Video: Prep Work: Prepping for Inventory
Graphic: Overview
Identify Internal Analytics Stakeholders
This recipe helps the person responsible for implementing Google Analytics (i.e., analytics program lead) to identify all the people in the library that perform any functions required to implement and maintain Google Analytics. The analytics program lead should work with his or her administrative sponsor to develop a team based on local needs.
We recommend that you create a shared document or spreadsheet that includes the following information for each stakeholder or team member:
- Library title
- Library SEO role(s)-a stakeholder can have more than one SEO role
- Internal email address
- Email address currently used to access library or private Google services
Web Analytics Stakeholders Definitions
Google Analytics can be set up and maintained by a single person. To improve flexibility and accommodate more libraries, we have defined “roles” that most library organizations will have already assigned to one or more individuals or job descriptions.
Administrator
Administrators-deans, directors, university librarians, associate deans or directors, and associate university librarians-make up the leadership team of the library or archive. This team develops the library’s long-term strategies and short-term goals, often with input from the rest of the organization, and it is the administrators who are most often called upon to report the state of the library and its initiatives.
Collection Manager Lead
Collection managers are most familiar with the content of a given collection. They may be archivists or librarians that care deeply for the collection, and they are intensely interested in how it is described and presented. They want to know how the collection is being used, whether in its analog or digital version. This is typically the point person responsible for achieving the organization’s goals for a given collection.
Technical (IT) Manager
The SEO role of the IT manager is to know how all the pieces work together to affect SEO and how to deliver the services that are useful to their executive administrators and collection managers. The IT manager also ensures that IT staff are educated and communicating with each other about the changes they make to their systems.
System Administrator
System administrators (Sys Admins) are typically responsible for the web server layer containing the digital collection’s hosting hardware, operating system (OS), and web server. They must have a good understanding of what search engine crawlers are looking for and configure their web servers accordingly.
Applications Administrator
Applications administrators (App Admins) work in the application layer where digital asset management (DAM) software packages are installed. They are responsible for managing any applications that generate the HTML pages, images, or other objects displayed in a browser when the user visits the domain.
Google Analytics Administrator
The Google Analytics administrator is responsible for administering the organization’s Google Analytics account.
Analytics Program Lead
The analytics program lead is responsible for leading the organization’s Google Analytics implementation. He or she typically reports to the administrator sponsoring the program. The analytics program lead works with all stakeholders and support staff, and is ultimately responsible for delivering the organization’s analytics solution.
Survey
Web Metrics and Analytics Survey Template
Accurate baseline measurements can be achieved only after an analysis of the current situation. Multiple accounts for analytics and social media may have been created for the organization over the years. The Getting Found Web Metrics & Analytics Survey is a template for creating a comprehensive inventory of the URLs used by the library’s website, accounts that gather web metrics, and accounts used to communicate with users through social media.
Support Links
We found that giving staff access to the “public homepage” examples below helps them complete question 2 of the survey. Giving them access to the web analytics stakeholders definitions above helps with survey questions 8 – 12.
Digital Collections Examples
Institutional Repository Examples
Library Research Services Examples (ILS, vendor databases, electronic journals, library guides, research assistance)
