Track screens

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Contentsquare aggregates user behavior and engagement at the screen level. To achieve this, it is necessary to provide a name for each screen by calling a dedicated screenview API.

import com.contentsquare.android.Contentsquare;
// Sends Screenview
Contentsquare.send("screen_name")

The screen name is limited to 2083 characters. However, this limit is not enforced by the SDK, but rather by the Contentsquare servers.

Screenview after app in background

Section titled Screenview after app in background

Depending on your implementation, a screenview event might be sent after the app is put in background and then in foreground. To do so, you will have to call Contentsquare.send(..) in the onResume lifecycle method of the activity (or fragment).

Implementation recommendations

Section titled Implementation recommendations

From a functional standpoint, we expect a screenview to be sent:

  • When the screen appears
  • When a modal/pop-up is closed and the user is back on the screen
  • When the app is put in the foreground (after an app hide)

When to send your first screenview

Section titled When to send your first screenview

Most events collected by the SDK require a screenview event to be sent first so they can be associated with that screen; otherwise, they will be discarded. If you need to collect events from the moment the app launches, you should trigger a screenview event immediately after the SDK has started.

If the SDK is started automatically, you should send your first screenview when your app’s life cycle begins. For instance, you can send it in your Application onCreate() method:

import android.app.Application;
import com.contentsquare.android.Contentsquare;
public class MyApplication extends Application {
@Override
public void onCreate() {
super.onCreate();
// Send screenView
Contentsquare.send("Launch screen");
}
}

If the SDK is started manually, you should send your first screenview right after calling start():

Contentsquare.start();
Contentsquare.send("Launch screen");

To trigger a custom screenview each time the activity is visible place the tag in the onResume method.

To avoid double tagging on Fragments, make sure to include the tag in each ViewPager’s onPageChangeListener callback.

When tracking a popup as an isolated screen, use the API to send a screenview event onShow. To re-trigger a screenview of the current activity below when the popup is dismissed, make sure to trigger a screenview event with the original Activity screenName on the popup DismissListener.

When tracking a bottom sheet as an isolated screen, use the API to send a screenview event on view displayed. On its dismiss, make sure to trigger a screenview event with the original screen name on BottomSheetBehaviorCallback state change (Usually when STATE_HIDDEN) to track the complete cycle.

Back navigation and navigation between screens

Section titled Back navigation and navigation between screens

Make sure that screenview events will be triggered when a user will go to the previous screen (example: Home → Profile → Home), it is expected to have a screenview event for the Home screen that might be reached with the back navigation button. Trigger screenview event in a custom callback to catch the back events.

Redirecting the user to another screen (authentication, home) when closing the app/re-opening the app

Section titled Redirecting the user to another screen (authentication, home) when closing the app/re-opening the app

For some apps, you might want to redirect users whenever they hide your app, for example for security purposes (bank apps, password managers, etc…). If that is the case, pay specific attention to the way screen_view events are sent, in order not to track a screen which is not actually shown users.

As a general rule, keep the number of distinct screen names under 100. Since these names are used to map your app in Contentsquare, choose names that are clear and comprehensive.

Separate words with spaces, dashes or underscores

Section titled Separate words with spaces, dashes or underscores

When generating screen names with multiple words, separate them using spaces, dashes, or underscores.

For instance, use Home and Living - Home Furnishings instead of homeLivingHomeFurnishings for a sub-category in a retail app.

Use screen template/layout names

Section titled Use screen template/layout names

As a general recommendation, use names referring to the screen template/layout rather than referring to the specific content (data). This will help:

  • To keep the number of distinct screen names low and therefore make Contentsquare easier to use
  • Remove the risk of sending Personal Data to Contentsquare

List of screen types falling into that category: Product detail, Event detail, Conversation/Chat, User profile…

Screens with multiple states/layouts

Section titled Screens with multiple states/layouts

Screens can have different layouts or states depending on the user context. In this case, append its value to the screen name.

Home screen

StateScreen name
App landing layoutHome
Women products layoutHome - Women
Men products layoutHome - Men
Sales layoutHome - Sales

Product Detail screen (PDP)

StateScreen name
Users on a Top for Women PDPPDP - Clothing - Women - Tops
Users on a Microwave PDPPDP - Kitchenware - Electrics - Microwave
Users on a Hotel details screenPDP - Holiday type - Season - Board

User account screen

StateScreen name
OverviewMy Account - Dashboard
Order historyMy Account - Order history
ReturnsMy Account - Returns

Search screen

StateScreen name
SearchSearch
Search results for “Skincare” productsSearch - Skincare
Search results error screenSearch - Error

Cart screen

StateScreen name
Empty cartCart - Empty
Items have been added to the cartCart - Populated
Issues with availability or pricingCart - Error

Checkout screen

StateScreen name
User provides name, surname, and date of birthCheckout - User Details
User provides shipping addressCheckout - Shipping Details
User inputs their credit card informationCheckout - Payment