Active Analytics Documentation

How to Install and Configure Active Analytics for WordPress

You have purchased, downloaded and installed Active Analytics, either by uploading via (S)FTP or by using the Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin route.

There are some options that need to be manually set, and there are some sections that require further explanation.

Let’s activate the plugin, then head over to Settings → Active Analytics → General Settings.

Display Features

Display overview widget on Dashboard: This option, when checked, will show a summary widget on the WordPress Dashboard that gives a quick overview of website traffic. However, enabling it might slightly slow down the WordPress Dashboard due to the extra data being loaded. This depends on how your server’s MySQL database is set up. It shouldn’t be a problem in 9 out of 10 cases.
DEFAULT IS ON.
Number of top referrers to show on Dashboard: This setting allows you to choose how many of the top referring websites or sources (like search engines or social media sites) will be shown on the Active Analytics Dashboard. The default is 10, but you can change it by entering a different number.
DEFAULT IS 10.
Number of internal links to consider for Internal Link charts: This setting determines how many internal links (links between pages on your own website) should be considered when generating charts related to internal link activity. The default is set to 5.
DEFAULT IS 5.

Analytics Features

Collect data about logged-in users: If this is checked, the plugin will track and include data about users who are logged into your website. This can be useful for sites with a membership system or where logged-in users are common.
DEFAULT IS OFF.

Overview

Days in Overview Graph: This option lets you choose how many days’ worth of data will be shown in the Active Analytics Overview Graph, which gives a quick snapshot of your site’s traffic trends.
DEFAULT IS 90.
Months in Overview Graph: Similar to the above, this setting determines how many months’ worth of data will be shown in the Active Analytics Overview Graph. Set it to 12 months if you want a general image of how your website is performing, or 24 months if you are looking for long-term improvements and evolution.
DEFAULT IS 12 MONTHS.
Days in Traffic Graph: This controls how many days’ worth of data will be shown in the Active Analytics Traffic Graph.
DEFAULT IS 365 (1 YEAR).

ChartJS Source

Load ChartJS library: This option controls how the plugin loads the ChartJS library, which is used to create charts and graphs on the Dashboard. You can set it to load from a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to ensure you have the latest version. A CDN is a network of servers that deliver content based on the user’s geographic location, which can improve loading speed and reliability. You can also set it to local, which may or may not have the latest version.
DEFAULT IS CDN.

Data Retention

Automatically delete visits older than: This setting determines how long the plugin will keep visitor data. After the specified time period, older data will be automatically deleted. This helps in managing storage space and ensuring that only relevant, recent data is kept. Make sure you match this value with the Overview values above.
DEFAULT IS 2 YEARS.

Sample Privacy Policy for Active Analytics

Use the text below if you need to add or amend your existing Privacy Policy, when using the Active Analytics plugin.

Note that any privacy policy will need to be verified and approved by a legal entity attached to your company or business. The sample below is not legally binding.

Privacy Policy for Website Analytics

Thank you for visiting our website. This privacy policy outlines how we collect and handle your information when you interact with our analytics tools. We prioritize the security and privacy of your data and want to be transparent about the information we collect and how it is used.

Information Collected:

Anonymized IP Address: We collect anonymized IP addresses to analyze trends, administer the site, and gather demographic information. These IP addresses are processed in a way that ensures the removal of any personally identifiable information.

URL and Post ID: We collect the URL and post ID of the pages you visit to provide valuable insights into user engagement and content popularity.

Device Type (Mobile or Desktop): We track the type of device used (mobile or desktop) to optimize the user experience and ensure compatibility across different platforms.

Referrer (Last Page Only): We capture the referrer information to understand how users navigate to our site. We only collect the referrer of the last page visited to maintain user privacy.

Cookies:

We want to emphasize that we do not use cookies. We believe in minimizing the collection of personal data, and our approach is centered around user privacy.

How We Use Your Information:

The information we collect is used for statistical analysis, to improve our website’s functionality, and to enhance the overall user experience. None of the collected data is shared with third parties, and all measures are taken to ensure the anonymity of the information.

Your Consent:

By using our website, you consent to the terms outlined in this privacy policy. If you do not agree with these terms, please refrain from using our analytics tools.

Updates to Privacy Policy:

This privacy policy may be updated from time to time, and any changes will be reflected on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices, please contact us at [your contact information].

Thank you for visiting our website!

Events Tracking – Quick Start Guide

Get started with Active Analytics Events in 5 minutes!

Step 1: Verify Installation

Log into WordPress admin
Go to Settings → Active Analytics
Click the Events tab
You should see the Events dashboard (may show “No data” initially)

Success! If you see the Events tab and dashboard, you’re ready to track events!

Step 2: Test Event Tracking

Option A: Browser Console (Quickest)

Open any page on your WordPress site
Press F12 to open Developer Tools
Go to the Console tab
Type this command and press Enter:

wpaa('send', 'event', {
    eventCategory: 'Test',
    eventAction: 'Console Test',
    eventLabel: 'My First Event'
});

Go to Settings → Active Analytics → Events
You should see your event in the “Recent Events” table!

Option B: Test Page (Interactive)

Upload events-test.html to your site
Visit the page in your browser
Click any button to track events
View results in Settings → Active Analytics → Events

Step 3: Track Your First Real Event

Example: Track Button Clicks

Add this to your theme or page:

<button id="signup-btn">Sign Up Now</button>

<script>
document.getElementById('signup-btn').addEventListener('click', function() {
    wpaa('send', 'event', {
        eventCategory: 'Button',
        eventAction: 'Click',
        eventLabel: 'Signup CTA'
    });
});
</script>

Example: Track Form Submissions

<form id="contact-form">
    <!-- your form fields -->
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

<script>
document.getElementById('contact-form').addEventListener('submit', function(e) {
    wpaa('send', 'event', {
        eventCategory: 'Form',
        eventAction: 'Submit',
        eventLabel: 'Contact Form'
    });
});
</script>

Step 4: View Your Data

Go to Settings → Active Analytics → Events
View:

Summary Stats – Total events, today, this month
Timeline Chart – Events over last 30 days
By Type Chart – Most tracked event types
By Category Chart – Event distribution
Recent Events Table – Last 50 events with details

Step 5: Learn More

Common Event Types

// User Actions
wpaa('send', 'register');
wpaa('send', 'login');
wpaa('send', 'logout');

// Content Interactions
wpaa('send', 'download');
wpaa('send', 'signup');

// Custom Events
wpaa('send', 'event', {
    eventCategory: 'Category Name',
    eventAction: 'Action Name',
    eventLabel: 'Optional Label',
    eventValue: 123  // Optional numeric value
});

Event Parameters

Parameter	Required	Type	Example
`eventCategory`	No	String	‘Video’, ‘Button’, ‘Form’
`eventAction`	No	String	‘Play’, ‘Click’, ‘Submit’
`eventLabel`	No	String	‘Homepage CTA’, ‘Contact Form’
`eventValue`	No	Integer	100, 4999 (price in cents)

Quick Tips

Best Practices:

Use consistent category names
Provide descriptive labels
Track meaningful interactions
Test in console first

Avoid:

Track personal data
Use random category names
Track every click
Forget to test

Troubleshooting

Events Not Showing?

Check 1: Is wpaa() function available?

// In browser console
typeof wpaa
// Should return: "function"

Check 2: Any JavaScript errors?

Open browser console (F12)
Look for red error messages

Check 3: Is Active Analytics active?

Go to WordPress Plugins page
Verify Active Analytics is activated

Check 4: Cache issues?

Clear browser cache
Clear WordPress cache (if using caching plugin)

Real-World Examples

Track Video Plays

document.getElementById('my-video').addEventListener('play', function() {
    wpaa('send', 'event', {
        eventCategory: 'Video',
        eventAction: 'Play',
        eventLabel: this.src
    });
});

Track Scroll Depth

let tracked25 = false;
window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {
    const scrollPercent = (window.scrollY / (document.documentElement.scrollHeight - window.innerHeight)) * 100;

    if (scrollPercent > 25 && !tracked25) {
        tracked25 = true;
        wpaa('send', 'event', {
            eventCategory: 'Engagement',
            eventAction: 'Scroll',
            eventLabel: '25%'
        });
    }
});

Track E-commerce

// Product purchase
wpaa('send', 'event', {
    eventCategory: 'Ecommerce',
    eventAction: 'Purchase',
    eventLabel: 'Order #12345',
    eventValue: 9999  // $99.99 in cents
});

Important Notes:

Event data respects your data retention settings
Privacy-first and GDPR-friendly by design
Works seamlessly alongside pageview tracking