Google analytics

Hey guys,

Bit of an odd one this…..

Have Envato changed the rules for theme developers regarding whether or not developers can add a space to insert your Google analytics code in the theme back end?

Another theme author has recently told me that they are prevented from adding this to their theme on Envatos say so but he wouldn’t go as far as to offer a reason why.

Is this the case? Why would this be the case and is this anything to do with the problems Google analytics are having with spam bots etc

Is there any danger to me newsmag theme as this has google analytics built into the theme? Or is this guy just talking shit?

Many thanks

John

Sounds whacko to me.

Obviously you can embed your own GA code in your own website however you want. If a theme developer adds a box in the control panel as convenience to print that for you in the head area so you don’t have to hack the template, that does nothing suspicious or bizarre beyond providing a convenience factor.

Seems like this is a question you might want to address to Envato directly?

I’d not heard that based on using many many commercial themes from ThemeForest (although most given the boot now I’m using TagDiv “almost” exclusively 😉 ).

Yeah, I think the guys full of shit to be honest…..

I’ve been buying themes for about 7 years and had never heard of it but assumed it was a recent development, here’s what he wrote

“as per latest ThemeForest rules, theme developers cannot add Google Analytics option to themes”

He sold me a pretty good looking theme that doesn’t do half of what it says and is trying to talk his way out of a sticky situation.

I’m holding out on judgement until I get an answer from Envato or one of the Tagdiv guys, I only asked as this theme has the GA function and didn’t know if it was something to do with GA getting hammered by bots lately?

Thanks for your reply anyhow 🙂

Didn’t see anything about that here:

https://help.market.envato.com/hc/en-us/articles/202501494-WordPress-Phase-1-Submission-Requirements-Q-A

https://help.market.envato.com/hc/en-us/articles/202822450-WordPress-Theme-Submission-Requirements

Also “GA” getting hammered by bots would have nothing to do with HOW you place your GA code into your own website …

the feature in TagDiv theme is technically no different than you doing it yourself when the page actually renders; or the Yoast plugin to insert the GA snippet.

Weird.

I’m sure TagDiv may have a response tonight but bizarre to say the least. 🙂

Thanks Chris, I’ll have a look at those links.

Bare in mind that this is the same guy who’s advising me to install a plugin that is no longer supported and hasn’t been updated for 10 months lol 🙂 Think I’ll pass, thanks.

Hi Lucian/Chris,

Just heard back from envato about the Google analytics not being allowed and apparently it’s correct.

They tell me… Theme authors are no longer allowed to create an area within the theme for the google analytics code to be inserted. They didn’t tell me why this change had been made but I have emailed them asking for why and await their reply.

The author of the other theme I bought that did not included an area for the GA code to be inserted told me a guy called Igor at Envato told him about it and it’s enforced by reviewers and to be excluded from Theme Options

Many thanks

Dean

Well that’s dumb.

I suppose since it’s already offering in numerous plugins, and also found in YOAST SEO, and can easily be inserted into a header.php template, not a terrible thing.

But I find that somewhat hard to believe, or even justifiable — that’s like saying you can’t insert a link to your Piwik stats into a theme, or you can’t have a box to put in your AdSense codes … makes zero sense whatsoever. It’s just a box that prints the “block of text” into the header file.

Now if the theme developer is piggybacking their own GA code in the theme, THAT would be bad; but providing customers / users / admins a way to put the GA code into the theme — that’s a convenience factor for those buying themes, many of whom are newbies to WP (obviously if you read ANY support forum for themes).

I’m raising the stupid flag on this one — I can’t imagine WHAT the security issue would be with this. It’s simply a convenience — just like adding a copyright notice to footer, or adding in author meta for post authors … sheesh (!).

Ok, Just had the update from a guy called Krystian Wojcik at Envato. He writes the following.

Sorry for the confusion, we do allow the authors to add Google analytics box to their themes but it needs to be included as a plugin.

Sorry for my mistake

So now I’m more confused than ever lol

Well…. I guess it only matters if you’re building your own theme or buying that other person’s theme. TagDiv supports it in any case as does the Yoast plugin, so not really impactful ’round these parts 🙂