Track PDF files downloaded from my site

[mad2k]

Hi,

I think that it's better to use event tracking than virtual page-view tracking.

Syntax and parameters explanation

_trackEvent(category, action, opt_label, opt_value, opt_noninteraction)'```
[]);">Download](#)

where: 

-category (required) -  e.g. Maps  (The name you supply for the group of objects you want to track.)

 - action (required) -  e.g. Download (A string that is uniquely paired with each category, and commonly used to define the type of user interaction for the web object.)

- label (optional)  - e.g. EuropeMap or filename map.pdf  (An optional string to provide additional dimensions to the event data.)

- value (optional) -  An integer that you can use to provide numerical data about the user event.  It is very complicated to quick explanation and usage, you should read full article and additions like: Implicit Count. 

- non-interaction (optional) - set it for "true" (A boolean that when set to `true`, indicates that the event hit will not be used in bounce-rate calculation.) 

In this link you  can read full google help article: http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/tracking/eventTrackerGuide.html

In your case syntax will be: [](http://www.example.com/files/map.pdf)

 [Then go to analytics to "Content" section  of the reports and view Event Tracking an you will have:

category: PDF

Action: Download

label: MyMap

and count .... count how many events you have

Wish you a huge number of downloads.

M.](http://www.example.com/files/map.pdf)

[mad2k]

It does not look right cos it was a virtual pageview tracking or mixture of both methods.

_trackPageview() creates a virtual directory structures and _trackEvent() creates an event...

[Stevej24]

We track our PDF downloads via content.  This way, we know how many of each particular one were downloaded.

[mad2k]

Hi Steve,

Could you please tell me how? What specific technical solution you use?

Thanks, Marek

[KeriMorgret]

Hi Atul,

Did this answer your question, or do you still have questions about this topic?

[seoug_2005]

I am still not sure about the EXACT code.  Can you please give me the code to track how many persons have downloaded PDF files from a site.

I will appeciate greatly

[mad2k]

Hi again,

First you should decide about tracking method. Next read Google article and finally ask us a specific not general question. I think it is fair advise

[seoug_2005]

Ok. Let me be very specific

You gave me the code -

[1. What does files/map.pdf  means ?

2.  Is label MyMap necessary or i can omit it

Thanks a lot for your patience :)](http://www.example.com/files/map.pdf)

[mad2k]

Hi,

ad. 1it's part of url - address of file you have on serwer (to download) obviously it's example you can named it different

ad. 2 it's optional - look to my answer on 31/01 and you can read it on google WT help

event tracking

Marek

[seoug_2005]

Thanks.

Does the code gives me the number of downloads

how many persons have downloaded the PDF file or

how many times PDF file was downloaded.

[mad2k]

I doesn't. It does you a number of views, because there's a lot different solutions in internet browsers and plugins and user can even view it in Google docs viewer. But for many purposes it is sufficient to know that user view a document.

You can implement dedicated java script tool to know the number of downloads. Probably the code mentioned by nvs.nim (below) realizes such an action.

Good luck

[akshaysharma20]

Hi Atul, Following is the response to your queries. 1). 'Map.pdf' refers to the name of the pdf and 'file' refers to the directory in which it is stored. 2). Using the above code, you would be able to track the click on the links and not the downloads. For setting up event tracking for a pdf download, I would recommend you to place the following code within the code of your download link onClick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'download', 'Pdf', 'Mypdfname',, true]);" Thus, the final download link would look like Download PDF Now that you have set up event tracking script in place, you now need to set up the event as a goal in Google Analytics. For that, follow the steps, 1. Open up the profile you wish to set up the goal in. 2. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner of the Google Analytics interface. 3. Click the Goals tab (in the sub-navigation just below where your Profile is listed) 4. Choose the Goal Set you wish to add the event to. 5. Name your goal and select the Event radio button. 6. Populate the following goal details: Category | that matches | download Action | that matches | Pdf Label | that matches | Mypdfname Value | that matches | 7. If you’ve added a Value in step 1, leave the “Use the actual Event Value” radio button selected. 8. Click “Save” and you’re ready to go! Hope, it might help! Cheers!