How can I track ajax requests using Google Analytics?

@virginie 

Tracking AJAX requests in Google Analytics involves using the Analytics Tracking Code (also known as the "ga.js" code) and the Google Analytics Events tracking API. Here are the steps to track AJAX requests using Google Analytics:

1. Set up Google Analytics on your website: If you haven't already, you'll need to set up Google Analytics on your website. This involves creating an account, adding a property, and installing the tracking code on your website.
2. Add event tracking to your AJAX code: You'll need to add the Google Analytics Event Tracking code to your AJAX code. This code should be added to the success callback function of your AJAX request. Here's an example:

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$.ajax({
  url: 'example.com/api/data',
  success: function(data) {
    // Process data
    ga('send', 'event', 'API', 'data-retrieval', 'success');
  }
});

In this example, the 'send' method sends an event to Google Analytics with the following parameters:

• 'eventCategory': 'API'
• 'eventAction': 'data-retrieval'
• 'eventLabel': 'success'

These parameters define the type of event being tracked and the label for the event.

1. Test the AJAX tracking: Once you've added the event tracking code to your AJAX code, you should test it to make sure it's working correctly. You can use the Google Analytics Debugger extension for Chrome to check if the event is being sent correctly.
2. Analyze the data in Google Analytics: After you've started tracking AJAX requests, you can analyze the data in Google Analytics. You can use the 'Events' report in Google Analytics to see how often AJAX requests are being made and how users are interacting with them.

By tracking AJAX requests in Google Analytics, you can gain valuable insights into how users are interacting with your website and improve your website's performance.

@virginie 

Note: Google Analytics has recently introduced a newer version called Google Analytics 4 (GA4) that uses a different tracking code ("gtag.js") and has a different set of features. The steps provided above are for the traditional Universal Analytics (ga.js) code.

If you're using the newer Google Analytics 4 (GA4) code, the process for tracking AJAX requests is slightly different:

1. Set up Google Analytics 4 code: Set up a Google Analytics 4 property for your website and install the gtag.js tracking code on your website.
2. Add event tracking to your AJAX code: Similar to the Universal Analytics code, you'll need to add the Google Analytics 4 Event Tracking code to your AJAX code. Here's an example: $.ajax({ url: 'example.com/api/data', success: function(data) { // Process data gtag('event', 'data-retrieval', { 'event_category': 'API', 'event_label': 'success' }); } }); In this example, the 'event' method sends an event to Google Analytics with the following parameters: 'event_category': 'API' 'event_action': 'data-retrieval' 'event_label': 'success' These parameters define the type of event being tracked.
3. Test the AJAX tracking: Test the event tracking by making AJAX requests and verifying that the events are being sent correctly. You can use the Google Analytics DebugView feature to check if the events are being captured.
4. Analyze the data in Google Analytics 4: Once you've started tracking AJAX requests, you can analyze the data in the Google Analytics 4 interface. Use the 'Events' report to see how often AJAX requests are being made and how users are interacting with them.

By tracking AJAX requests in Google Analytics (either through the traditional Universal Analytics or the newer GA4), you can gain valuable insights into how users are interacting with your AJAX functionality and optimize your website accordingly.