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Google Analytics API

Posted at 11:24pm EST on 10/31/2006

Yeah right, I wish it was out. But I was thinking about some SEO software and how it might hook in to Google Analytics. After thinking about it, I hopped on to the Google Groups to see if there was any talk of it. Yeah, there were a couple posts but there weren’t any official responses to it.

What good would an API for Analytics do?
A ton of good. An API for Analytics would allow for developers to grab data directly from the database without having to export it. This would allow for a much easier integration of custom built software for such things as ROI through AdWords. While there is integration of AdWords into Analytics, I think from an SEO stand-point it would be a huge deal.

Being able to match up keywords from which search engines and to be able to monitor backlinks and everything of that nature, it would be huge to have that all in one interface.

I’ve been coming up with some ideas for some SEO software, guess I’ll just have to find the time to write it.

So again, to conclude, there is not currently an Analytics API, I’m just hoping there will be.

Update: Here’s a hack-around of an API for Analytics if you want to start playing with some PHP.

Update! A great update to a version that works! Check out the most recent Google Analytics API!

UPDATE! Google has released an official Google Analytics API now.

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4 Responses to “Google Analytics API”

  1. Caleb Whitmore

    Nov 1st, 2006

    Good topic. I too would love to see an API and I wouldn’t be surprised if Google releases one eventually. There are certainly more issues with something like that given the nature of analytics data (although that’s mitigated by the fact Google doesn’t allow PII in reports).

    FYI, there is a pseudo API available from Thinking PHP. I would be cautious of building a production app around this since Google could easily enough change something on their end at any time and render the whole thing useless. But, it’s something and a step better than nothing.

    Lastly, you can access exported reports pretty easily by directly linking to them. I’ve done this and extended the ability using Excel so that I can access most reports for any date range and pull them right into excel without navigating the GA interface.

    Best,

    -Caleb

  2. Jonathan Dingman

    Nov 12th, 2006

    Thanks Caleb, I updated the post with that link so people can find it.

  3. George

    Nov 13th, 2006

    Man, would an api for Analytics by nice. We are afraid of using the CakePHP one because of the breakability. We may try to make direct call to the report exports and then use it kind of like a limited feed to include info in our systems.

  4. Jonathan Dingman

    Nov 13th, 2006

    I’m just going to wait until they come out with an official API. I don’t have time to be wasting on something that coule exactly, just break later on without a moments notice. I don’t like wasting development time on “hacks”.