Analytics Real-Time Alert - BEWARE CAN BE ADDICTIVE

19 replies
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Hi all,

I am not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I thought it may help people with Google Analytics, so I apologise in advance if this was posted in the wrong section of Warrior Forum.

Okie dokie, this is actually a script that I use and I find extremely helpful.

Have you ever wanted to know when a user hits your website? BUT you do not want to stare at Google Analytics Real-Time, which is about as exciting as watching paint dry. Me too!!!!
What you need is an alert of some sort right - like a sound alert?

Well this bookmarklet script is what I use for two of my websites:
CSS & JavaScript Toolbox and Teacher's Companion - see below:
HTML Code:
javascript:function notifyMe(){var old=0;var beep=new Audio('http://wipeoutmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CJT.wav');check=function(old){var visitors=parseInt(document.getElementById('ID-layout-1371303416647-counterValue').innerHTML);if(old||old===0){var dif=visitors-old;if(dif>0){while(dif--){setTimeout(function(){beep.play();},500);};};};setTimeout(function(){check(visitors);},2000);};check();};notifyMe();
I first recorded a short audio clip using the iMac microphone. I basically recorded myself saying the abbreviation of my websites. The audio for the script above (http://wipeoutmedia.com/wp-content/u...013/06/CJT.wav) is for my CSS & JavaScript Toolbox website and the other audio sound (http://wipeoutmedia.com/wp-content/u...2013/06/TC.wav) is for Teacher's Companion.

The reason why I went with a short audio abbreviation clip is for two reasons:
1) So I can have Google Analytics Real-Time for both websites minimised and then know which website has a new or returning visitor
2) So the short audio clip is not annoying to hear - although hearing mine, you may think otherwise

Anyway, you can add a bell sound or whatever you like. Next you upload using FTP, or just add it via your WordPress media uploader but take note of the URL because that needs to go in the Audio function (see script) between the single quotes. If it is WAV, which it should be, compress it using an online compressor such as this one: Convert audio to WAV
My 2 second CJT audio clip is 290KB @ 44,100 bitrate, a little heavy but it works for me, and anyway you can compress this much further if you prefer.
Converting to WAV assures it is cross-browser too.

Next thing to do, is create a new bookmark (it's actually a bookmarklet) and then call it something. I called my two bookmarks CJT Bell and TC Bell. In the address of the bookmark - copy and paste the script in.

That is pretty much it.

I find the script only works on Google Chrome, but that is cool.
To get it working, click into your Google Analytics account and go to Real-Time, then click on your bookmark, nothing will actually happen visually but the JavaScript will now run.

Then when you get a visitor, your audio clip will play.

The great thing with Chrome is that you can open a new Chrome browser window using the 'New Incognito Window' selection. This way, you can log into another Google Analytics account at the same time. When you minimise both browser windows, you can carry on working on whatever it is you do, and be alerted by your custom sounds that is associated with that particular account. In my case CJT for CSS & JavaScript Toolbox and TC for Teacher's Companion.

The way it works is very simple. The script listens for the Google Analytics Real-Time counter to increment, once it does, the sound is played.

If you are having issues with your sound playing, then make sure your audio file URL is correct. Also, Google may have changed the Real-Time counter Id element, so you will need to inspect this by double clicking the large counter, click until you see Inspect Element and take note of the value. E.g. Id="ID-layout-1371303416647-counterValue" The value in-between the double quotes is what goes in the script, you will see that in there.

Another great thing with Google Analytics Real-Time is that you can customise the widgets however you like. This can yield some cool information.

That pretty much sums everything up so, as mentioned in my post title, be careful - it can be addictive.

That said, it is a great tool to get the big picture of where your traffic is coming from, and what pages they are currently viewing, all LIVE!!!!

Good luck, have fun, and hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

Cheers,
Damian
#addictive #alert #analytics #beware #realtime
  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    That's interesting, I'll try this out later.

    Now If you can get it to do a text to speech & say the incoming search phrase, that would be even better.
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    • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      That's interesting, I'll try this out later.

      Now If you can get it to do a text to speech & say the incoming search phrase, that would be even better.
      Hi Yukon, yes now that is a great idea and is something to explore further.

      Ideas anyone?

      Cheers,
      Damian
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      Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author solemanali
    This is something new..I will try it out.
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  • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
    Hmmm something like this could be the answer
    jTalk - jQuery Text-to-Speech Plugin
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    Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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    • Profile picture of the author jtut21
      Thank you for the resource.
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      • Profile picture of the author RandySwanston
        WOW Man, you are an inventor. Thanks for the share.

        I'm actually addicted to the Android Analytics App installed on my smartphone for realtime data. :rolleyes:
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        • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
          Originally Posted by RandySwanston View Post

          WOW Man, you are an inventor. Thanks for the share.

          I'm actually addicted to the Android Analytics App installed on my smartphone for realtime data. :rolleyes:
          Hi Randy,

          Hey thanks for the heads up on that app, I will certainly check that one out.

          Cheers,
          Damian
          Signature
          Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author kezzabelle
    Thanks for sharing all of this, I will try it now.
    I wonder why Google Analytics does not have a sound notification built in.
    Kezz
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    • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
      Originally Posted by kezzabelle View Post

      Thanks for sharing all of this, I will try it now.
      I wonder why Google Analytics does not have a sound notification built in.
      Kezz
      Hi Kezz,

      Thanks for your message.
      I have searched high and low for a way to add sound alerts in the notifications section for Google Analytics, but unfortunately it doesn't exist. I think it will be a great tool if Google could include it one day.

      Hope it works out for you.
      Damian
      Signature
      Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author georgescifo
    wow..this is really an amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing this info.
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    • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
      Originally Posted by georgescifo View Post

      wow..this is really an amazing stuff. Thanks for sharing this info.
      Thanks a lot - I appreciate that. Hope it works for you.

      Oh, if anyone is having issues setting this up, please reply in this post.
      Thanks everyone.

      Regards,
      Damian
      Signature
      Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author kezzabelle
    I followed the steps and I FINALLY got it working on my home computer. Now I am trying to get it working on my phone. I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 using the Chrome browser, and am not having any luck. Is this possible do you think?
    Kezz
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  • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
    Hi Kezz,

    No I don't think it is possible. To my knowledge, Chrome on Android is a little bit funky when it comes to bookmarks. It is not like Chrome desktop bookmarks, where you have a row of bookmarks you can easily click. Chrome on mobile, has a dedicated bookmarks page that is separate from the browser, which is kinda dumb. Also, I believe you cannot get mobile browsers to automatically play sound. Even using HTML5 audio, all mobile browsers will not allow sound to play on page-load and instead you can only use a click-action to play the sound. So with all of that said, this script does not work on a mobile device unfortunately.
    Signature
    Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author kezzabelle
    You mentioned about using the Chrome browser and a Chrome incognito window open so we can have two Google analytics accounts open at the same time. I am wondering is it possible to have more than two Google analytics accounts open??

    It would be great if I can have three open at the same time.
    Kezz
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  • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
    Hi Kezz,

    No I don't think it is possible to have more than two different Google Analytics account open at the same time with Chrome. Maybe someone can shed more light on this.

    Regards,
    Damian
    Signature
    Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author wipeoutmedia
    Hi Kezz,

    You are in luck. I have done some further digging and found another browser that works just like Chrome. It is called Torch and is a freeware Chromium-based web browser, so it pretty much works exactly like Chrome, including the ability to open a second Torch Incognito Window. Therefore, you are now able to monitor up to four separate Google Analytics account. I have tested it on three accounts and all is good so the fourth account using the New Incognito Window option should work fine.

    You can get the Torch browser here: Torch Web Browser - Your All in One Internet Browser
    By the way, this new browser has some pretty cool innovative features.

    Kind Regards,
    Damian
    CSS & JavaScript Toolbox
    Signature
    Start your engines WordPress folks for the most powerful, most flexible, most re-usable, and only CSS & JavaScript plugin you will ever need. With enough muscle to easily allow rich customisations and modifications to your WordPress blog, CJT is a must have for self-taught WordPress web-masters to experienced WordPress developers. http://css-javascript-toolbox.com
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  • Profile picture of the author kezzabelle
    Hey this is REALLY COOL. I now have three analytics accounts running at the same time. It took a bit of time to work out how to use this Torch browser but I got there in the end. Don't ya think its kinda strange having all these different sounds playing though.

    It would be more cool if you can get text to speech as yukon said.
    Kezz
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  • Profile picture of the author online only
    I might be missing something, but what's cool about it?

    Getting 30 peeps per minute is disturbing, isn't it?
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  • Profile picture of the author Ken Soszka
    This is great!! Exactly what I was looking for. Works great, thanks!
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