In Adobe Analytics, an eVar (short for “Conversion Variable”) is a type of variable used to capture and store data related to visitor interactions and behaviors on a website or application. eVars are highly versatile and can be used to track various types of information, such as campaign tracking, product views, internal search terms, and more.
Key Features of eVars
- Conversion Attribution: eVars play a crucial role in conversion attribution, allowing you to understand which marketing campaigns, content, or interactions led to successful conversions (e.g., purchases, leads, or other desired actions).
- Visitor Segmentation: By capturing specific visitor data in eVars, you can segment your audience based on their behaviors, interests, or characteristics, enabling more targeted analysis and personalization.
- Customizable: eVars are highly customizable, allowing you to define the data you want to capture and how it should be processed and reported.
- Persistent: eVars can be set to persist across multiple page views or visits, enabling you to track visitor behavior over time and across multiple sessions.
Setting up eVars
To set up an eVar in Adobe Analytics, follow these steps:
- Log in to the Adobe Analytics interface.
- Navigate to the “Admin” section and select “Report Suites.”
- Choose the desired report suite and click on “Edit Settings > Conversion > Conversion Variables.”
- On the Conversion Variables page, click the Expand icon [+] next to the conversion variable you want to modify. Or click Add New to add an unused eVar to the report suite.
- Select the conversion variable fields you want to modify. See Conversion Variables – Descriptions. Some fields let you type directly in the field. Others let you select from a drop-down list of supported values.
- Click Save
Using eVars in Reports
Once you’ve set up eVars, you can use them in various reports and visualizations within Adobe Analytics. Here are a few common use cases:
- Conversion Attribution: Use eVars to track marketing campaigns, referrers, or internal search terms, and then analyze their impact on conversions using the “Conversion Funnel” or “Conversion Path” reports.
- Visitor Segmentation: Create segments based on eVar values to analyze specific audience groups and their behaviors.
- Merchandising Analytics: Track product views, add-to-cart events, and purchases using eVars to gain insights into product performance and customer journeys.
- Content Analysis: Capture content interactions (e.g., video views, file downloads) using eVars to understand content engagement and optimize your content strategy.
Best Practices
To make the most out of eVars in Adobe Analytics, consider the following best practices:
- Plan ahead: Carefully plan which eVars you need and how you’ll use them before implementation to ensure efficient data collection and analysis.
- Naming conventions: Establish clear naming conventions for eVars to make them easily identifiable and maintainable.
- Allocation logic: Choose the appropriate allocation logic (e.g., linear, last non-direct click, or custom) based on your analysis goals and attribution models.
- Expiration settings: Set appropriate expiration settings for eVars to ensure accurate data collection and reporting.
- Documentation: Document the purpose, implementation, and usage of each eVar to facilitate knowledge sharing and maintenance within your organization.
By leveraging eVars effectively, you can gain valuable insights into visitor behavior, optimize your marketing efforts, and make data-driven decisions to improve your digital experiences.
