Google Analytics Launches Asynchronous Tracking Code For Greater Speed

Posted Wednesday 2nd December 2009 by Allison in Analytics.

Google Analytics has launched a new asynchronous tracking code that promises to increase web page loading speed.

The asynchronous tracking code, currently in Beta stage and available to all users, is designed to replace the JavaScript code you or your webmaster have placed on each web page you wish to track in Google Analytics.

An optional addition to your Google Analytics account, the new tracking code is as simple to insert on to each web page as the snippet of JavaScript code was that you’re using now; you simply copy and paste it onto each page you wish to track, removing the existing JavaScript snippet when you do.

Slow loading

The main reason Google has launched new tracking code is to speed things up on the web. Slow loading pages are a continuous long-standing nuisance for both users and website owners alike, and Google has realised that its Analytics has, in part, been adding to the problem due to the time it takes for the Javascript code on each web page to execute and send trackbacks to the server.

The new asynchronous code helps with slow loading because it’s a script which uses a separate route to go back to the server, without interrupting the main programme flow, so there’s no need for the server to wait for the code to execute before it can load the next page in a browser, the new page loads independently.

Google has used the analogy of the tracking code as a ’separate lane’ for processing your web page. Imagine the scripts on your webpage as cars; and as the amount of cars increases, the asynchronous tracker uses the lane to reduce slow loading.

Faster loading speeds will certainly be welcomed by those with websites using many scripts that rely on rich media content, but Google says that even smaller lightweight sites will notice an improvement.

Tracking code

The new tracking code will also eliminate tracking errors from dependencies when JavaScript has not loaded fully, and allow for better collection of data and greater accuracy.

However, the tracking code is still only optional, and the Google Analytics code you are using now will still work just as well as it always has, should you not wish to change just yet.

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