My, how software has changed since I started my techie career many moons ago!

It's been a while since a new tool really excited me, but BatchGeo is just such a tool! In a prior post I reviewed and discussed how much I like data visualizations, and was even interviewed by the NY Times a number of years ago because of my work in this knowledge domain. Thus, why do I love BatchGeo?

• The software makes mapping data to Google Maps painfully easy!
• The steps to create a data visualization are:
  • Copy your data including the column headers from Excel
  • Paste that data into BatchGeo
  • Click to create your map … and the basic service is free.

What's even more amazing all the data from your Excel columns will be as close as a mouse click on any geo point. Let's investigate an example … the most recent results of the Cincinnati Half Marathon. The data elements (i.e. Excel columns) for each runner are:

• Name
• Time
• Gun Time
• Pace
• Age Group
• Overall Place
• Division Place
• Sex Place
• City
• State

Obviously, your data could have any fields, but given this service is about mapping … location should be present (city, state, country, etc). Here is the finished GeoMap (partial screenshot given below). Given most of the competitors were from the Ohio area, drill down into the map to gain a perspective. Once you have the map at a reasonable resolution, click on a few "elements/data points!" The service also incorporates search against all the data in your database.

If you would like to try the service, I've included an excerpt of the marathon database (i.e. 260 records out of the original 1,241 runners). Remember to copy the field headers as well as the Excel data. When you browse to BatchGeo, just paste your data in the large window indicated … you can't miss it! You then should either click on <Validate & Set Options> or <Map Now>. While you could just click "map now" select the validate option. You don't actually have to validate any data elements, but it does give the option to group your data by any desired variable. Given this service is oriented towards geo mapping, the logical grouping will normally be focused upon some "location variable". I chose "city".

If you want to try other examples, the easiest way to find Excel data is by using Google Advance Search. Use the file drop down to limit your results to <xls> files (i.e. Excel).

• Cincinatti Half Marathon
  • Data extract of 260 records | BatchGeo Map
  • Full database of 1,241 records | BatchGeo Map

There are three options for your final output:

1. Paid, full private output
2. Free, public (and published in BatchGeo's browsable / searchable database) 
3. Free, private (but viewable by anyone with the url)

And the promised screenshot … click on image to view full sized.

Today's entry starts a series of Google Anlytics (GA) posts on features I use which extends its functionality. My first topic is virtual pageviews. When you install GA on your web site, you are given javascript which is hosted on every "html" page. However non html pages will not be tracked (like pdf's or MS Office files).

Perhaps you've created a manual (pdf) and you would like to know how many people have downloaded the file. As Adobe pdf's do not have a html header to host the Google Analytics javascript, it would seem impossible to track stats. Enter virtual pageviews which can track either files or links to other web sites. One must code each link you wish to track with individual snippets of code which tells Google what action to perform. For example, I track how many people click upon my LinkedIn profile link given towards the upper right of this web page. I also track virtual pageviews of an iPad for Business Manual I created.

Let's review the process for actually tracking virtual pageviews. My examples assume you are using the GA asynchronous code.

1. This Example utilizes the standard Google Analytics asynchronous tracking method / script. If you are using the traditional method, I suggest upgrading. The code I give below will NOT work.
2. Asynchronous Code Identification: Take a look at your Google Analytics code. 
   • Look for the following piece of code in your <head> section:
     • var _gaq = _gaq || [];
     • If you see that piece of code, or any reference to ‘_gaq‘, then you’re using the newer asynchronous code.
3. Here is the example GA code. You need to replace the code for any given link with this script.
   • <a onclick="javascript: _gaq.push(['_trackPageview', 'GA Virtual Location']);" href="file web address">file public web label</a>

 You will need to replace everything in bolded red with your information

• GA Virtual Location: This drives how you find analytics in your Google reports. I personally like to save all virtual pageviews in a "virtual directory". Thus, my own links start /GA-Virtual/ followed by the file name. Thus when I drill down my Content in GA all my virtual pageviews are grouped together. You can provide whatever name you desire. Avoid GA reserved characters.
• File Web Address: This should be obvious. This is the address of your content or link. Thus, for my own site I might have an address http://www.northstarnerd.org/example.pdf
• File Public Web Label: This is the label for your link which the vistor sees while viewing your web page. It can be anything.

Finally, here is a working example of tracking a web link that leads off my web site.

Here is the code: (follows process outlined above)

• <a onclick="javascript: _gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/GA-Virtual/LinkedIn-Profile']);" href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/richhoeg">LinkedIn Profile: Rich Hoeg</a>

Here is the link:

• LinkedIn Profile: Rich Hoeg

I've included two images below to help you get the idea (click to maximize). 

I just received my latest group update from LinkedIn, the Duluth Business Network. Much to my surprise and amazement, without any action from me they decreased the frequency of my group email update from daily to weekly!

While this may seen counter intuitive, consider some facts:

• I had not visited this group in a while (measurement … yea for analytics!)
• LinkedIn decided daily emails might be just piling up, and thus could indicate rather than reading the updates I use the "delete" key on a daily basis
• Rather than risk emails that are regarded as SPAM, LinkedIn offered to decrease the frequency of my updates. 

While not stated, I suspect that LinkedIn is hoping I will read a weekly update. They understand given very few "click-throughs" to the web content, even if I was reading the daily updates, no action was being taken. Thus, I had a low engagement level.

Interesting concept … downgrade the frequency of update emails with the hope you will actually encourage the customer to engage more.

Should other social networks like Facebook, Yammer and SocialCast take a cue?

Click to enlarge the image. It shows the email I received from LinkedIn. The red callouts are mine.

What's a nerd to do? Just linked my Google webmaster and analytics accounts (better SEO). Learned that I was ranked 120th for Marvin the Martian.

Dismay! Shock! Horror! How can I make it through the day? 

Thus, I now start my campaign to raise the status of my dear friend (and my blog!)

Seriously, spend a few moment and configure Google Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics. This allows you to gain a much better understanding of how and why people are visiting your site … hugely important for any serious web site. You must be using the new version of Google Analytics to access the new SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools. If you have a Google Analytics account, you have access to the new version of Google (see image shown below). If you configure the linkage, you gain access to the new SEO tools.

Here is some background data:

• Article explaing the new linkage from SEO Watch
• Google Analytics
• Google Webmaster Tools

Oh yes … my blog post from 2008 … ranked 120th for Marvin the Martian. With this post I hope to raise my Martian SEO rating.

Click upon either image to view full sized.