Google Analytics not reporting even though profile settings says it's receiving data

Marketing
1

Before you ask, yes, I have left a question on what GA calls “help” forums. I sent them this on April 5th:

[I]I first set up a Google Analytics account last December. At that time I got about 3 days worth of reports and then it “zeroed out” - the dashboard reported 0 visits, 0 pageviews, etc. I tried again and got about 5 days worth of reports, then it went to 0 again.

At some point I put the tracking code in the page head, just before </head>, and the next day I got reports again. This lasted for almost a month and then went back to 0. In each instance, the profile settings reported that it was receiving data. I have not received any reports since February 12th.

At no time did I have more than one include filter. I used the exclude filter, again just one, to filter out internal traffic. I have checked and rechecked the tracking code and I’ve re-pasted it into the head. I’ve deleted the profile I originally set up and created a new one, removed and then put back filters. Nothing helps.

The site is run on Cold Fusion, and the pages are generated from a template. The <head> section of each page is part of an include file. Please take a look at our site at www.conklin.com and tell me what to do.[/I]

I’m not the only one with this problem, as I scan the forum posts (Reports and Reporting Data) I see numerous others reporting the same situation. Does anyone know what to do about this and/or how to get Google to actually respond?

2

When you have problems like this, it’s worth doing a view source from your browser to see what’s happening.

In this case, your Google analytics code is halfway up the page, not at the page footer as it’s supposed to be, so that may be your problem. You’ll need to fiddle with Cold Fusion to get the code inserted in the correct place.

3

I put the tracking code in the head of the page on the advice of another user of GA who was on the Help Forum. After I did that I got some reports again for awhile.

What exactly do you mean by “fiddle with” Cold Fusion? Are there specific aspects of CF that might be affecting this situation? do you know what they would be?

4

I checked most pages and saw that your code seemed to be implemented fine.

Positioning the JavaScript in the head is fine (even though it should be in the footer).

If the code is placed in the page via a head include it should be across every page.

I personally don’t beleive that using ColdFusion has anything to do with your tracking issue.

Honestly you will get the best advice in the appropriate Google Analytics help forum.

5

I just assumed that the code being halfway down in the body (rather than the footer) was breaking it, but based on the above comments from people who know more than myself, perhaps it’s not the problem. Moving it to the (very) bottom is the first thing I’d try though, given that everyone else who has it working has it at the end.

I’m afraid I know nothing at all about Cold Fusion, other than it allows you to include files at the end of the current file, which might solve this situation.