14 DAY TRIAL // Now that the Google +1 button makes more sense, with the launch of Google+, the company is also launching a couple of tools to enable webmasters to see how and if the +1 button has an impact on the traffic of their sites.
But Google is taking it one step further by introducing a new Analytics tool which shows engagement from not only the +1 button but also for Facebook Likes, Tweets and which ever other buttons a website may use.
"You can also see how users share your content using other buttons besides +1 by using Social Plugin Tracking in Google Analytics. Once you configure the JavaScript for Analytics, the Social Engagement reports help you compare the various types of sharing actions that occur on your pages," Dan Rodney, software engineer at Google, announced.
There are several new types of reports available to Google Analytics users.
Social Engagement, for example, enables website owners to see if social elements affect the way users interact with the site, for example if they spend more time on it.
The Social Actions report displays the number of social interactions across the site from all of the buttons you may use, +1, Facebook Like and so on.
Finally, the Social Pages report displays the pages that drive the most social activity and engagement via the various buttons.
Google is rolling out the new tools over the next few days. Already, +1 stats will be automatically enabled and tracked if you have Google Analytics code installed on your site.
If you want stats for other buttons, Google provides a guide for both Facebook and Twitter. You can also enable it for other networks, with a generic tracking method, _trackSocial.
Google also added +1 Metrics to its Webmaster Tools which enable website owners to see how the +1 button affects their search engine performance and clickthrough rate.