How do I implement event tracking in my new mobile application with Pushwoosh, and what information should I provide to my developers?

Tracking user actions (Events) in your app helps you understand user behavior and send targeted communications. Pushwoosh offers two main types of events: Default Events and Custom Events.

Here's a recommended process for implementing them:

1. Understand Event Types:

• Default Events: These are common user interactions that Pushwoosh can track automatically or with minimal setup by your developers. They cover basic interactions.
• Custom Events: These are actions specific to your app's unique features and business goals. You'll need to define these based on what's important for your application.

2. Implement Default Events:

• Action: Instruct your developers to ensure all relevant Default Events in Pushwoosh are enabled and tracking correctly for your app.
• Examples:
  • PW_ApplicationOpen: Tracks when a user opens the app.
  • PW_ScreenOpen: Tracks when a user views a specific screen in the app (you might need to specify important screens).
  • PW_NotificationOpen: Tracks when a user opens a push notification.
• Resources: Your developers can find the full list and implementation details in the Pushwoosh Default Events documentation.

3. Implement Custom Events:

This is typically a collaborative process involving product/marketing teams (to define what to track) and developers (to implement the tracking).

• Step 1: Identify Key User Actions (for Product/Marketing Teams)

  • Think about the most essential actions a user can take in your app that indicate engagement, progress, or intent. For an e-commerce app, examples include:
    • product_viewed
    • added_to_cart
    • checkout_started
    • search_performed
  • Consider what user behavior you want to analyze or use to trigger targeted messages.

• Step 2: Define Custom Events in the Pushwoosh Control Panel (for Product/Marketing Teams)

  • Navigate to the Events section in your Pushwoosh Control Panel (e.g., Audience > Events > Create Event > Custom Event).
  • For each key action identified, create a Custom Event:
    • Assign a clear and descriptive Event Name (e.g., product_viewed, search_performed).
    • Add a Description for clarity.
    • Define Attributes for these events. Attributes are extra pieces of information that give context to the event. For example, for a product_viewed event, attributes could be product_name (string), category (string), and price (integer or string).

• Step 3: Communicate to Developers and Implement Tracking (Collaboration)

  • For Product/Marketing Teams: Provide your development team with a clear list of the Custom Events you have defined. This list should include the exact event names and all their attributes (along with their expected data types, e.g., string, integer).
  • Pushwoosh often provides integration code snippets or SDK guidance directly in the control panel when you create a custom event. Share this information with your developers.
  • For Developers: Based on the provided specifications, integrate the Pushwoosh SDK calls into the application's codebase. When a user performs an action that corresponds to a defined custom event, the app must send this event to Pushwoosh along with all its specified attributes.
• Resources: Developers can find detailed instructions for implementing custom events by searching for "Custom Events" in the Pushwoosh documentation.

General Guidance:

• Start by identifying and implementing the most critical events for your app's core functionality and business goals. You can always add more events later as your needs evolve.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication between product/marketing teams and developers throughout the event implementation process.
• Once events are correctly implemented and data is flowing into Pushwoosh, you can leverage this information for advanced audience segmentation, triggering automated marketing campaigns, and gaining deeper insights into user behavior.

Additional Resources:

• Understanding events in Pushwoosh documentation
• Master event-based marketing automation for maximized user engagement
• Jumpstart behavioral segmentation with Pushwoosh's Default Events
• Advanced segment builder in Pushwoosh (event-based segmentation explained)