Viewing Beacon App Data in Google Analytics

Introduction

To learn about the audience for your Brightcove Beacon Classic apps, you can use Google Analytics. To get you started, Brightcove will load the following into your Google Analytics account:

A customized report template for Google Looker Studio

Looker Studio

Looker Studio, a part of the Google Marketing Platform, is an online tool for visualizing analytics data in customizable reports and dashboards. Looker Studio offers features including:

Data Visualization - Create interactive charts, diagrams, and tables
Integration with Data Sources - Integrate from different data channels using partner connectors
Teamwork - Collaborate by sharing dashboards among team members

For more details, see Google's Looker Studio homepage.

Google Analytics

In addition to Looker Studio, you can use the standard analytics tools in Google Analytics to view customer behavior.

Viewing the Looker Studio report

Use Looker Studio to turn your data into data visualization stories, which include interactive reports and dashboards.

To view the customized Google Looker Studio report installed by Brightcove, follow these steps:

Log in to Google Looker Studio.
You will see a list of reports on the landing page:
Click on a report name to open it.
The first page of an example report is shown here.
Navigation to see other report pages can be found in the top left corner.

Viewing dimensions and metrics

You can view dimensions associated with your Brightcove Beacon Classic apps within Google Analytics.

For details on how to configure these dimensions and metrics, see the Google Analytics Self Configuration with Beacon document.

Log in to Google Analytics.
Click on the accounts dropdown menu to see all your Google Analytics accounts.
From the three-paneled dropdown, select:
1. Your Brightcove Beacon Classic account
2. Your app for which you want analytics
In the left side navigation, click the Admin option.
Click Custom definitions.
Click the Custom dimensions tab to see the dimensions for this app. Dimensions change per app.
Click the Custom metrics tab to see the single metic, Stars. This is the only custom metric for Brightcove Beacon Classic apps.

Events and parameters

The following events and parameters are reported to Google Analytics by your Brightcove Beacon Classic apps.

Events Reported to Google Analytics

Platform	Event name	Description	Parameters
All	`loading`	Loading the app: `loading` method	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`
All	`sign_up`	When a user has signed up - Only applicable with Beacon Auth	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`
All	`login`	When a user logins a Beacon App	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`
All	`video_start`	When a user first starts a video - Applies only to video loaded on screen, across all players/locations in the apps.	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `content_type`, `item_title`, `genre`, `production_year`, `country_origin` For Episodes: `episode_number`, `season_number`, `episode_title` For Channels: `program_title`
All	`add_to_favorites`	When a user adds a video to the favorites list	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `content_type`, `item_title`, `genre`, `production_year`, `country_origin`
All	`rate_content`	User rates an asset in the app	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `content_type`, `item_title`, `genre`, `production_year`, `country_origin`, `stars`
All	`search`	When a user performs a site search	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `search_term`
All	`subscribe`	when a user subscribes to a package	User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `plan_name`, `payment_gateway`, `value`, `currency`
iOS / Android	`screen_view`		User Properties : `user_type`, `language` Event Parameters: `streaming_platform`, `screen_name`
Web / STV	`page_view`		`streaming_platform`, `page_title`
Web / iOS / Android	`user_engagement`	When the app is in the foreground or webpage is in focus for at least one second	`engagement_time_msec`
Web / iOS / Android	`session_start`	When a user engages the app or website A session ID and session number are generated automatically with each session and associated with each event in the session. Learn more
Web / iOS / Android	`first_visit`	The first time a user visits a website or launches an Android instant app with Analytics enabledh each event in the session. Learn more
Web / iOS / Android	`first_open`	The first time a user launches an app after installing or re-installing it This event is not triggered when a user downloads the app onto a device, but instead when he or she first uses it. To see raw download numbers, look in Google Play Developer Console or in AppStoreConnect. Supports measuring first_open conversions for users who accept Apple's iOS 14 app-tracking prompt.	`previous_gmp_app_id`, `updated_with_analytics`, `previous_first_open_count`, `system_app`, `system_app_update`, `deferred_analytics_collection`, `reset_analytics_cause`, `engagement_time_msec`
Web	`form_start`	the first time a user interacts with a form in a session	`form_id`, `form_name`, `form_destination`
Android	`app_remove`	When an application package is removed (uninstalled) from an Android device Android only
Web / iOS / Android	`app_store_subs cription_renew`	When a paid subscription is renewed This event is set as a default conversion Requires an initial subscription that was made on or after July 1, 2019 This event is not exported to BigQuery	`product_id`, `price`, `value`, `currency`, `quantity`, `renewal_count`

Parameters Reported to Google Analytics

Parameter	Values	Description
`user_type`	`Authenticated User`, `Trialist`, `Visitor`, `Subscriber`	`Visitor`: Anonymous users `Authenticated User`: Authenticated user with no active subscription `Trialist`: Authenticated user with a subscription in Trial status `Subscriber`: Authenticated user with an active subscription (not in trial status)
`streaming_platform`	`Android`, `iOS`, `Web`, `roku`, `firetv`, `androidtv`, `AppleTV`, `samsung_tizen`, `webos`
`content_type`	`movies`, `channels`, `episodes`, `events`, `series`
`genre`	Based on customer metadata assigned to the assets	Only the first genre of each asset is sent to GA4 reports

Google Analytics Explorations

You can use Google Analytics Explorations to discover deeper insights about your customers' behavior. For details, see Google's Get started with Explorations document.

Return to your Google Analytics homepage.
In the left navigation, click Explore.
Create a new Exploration.
Here is an example using events and parameters.
Here is an example to provide insights about user behavior.

Google Analytics learning resources

You have just scratched the surface of Google Analytics in this document. You can put together custom reports with daily or weekly summary information on selected assets, etc. A good place to start your journey of learning more about Google Analytics could be the Google Analytics 4 classes and/or the Google Analytics documentation.