How to Implement Google Analytics on Android?

11 minutes read

To implement Google Analytics on Android, you can follow these steps:

  1. Add the Google Analytics dependency to your project by including the following line of code in your app-level build.gradle file:
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implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics:17.0.0'


  1. Obtain a unique tracking ID from the Google Analytics website. This ID will be used to identify your app's analytics data.
  2. Create an XML file called "global_tracker.xml" in the res/xml directory of your project. Define a tag and include the following content:
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="ga_trackingId">YOUR_TRACKING_ID</string>
</resources>


Replace "YOUR_TRACKING_ID" with the tracking ID obtained in step 2.

  1. In your Application class, initialize the Google Analytics tracker by adding the following code:
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import com.google.android.gms.analytics.GoogleAnalytics;
import com.google.android.gms.analytics.Tracker;

public class YourApplication extends Application {
    private static GoogleAnalytics sAnalytics;
    private static Tracker sTracker;

    public static synchronized Tracker getDefaultTracker() {
        if (sTracker == null) {
            sAnalytics = GoogleAnalytics.getInstance(this);
            sTracker = sAnalytics.newTracker(R.xml.global_tracker);
        }
        return sTracker;
    }
}


Replace "YourApplication" with the name of your Application class.

  1. In each Activity or Fragment where you want to track analytics, get the default tracker instance by adding the following code:
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Tracker tracker = YourApplication.getDefaultTracker();


  1. Start tracking screen views by adding the following line of code in each Activity's or Fragment's onResume() method:
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tracker.setScreenName("YOUR_SCREEN_NAME");
tracker.send(new HitBuilders.ScreenViewBuilder().build());


Replace "YOUR_SCREEN_NAME" with a descriptive name for the current screen.

  1. Track events, such as button clicks, by adding the following code:
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tracker.send(new HitBuilders.EventBuilder()
    .setCategory("YOUR_CATEGORY")
    .setAction("YOUR_ACTION")
    .setLabel("YOUR_LABEL")
    .build());


Replace "YOUR_CATEGORY", "YOUR_ACTION", and "YOUR_LABEL" with appropriate values for your event.

  1. Build and run your app to start tracking analytics with Google Analytics on Android.


Remember to adhere to Google's terms of service and privacy policy when collecting and utilizing user data through analytics.

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What are some predefined events available in Google Analytics for Android?

Some predefined events available in Google Analytics for Android include:

  • App Install: Triggers when a user installs the app
  • App Update: Triggers when a user updates the app
  • App Open: Triggers when a user opens the app
  • App First Open: Triggers when a user opens the app for the first time
  • In-App Purchase: Triggers when a user makes an in-app purchase
  • Screen View: Triggers when a user navigates to a new screen within the app
  • User Timing: Triggers when a specific action or process within the app takes a certain amount of time
  • Social Interactions: Triggers when a user interacts with social media sharing or liking features within the app
  • Exceptions: Triggers when an exception or error occurs within the app
  • Ecommerce: Triggers when a user performs a purchase or transaction within the app
  • Custom Events: Allows developers to define and track their own custom events within the app.


What is the purpose of the screen tracking feature in Google Analytics for Android?

The purpose of the screen tracking feature in Google Analytics for Android is to track and record information about the screens or pages that users view within a mobile application. It allows app developers to gather data on user interactions, behavior, and engagement with different screens or activities within the app. This information can be used to analyze user flow, understand user behavior patterns, identify popular screens or features, and make data-driven decisions for app optimization and improvement.


How to track session duration in Google Analytics for Android?

To track session duration in Google Analytics for Android, you can use the ActivityLifecycleCallbacks class provided by the Android framework.


Here's an example of how to track session duration:

  1. Set up Google Analytics for Android by adding the dependency to your project's build.gradle file:
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dependencies {
    implementation 'com.google.android.gms:play-services-analytics:VERSION_NUMBER'
}


  1. Initialize the Google Analytics tracker in your Application class:
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import com.google.android.gms.analytics.GoogleAnalytics;
import com.google.android.gms.analytics.Tracker;

public class MyApp extends Application {

    private Tracker tracker;

    public synchronized Tracker getDefaultTracker() {
        if (tracker == null) {
            GoogleAnalytics analytics = GoogleAnalytics.getInstance(this);
            tracker = analytics.newTracker(R.xml.global_tracker);
        }
        return tracker;
    }
    
    // ...
}


In the above code, replace R.xml.global_tracker with the XML file that defines your Google Analytics configuration. This XML file should include your tracking ID and other settings.

  1. Implement the ActivityLifecycleCallbacks interface to track the session duration:
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import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.Application;
import android.os.Bundle;
import com.google.android.gms.analytics.HitBuilders;

public class MyActivityLifecycleCallbacks implements Application.ActivityLifecycleCallbacks {

    private long startTime;

    @Override
    public void onActivityCreated(Activity activity, Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        // Activity created
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityStarted(Activity activity) {
        // Activity started
        if (startTime != 0) {
            long duration = System.currentTimeMillis() - startTime;
            MyApp application = (MyApp) activity.getApplication();
            Tracker tracker = application.getDefaultTracker();
            tracker.send(new HitBuilders.TimingBuilder()
                    .setCategory("Session")
                    .setValue(duration)
                    .build());
        }
        startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityResumed(Activity activity) {
        // Activity resumed
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityPaused(Activity activity) {
        // Activity paused
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityStopped(Activity activity) {
        // Activity stopped
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivitySaveInstanceState(Activity activity, Bundle outState) {
        // Activity state saved
    }

    @Override
    public void onActivityDestroyed(Activity activity) {
        // Activity destroyed
    }
}


  1. Register the MyActivityLifecycleCallbacks in your Application class:
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public class MyApp extends Application {

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        registerActivityLifecycleCallbacks(new MyActivityLifecycleCallbacks());
    }

    // ...
}


Make sure you replace MyActivityLifecycleCallbacks with your own implementation class.


After implementing the above steps, Google Analytics will automatically track the session duration by sending a timing event when an activity is started.


What is the E-commerce tracking feature in Google Analytics for Android?

The E-commerce tracking feature in Google Analytics for Android is a tool that allows you to track and analyze the purchasing behavior and transactions of users within your mobile app. It provides insights into key metrics such as revenue, conversion rates, and average order value. With E-commerce tracking, you can gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of your app's marketing and optimize your strategies to drive more sales.


What is an event in Google Analytics, and how can it be tracked in Android?

In Google Analytics, an event is a specific user interaction with a website or an app that can be tracked separately from pageviews or screenviews. Events provide more detailed information about user actions, such as button clicks, file downloads, video plays, form submissions, and more.


To track events in an Android app using Google Analytics, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Set up Google Analytics for your Android app by adding the necessary dependencies and initializing the tracker.
  2. Define the events you want to track and decide on the associated event parameters. For example, you may track a button click event with parameters like button name or ID.
  3. Implement event tracking code at the appropriate section in your app's codebase. You can use the following line of code to track an event: tracker.send(new HitBuilders.EventBuilder() .setCategory("Category") // e.g., "Button" .setAction("Action") // e.g., "Click" .setLabel("Label") // e.g., "Submit" .build()); Replace "Category", "Action", and "Label" with your desired values.
  4. Ensure that the Google Analytics tracker is sending the events properly by testing the implementation on a physical or virtual device.
  5. Once the events are being tracked correctly, you will be able to view the event data in the Google Analytics dashboard.


Remember to comply with Google's tracking policy and handle user privacy and data protection in accordance with the applicable regulations.

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