Can I view metrics on articles viewed/searched by customers in service desk?
Asked by Lewis:

I would like a report on searches made through our service desk by customers.

It would be very useful to know:

* what the search terms they use are
* which articles they navigate to after searching
* which are the most viewed articles

Is this possible?

I am using the on-demand/cloud version of Jira/Confluence/Service Desk, so don't think I have the ability to install all of the custom plugins.

Thanks!


Answers:
author: Sonya Goldstein
body: I wasn't certain if there were additional options available for server (data center) that were't available for cloud. We self host and very much want to obtain the very type of analytics that you mention. Specifically, I also want to know what articles are getting viewed and utilized so that we can make adjustments to those articles to reduce the number of issues that our customers may log pertaining to those topics which can be resolved with self help article.

Anything like that?

comments: author: JB
body: i wish


author: Lewis
body: Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions.

I have decided to use one of the [Google Analytics plugins](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/de.resolution.cloud.analytics.google/cloud/overview "Google Analytics Confluence Plugin") for Confluence.

This option is free and gives me some of what I am after.

The google analytics account has required some configuration to be useful, but it now shows me which pages are viewed most frequently and searches generate a recognisable URL in themselves, so I can review search terms in this way.

For the moment this will satisfy my requirements, but it would be good to have some additional metrics built in.

comments: author: Susan Ostreicher
body: Hi Lewis,

I'm glad you found a solution that's helpful! Out of curiosity, does this plugin also track views and searches through the JIRA Service Desk portal, or only through Confluence? I'm also interested in tracking activity through the portal, but I assumed it wasn't possible using a Confluence plugin because of the difference in URL.


author: Lewis
body: Hi Susan,

I have linked a particular confluence space to my service desk account to act as a Knowledge Base for customers to access.

I can track these page views through google analytics, but I can't differentiate between customer page views and internal (agent) page views if that's what you're asking?

It is possible to filter the page views report in analytics by URL or a specific part of the URL to allow you to filter the results.

Google analytics doesn't integrate perfectly with the way searches are handled in Confluence, but the URL generated with search results is visible in the page views report, so you can extract the information from here. This will not take account of any instances where a customer searches for something and clicks on a 'suggestion' before they submit their search.

Hope that all makes sense!


author: Susan Ostreicher
body: Thanks, Lewis. This is helpful.

I'm using a different plugin to integrate with Google Analytics, and it only tracks views through Confluence (URLs that begin with wiki). For example, here's a generic URL on Confluence that I can track:

<https://mysite.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/XXX/pages/9999999/Pagename>

When the same page is viewed as a Knowledge Base article (i.e. through the Service Desk customer portal), it has a different URL and it doesn't show up in my page views in GA.

[https://mysite.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/kb/view/9999999?applicationId=XXXXXXXXX\&spaceKey=XXX\&title=Pagename\&q=Pagename\&q_time=xxxxx\&portalId=1](https://mysite.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/kb/view/9999999?applicationId=XXXXXXXXX&spaceKey=XXX&title=Pagename&q=Pagename&q_time=xxxxx&portalId=1)

If you're able to track both of these URLs, then maybe I should switch plugins!


author: Lewis
body: Hi Susan,

You are entirely correct and, unfortunately, the plugin I am using is no better!

Looks like it is back to the drawing board.

Thanks for the clear explanation.


author: Susan Ostreicher
body: For anyone else who's interested, I created a suggestion here. If this would be helpful for you, please vote for it!

<https://jira.atlassian.com/browse/JSDCLOUD-5542>

comments: author: Lewis
body: Thanks Susan - I have voted for this and commented also.


author: Susan Ostreicher
body: Hi Lewis,

I'm using the Analytics for Confluence Cloud plug in, but it doesn't track JIRA Service Desk. And when customers view knowledge base articles in JIRA Service Desk, it's a different URL and doesn't register as a page view in Confluence.

Unfortunately, based on what I can find, Javascript (e.g. to connect directly with Google Analytics) also [can't be added to the Service Desk Portal.](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/JIRA-Service-Desk-questions/How-can-I-add-Javascript-to-Customer-Portal/qaq-p/187461)

That leaves the reporting that's built in to JIRA Service Desk. As far as I can tell, it won't answer any of your specific questions, but it shows [article effectiveness](https://confluence.atlassian.com/servicedeskcloud/blog/2016/01/knowledge-base-reports-are-here) at an aggregate level.

Like you, I'd love to have something more robust in the Cloud version (or to have someone point out a solution I missed)!

Susan


author: AnnWorley
body: I found a plugin for Cloud that should help you get started: [Analytics for Confluence Cloud](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/plugins/com.addonengine.analytics/cloud/overview)

As far as determining that the users originated at Service Desk, I am not sure how (feel free to pipe up, Community) but as the Service Desk customers will be in the space/spaces linked to Service Desk, perhaps getting analytics for those knowledge base spaces will be helpful.


Tags: jira-service-desk