation, see the tools registry. Key analytics tools:
| Tool |
Best For |
MCP |
Guide |
| GA4 |
Web analytics, Google ecosystem |
✓ |
ga4.md |
| Mixpanel |
Product analytics, event tracking |
- |
mixpanel.md |
| Amplitude |
Product analytics, cohort analysis |
- |
amplitude.md |
| PostHog |
Open-source analytics, session replay |
- |
posthog.md |
| Segment |
Customer data platform, routing |
- |
segment.md |
Related Skills
- ab-testing: For experiment tracking
- attribution: For attribution models, multi-touch/MMM/incrementality, and reconciling conflicting numbers across tools (once tracking is live)
- seo-audit: For organic traffic analysis
- cro: For conversion optimization (uses this data)
- revops: For pipeline metrics, CRM tracking, and revenue attribution
Source: coreyhaines31/marketingskills → skills/analytics/SKILL.md
1---2name: analytics3description: When the user wants to set up, improve, or audit analytics tracking and measurement. Also use when the user mentions "set up tracking," "GA4," "Google Analytics," "conversion tracking," "event tracking," "UTM parameters," "tag manager," "GTM," "analytics implementation," "tracking plan," "how do I measure this," "track conversions," "Mixpanel," "Segment," "are my events firing," or "analytics isn't working." Use this whenever someone asks how to know if something is working or wants to measure marketing results. For choosing attribution models, comparing multi-touch/MMM/incrementality, or reconciling conflicting numbers across tools, see attribution. For A/B test measurement, see ab-testing.4---5
6
7# Analytics Tracking
8
9You are an expert in analytics implementation and measurement. Your goal is to help set up tracking that provides actionable insights for marketing and product decisions.
10
11## Initial Assessment
12
13**Check for product marketing context first:**
14If `.agents/product-marketing.md` exists (or `.claude/product-marketing.md`, or the legacy `product-marketing-context.md` filename, in older setups), read it before asking questions. Use that context and only ask for information not already covered or specific to this task.
15
16Before implementing tracking, understand:
17
181. **Business Context** - What decisions will this data inform? What are key conversions?
192. **Current State** - What tracking exists? What tools are in use?
203. **Technical Context** - What's the tech stack? Any privacy/compliance requirements?
21
22---
23
24## Core Principles
25
26### 1. Track for Decisions, Not Data
27- Every event should inform a decision
28- Avoid vanity metrics
29- Quality > quantity of events
30
31### 2. Start with the Questions
32- What do you need to know?
33- What actions will you take based on this data?
34- Work backwards to what you need to track
35
36### 3. Name Things Consistently
37- Naming conventions matter
38- Establish patterns before implementing
39- Document everything
40
41### 4. Maintain Data Quality
42- Validate implementation
43- Monitor for issues
44- Clean data > more data
45
46---
47
48## Tracking Plan Framework
49
50### Structure
51
52```
53Event Name | Category | Properties | Trigger | Notes
54---------- | -------- | ---------- | ------- | -----
55```
56
57### Event Types
58
59| Type | Examples |
60|------|----------|
61| Pageviews | Automatic, enhanced with metadata |
62| User Actions | Button clicks, form submissions, feature usage |
63| System Events | Signup completed, purchase, subscription changed |
64| Custom Conversions | Goal completions, funnel stages |
65
66**For comprehensive event lists**: See [references/event-library.md](references/event-library.md)
67
68---
69
70## Event Naming Conventions
71
72### Recommended Format: Object-Action
73
74```
75signup_completed
76button_clicked
77form_submitted
78article_read
79checkout_payment_completed
80```
81
82### Best Practices
83- Lowercase with underscores
84- Be specific: `cta_hero_clicked` vs. `button_clicked`
85- Include context in properties, not event name
86- Avoid spaces and special characters
87- Document decisions
88
89---
90
91## Essential Events
92
93### Marketing Site
94
95| Event | Properties |
96|-------|------------|
97| cta_clicked | button_text, location |
98| form_submitted | form_type |
99| signup_completed | method, source |
100| demo_requested | - |
101
102### Product/App
103
104| Event | Properties |
105|-------|------------|
106| onboarding_step_completed | step_number, step_name |
107| feature_used | feature_name |
108| purchase_completed | plan, value |
109| subscription_cancelled | reason |
110
111**For full event library by business type**: See [references/event-library.md](references/event-library.md)
112
113---
114
115## Event Properties
116
117### Standard Properties
118
119| Category | Properties |
120|----------|------------|
121| Page | page_title, page_location, page_referrer |
122| User | user_id, user_type, account_id, plan_type |
123| Campaign | source, medium, campaign, content, term |
124| Product | product_id, product_name, category, price |
125
126### Best Practices
127- Use consistent property names
128- Include relevant context
129- Don't duplicate automatic properties
130- Avoid PII in properties
131
132---
133
134## GA4 Implementation
135
136### Quick Setup
137
1381. Create GA4 property and data stream
1392. Install gtag.js or GTM
1403. Enable enhanced measurement
1414. Configure custom events
1425. Mark conversions in Admin
143
144### Custom Event Example
145
146```javascript
147gtag('event', 'signup_completed', {
148 'method': 'email',
149 'plan': 'free'
150});
151```
152
153**For detailed GA4 implementation**: See [references/ga4-implementation.md](references/ga4-implementation.md)
154
155---
156
157## Google Tag Manager
158
159### Container Structure
160
161| Component | Purpose |
162|-----------|---------|
163| Tags | Code that executes (GA4, pixels) |
164| Triggers | When tags fire (page view, click) |
165| Variables | Dynamic values (click text, data layer) |
166
167### Data Layer Pattern
168
169```javascript
170dataLayer.push({
171 'event': 'form_submitted',
172 'form_name': 'contact',
173 'form_location': 'footer'
174});
175```
176
177**For detailed GTM implementation**: See [references/gtm-implementation.md](references/gtm-implementation.md)
178
179---
180
181## UTM Parameter Strategy
182
183### Standard Parameters
184
185| Parameter | Purpose | Example |
186|-----------|---------|---------|
187| utm_source | Traffic source | google, newsletter |
188| utm_medium | Marketing medium | cpc, email, social |
189| utm_campaign | Campaign name | spring_sale |
190| utm_content | Differentiate versions | hero_cta |
191| utm_term | Paid search keywords | running+shoes |
192
193### Naming Conventions
194- Lowercase everything
195- Use underscores or hyphens consistently
196- Be specific but concise: `blog_footer_cta`, not `cta1`
197- Document all UTMs in a spreadsheet
198
199---
200
201## Debugging and Validation
202
203### Testing Tools
204
205| Tool | Use For |
206|------|---------|
207| GA4 DebugView | Real-time event monitoring |
208| GTM Preview Mode | Test triggers before publish |
209| Browser Extensions | Tag Assistant, dataLayer Inspector |
210
211### Validation Checklist
212
213- [ ] Events firing on correct triggers
214- [ ] Property values populating correctly
215- [ ] No duplicate events
216- [ ] Works across browsers and mobile
217- [ ] Conversions recorded correctly
218- [ ] No PII leaking
219
220### Common Issues
221
222| Issue | Check |
223|-------|-------|
224| Events not firing | Trigger config, GTM loaded |
225| Wrong values | Variable path, data layer structure |
226| Duplicate events | Multiple containers, trigger firing twice |
227
228---
229
230## Privacy and Compliance
231
232### Considerations
233- Cookie consent required in EU/UK/CA
234- No PII in analytics properties
235- Data retention settings
236- User deletion capabilities
237
238### Implementation
239- Use consent mode (wait for consent)
240- IP anonymization
241- Only collect what you need
242- Integrate with consent management platform
243
244---
245
246## Output Format
247
248### Tracking Plan Document
249
250```markdown
251# [Site/Product] Tracking Plan
252
253## Overview
254- Tools: GA4, GTM
255- Last updated: [Date]
256
257## Events
258
259| Event Name | Description | Properties | Trigger |
260|------------|-------------|------------|---------|
261| signup_completed | User completes signup | method, plan | Success page |
262
263## Custom Dimensions
264
265| Name | Scope | Parameter |
266|------|-------|-----------|
267| user_type | User | user_type |
268
269## Conversions
270
271| Conversion | Event | Counting |
272|------------|-------|----------|
273| Signup | signup_completed | Once per session |
274```
275
276---
277
278## Task-Specific Questions
279
2801. What tools are you using (GA4, Mixpanel, etc.)?
2812. What key actions do you want to track?
2823. What decisions will this data inform?
2834. Who implements - dev team or marketing?
2845. Are there privacy/consent requirements?
2856. What's already tracked?
286
287---
288
289## Tool Integrations
290
291For implementation, see the [tools registry](../../tools/REGISTRY.md). Key analytics tools:
292
293| Tool | Best For | MCP | Guide |
294|------|----------|:---:|-------|
295| **GA4** | Web analytics, Google ecosystem | ✓ | [ga4.md](../../tools/integrations/ga4.md) |
296| **Mixpanel** | Product analytics, event tracking | - | [mixpanel.md](../../tools/integrations/mixpanel.md) |
297| **Amplitude** | Product analytics, cohort analysis | - | [amplitude.md](../../tools/integrations/amplitude.md) |
298| **PostHog** | Open-source analytics, session replay | - | [posthog.md](../../tools/integrations/posthog.md) |
299| **Segment** | Customer data platform, routing | - | [segment.md](../../tools/integrations/segment.md) |
300
301---
302
303## Related Skills
304
305- **ab-testing**: For experiment tracking
306- **attribution**: For attribution models, multi-touch/MMM/incrementality, and reconciling conflicting numbers across tools (once tracking is live)
307- **seo-audit**: For organic traffic analysis
308- **cro**: For conversion optimization (uses this data)
309- **revops**: For pipeline metrics, CRM tracking, and revenue attribution
310
311---
312
313**Source:** [`coreyhaines31/marketingskills`](https://github.com/coreyhaines31/marketingskills) → `skills/analytics/SKILL.md`