Google Analytics Blog: Web Analytics Tips & Tricks: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched!

Google Analytics Blog: Web Analytics Tips & Tricks: Attention Developers: Google Analytics API Launched!

The Google Analytics team has finally annouced that the Google Analytics Data Export API is now in public beta and available to all Google Analytics users. It has been one of their most widely anticipated features and a number of GAAC partners have been experimenting with it for close to a year.

So what is all the excitment about? Well the API allows developers to extend Google Analytics to new creative ways that can benefit developers, business and end users. The other advantage is that large organisations and agencies can now have a standardised platform for intergrating their Analytics data with their own business data.

Developers have the flexibility to now integrate Google Analytics data into their existing products or can create standalone applications. Developers can now create custom dashboards or gadgets, also working with individuals and businesses, they have the opportunity to access their Google Analytics data in a variety of new and exciting ways.

Google has listed some customer examples the apps demonstrate only some of the creative possibilities as there are many more interesting ways to use the Analytics API.

Axiom CMS
Axiom CMS is a Web-based content management system built on the Java Axiom Stack open source development framework.

Analytics360
E-retailers use MailChimp's Analytics360 tool to track the ROI of their email marketing campaigns.

Concentrate
Concentrate is an innovative long-tail search analytics tool designed for SEO and paid search professionals who want to make sense of search keyword data and make the most of search investments.

GX WebManager Google Analytics integration
For our web Content Management System, we created a component that utilizes the Google Analytics API and displays the KPIs of pages and documents in the CMS.

Mobile GA
Mobile GA allows you to securely monitor your Google Analytics statistics directly from your mobile phone, using the Google Analytics API.

OnTarget
OnTarget provides full optimization, testing, and improvement cycle recommendations on how to improve goals online and increase conversions from marketing campaigns.

Polaris Desktop Widget
Polaris is a cross-platform Google Analytics widget for the desktop.

ShufflePoint
ShufflePoint integrates Google Analytics with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint using a powerful query language (GAQLT) and an intuitive drag-and-drop query builder.

youcalc - On-demand Analytics
youcalc connects to Google Analytics data API to provide custom Aanalytics apps that run in iGoogle, iPhone, intranets, blogs, anywhere! Access and analyze live Google Analytics data without opening Google Analytics.

How does the Data Export API work?

The Data Export API is easy enough to use and provides read-only access to all your Google Analytics data. Any thing that's available through the standard Analytics web interface is available through the Export API. Google use the same API protocol for Google Calendar, Finance and Webmaster Tools. To those developers who have used any of these APIs, the Google Analytics Data Export API will look familiar.

To help with JavaScript & Java programming languages, Google have provided client libraries to abstract & simplify the process. Google have said they are working on expanding this to more programming languages. Any programming language can now make requests directly to the API over HTTP and access the data in XML.

How do I get started using the Data Export API?

Three key resources you'll want to use when you start developing on top of the Google Analytics API

1) The documentation you need can be found on our Developer site at Google Code

2) Sign up for the Google Analytics API Notify email group so you get the key announcements on feature updates, code changes and other service related news that relate to the API

3) Become a part of the Google Analytics developer community by joining the Google Analytics APIs Group.