For years, InDesign users have been able to track views and other key metrics using Adobe's built-in Publish Online Dashboard analytics.
In the newest version of InDesign (19.0), you are now able to integrate Google Analytics to keep close tabs on all of your digital publishing projects.
In this tutorial, we'll cover how to publish your document online in InDesign 2024 and integrate a Google Analytics Measurement ID. We'll also take a closer look at how to enable Cookie banner settings to a digital publishing project.
Download the exercise files by clicking the link below.
Before we begin, it's important to note that this will only work in the NEWEST version of InDesign. So, if you haven't yet, go ahead and update to 19.0.
As a first step, publish your document online, which can be done by going to File > Publish Online.
Publish Online Settings
In the Publish Online options, under the General Tab, give the publication a proper name. By default, this will be the name of the InDesign document it's saved as. Be clear and concise with the title.
Give your project a proper description. It doesn't have to be very long; a couple sentences will do. Be short and succinct with the description for clarity as well.
Set the pages to All or select the range you want to publish.
Export pages as Single or Spreads based on your project. In this tutorial, we'll choose Single.
Click on the Advanced tab.
Choose a cover thumbnail. By default it will select the first page in the document, which in this case is perfectly fine. However, you can also choose another page or upload an image from your hard drive.
In the Image Settings, leave the Format to Automatic, set the Resolution to Standard (96 PPI) and Image Quality to Maximum.
Here is a look at the General and Advanced settings in the Publish Online options, as explained above.
Next, click the Analytics tab, but let's pause it there and look at how to access the Measurement ID in Google Analytics.
This tutorial doesn't cover how to set up a Google Analytics account, so if you haven't yet, visit analytics.google.com to create an account.
(NOTE: When signing up and you're asked for the website you are tracking, use an Adobe-hosted URL https://indd.adobe.com as this is the site in which all of your digital publishing projects will be tracked).
With the new Analytics tab in the Publish Online settings, users can paste a Measurement ID from a Google Analytics account prior to clicking the Publish button. A Google Analytics Measurement ID begins with a G- followed by 10 letters and digits (example: G-BK38S29LFY).
Google Analytics Measurement ID
When in the Google Analytics dashboard, hover over the gear icon in the bottom left and then click the Admin button.
Under Data Collection and Modification, click Data Streams.
Choose the Data Stream associated with the site you'd like to have tracked. In this case, I called this one Publish Online. This is the same Data Stream that will be used in digital publishing projects.
Once you click the Data Stream, copy the Measurement ID.
With the Measurement ID copied to the clipboard, you can now jump back to InDesign where you should still have the Publish Online window open.
In the Analytics Tab, paste the Measurement ID in the Measurement ID field.
Enable the Cookie banner, which will allow viewers to accept or reject visitor analytics collection.
In the Cookie notice text, add your cookie banner notice. You can use the one included in the exercise files, saved as "Cookie Notice".
Click Publish.
Once the project has been published, go ahead and click View Document to view it in the web browser of your choice. When a visitor opens the publication in a web browser, they'll be alerted with the Cookie Banner notice, where they can accept or reject the analytics collection. Keep in mind that if a viewer declines, the stats will not appear in the Google Analytics report.
For this tutorial, accept the conditions.
Viewing Analytics
In the Google Analytics menu (left side) click the Reports icon (bar graph icon). This page will give you an overview - or a Report Snapshot as it's called - of the analytics for all of your publications over 28 days.
For the most current analytics, click the Real Time button located in the left-side menu. This will launch map with live geolocation of your visitors. When you click on a location, it will further break down details about the viewer experience and devices used.
Keep your Measurement ID handy at all times as you'll have to apply this, as well as the Cookies banner text, every time you publish a document with Google Analytics tracking.
To get an overview of all your published documents, in Adobe InDesign, go to File > Publish Online Dashboard.
Nice Article. I have a question about the analytics. Does this method allow us to see which page was clicked or even more interesting which link within the document was clicked?