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Google Analytics code: can it go before in the document?

Answer 1

A:

It is only a recomendation to place the tracker code before the closing body tag. You can also place it in the head or somewhere else.

Google recomends this because in the footer the chance it makes problems by other scripts is more less. But if you put try {} catch (e) {} arround it will be save every where. Just check with firebug if the track Ajax request will be fired.

powtac 2009-11-10 15:25:57

Answer 2

+3 A:

It can certainly go before the rest of the site's code, but javascript will block the loading of the rest of the page. Which is why they often recommend if you have to load javascript files and it's not important to load them ahead of everything else (or in the <head>), to put the script tags at the bottom of the page.

JasonWyatt 2009-11-10 15:27:37

My guess was that it was possible, but it had to have some side effects, thanks :)

Jorge Bernal 2009-11-10 17:52:15

Answer 3

A:

It's a good practice to place the code before the end of the body only for a matter of performance loading of the web page!

BitDrink 2009-11-10 15:27:59

Answer 4

A:

This code can be placed anywhere JavaScript code is acceptable. here is a link to their help documentation on where this should go, and where it can go:

http://www.google.com/support/analytics/bin/answer.py?hl=en_US&answer=55488&utm_id=ad

Hope this helps,

Thanks!

Scott 2009-11-10 15:28:19

Answer 5

+2 A:

I have included Google Analytics code inside the ready event when using jQuery and it works fine too.

$(document).ready(function () {
  var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
  document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));

  try{
    var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-xxxxxx-x");
  } catch(err) {};

  try{
    pageTracker._addTrans(...);
    pageTracker._trackTrans();
  } catch(err) {};

  try{
    pageTracker._trackPageview();
  } catch(err) {};
});

jessegavin 2009-11-10 15:36:51

+1 Cool solution, I would use $('<script/>').attr("type","text/javascript").attr("src",gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js"); instead of a document.write though...

JasonWyatt 2009-11-10 16:13:46

According to http://code.google.com/apis/analytics/docs/tracking/gaTrackingOverview.html#trackingCodePlacement it might not be such a good idea.

Jorge Bernal 2009-11-10 17:49:36

Jorge, I see what you mean. Except that jQuery.ready() fires when the DOM is loaded, not after all images have loaded. My solution may have other, related issues however. It is probably best to put it before the </body> tag.

jessegavin 2009-11-10 19:01:04

@joege @jessegavgin - i'm not sure about 'other related issues' but whether you use jQuery or put it before </body> the images will still load after the analytics code is run. this is what you want - the reason you load the script last is to not block loading of HTML - the images load separately either way

Simon_Weaver 2010-01-21 23:21:02

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Google Analytics code: can it go before in the document?

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