Google Analytics Technology Partner Gallery

In 2010, Google Analytics launched the Google Analytics Application Gallery. The thought behind the resource was to identify ways to improve their web analytics, and make it easier for Google Analytics account members to receive additional web analytics through Google Analytics' certified partners.

The Google Analytics App Gallery lists a wide variety of applications (apps) that integrates with Google Analytics in different ways. When Google Analytics introduced the first generation of integration, it was made using the Google Analytics Application Program Interface (API). Application program interface is a set of routines, protocols, and tools for building software applications. An API specifies how software components should interact and APIs are used when programming graphicaluser interface (GUI) components.

Today, it is known as Google Analytics Technology PartnerGallery and still offers GA member the tools needed to effectively evaluate the effectiveness of its website, in addition to any support and help needed.  When it was first launched, the gallery consisted of 32 apps, and today there are 447 available apps. Previously, users would have to visit multiple websites to find all the services and applications. Today, both services and applications are located in the same location, making it easier for users to gain the help and information they need quickly and efficiently.

How does it work?  The gallery is broken up into two segments: service and applications.  The service section provides members with a certified GA partner, which can be an individual expert or an entire company that understands various web analytics and metrics.  The application portion is a list of apps that extend Google Analytics or compliment some of GA’s features.  These are, for the most part, developed by third-party companies as opposed to coming straight from Google.

Third-party companies, called Google Analytic TechnologyPartners, provide ready-to-use applications that extend and increase the value of GA.  These applications help analysts, marketers, IT teams, and executives to obtain above-and-beyond solutions.

Developers can create a variety of applications on the Google Analytics platform.  According to Google Analytics, "the goal of this partner gallery is to help the Google Analytics community find partners that enable and extend the functionality of Google Analytics.

To become public, "each partner wishing to publish software, service, content, or other digital materials (collectively, "Products") created for use in connection with Google Analytics must comply with both the Google Analytics Partner Gallery Agreement and the GoogleAnalytics Terms of Service, each of which is modified from time to time.  Click here for a list of qualifications

Google Analytic members can visit the gallery and choose from a variety of web analytic tool that are grouped by the following categories. The figure listed next to the category is the number of apps within the category.  Click here for a listing of each app within the various categories:

• Business Intelligence (72)
• CRM (12)
• Campaign Management (21)
•  Content Management (15)
•  Dashboard / Visualization (66)
•  Data Connectors / ETL (20)
•  Ecommerce (22)
•  Email Marketing (7)
•  Experiments (5)
•  Mobile App Attribution (15)
•  Mobile Reporting (10)
•  Phone Call Tracking (26)
•  Reporting Tools (78)
•  Search Marketing (12)
•  Search Optimization (5)
•  Site Audit (16)
•  Social Analytics (11)
•  Surveys (5)
•  Tag Management / Config (13)
•  URL Building (Link Tagging) (8)
•  Widgets & Gadgets (8)

Of the 21 categories, we are going to focus on Phone CallTracking.  Most marketers measure the success of a website or marketing campaign by the amount of visits, page views and/or conversions completed on the site.  Many consumers will call a business after they have researched the information on the internet.  This action is technically a conversion, but not many marketers are keeping track.

Google Apps has partnered with 26 software companies that provide tools and services to track phone calls.  These apps allow a marketer to track calls back to the keyword, ad group, and campaign from where the call occurred; some can record phone calls and evaluate whether the calls caused conversions.

One of those companies is called WhatConverts which offers “a full circle lead tracking system

 where you'll no longer be left wondering where leads, quotes and sales originated or what leads converted. Using our simple feedback loop we are able to provide deep data analytics into source tracking, lead quality, and revenue generation".

Call tracking is the center piece of the WhatConverts solution for agencies and companies that want to see the complete marketing picture. However, the company goes beyond phone call tracking to track all marketing through phone calls, web forms, and e-commerce transactions. 

According to Mongoose Metrics, call tracking is one method of lead generation measurement that brings valuable and highly measurable insight to the issue of understanding online-to-offline (web-to-phone) conversions.  It enables clients to migrate from merely tracking the number of phone calls they receive from online advertising campaigns to understanding each caller’s online behavior and buying persona. Call tracking (with local or toll-free numbers) enables businesses to answer marketing questions such as:

• Do my Web marketing campaigns generate phone calls?
• Do these phone calls generate revenue?
• Do certain pages or sections of my website cause visitors to pick up the phone?  Do they take action over the phone?
• Do prospects who call end up back on the site? 
• Do they end up purchasing online? 

Forty-three percent of all search-related conversions happen over the phone, and 65% of businesses consider phone calls to be their most valuable, highest quality source of leads according to AdInsight 

In short, any business could benefit from using call tracking. Phone calls are a critical component of gaining new business across multiple industries. In fact, calls are the most important lead type for many businesses and are often worth 5–10 times as much as form-fill leads.

Also, if you fall into any of the following businesses, you should take notice that you could be incorrectly evaluating and analyzing your marketing efforts:

• Home services (plumbers, painters, landscaping, flooring, etc.)
• Dental and cosmetic Dental & Cosmetic Surgery
• Legal
• Real Estate
• Hotel & Travel
• SaaS
• IT
• Education
• Automotive
• Mortgages & Loans

In summary, call tracking has become crucial for businesses whose advertising goal is to generate phone calls.  As a business generating phone calls through your search engine marketing campaigns, it is imperative you know which parts of your paid-per-click campaign is driving calls and not just traffic.  Having this information is crucial for your optimization strategy.  WhatConverts is a simple to setup and seamlessly integrates with Google Analytics and Google AdWords and would be essential for any business to incorporate into its web metrics.