Automated Integration of Partner Products

Abstract

Automated integration of partner products in connection with a web analytics application is facilitated. A list of available partner products is displayed, and the user is provided with an opportunity to select one or more of the displayed partner products. A wizard is presented, allowing the user to configure the partner product by specifying and mapping metrics, dimensions, and the like. Partner product integration then takes place automatically, thereby simplifying the process by which such integrations can be implemented.

1 . A computer-implemented method for integrating specific partner applications with web analytics applications, the method comprising:
 displaying, via a graphical interface of a web analytics application executed by a computer, a listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the web analytics application includes information on a plurality of data metrics, wherein each of the partner applications is associated with a respective web marketing service;   receiving, via the web analytics application, user selection of a specific partner application from the listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the specific partner application tracks web analytics data and provides the web analytics data from a corresponding data source;   configuring, by the web analytics application, the specific partner application by:
 receiving, via the graphical interface, a first input describing the web analytics data to be imported from the specific partner application and selected data metrics from the web analytics application to be integrated with the web analytics data from the specific partner application, and 
 grouping the selected data metrics according to data dimensions specified by a second input received via the graphical interface; 
   integrating, by the web analytics application, corresponding elements of the web analytics data into corresponding data structures storing the data metrics, wherein integrating the web analytics data into the corresponding data structures causes a bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between a data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application; and   generating, by the web analytics application, output indicating that the corresponding elements of the web analytics data have been successfully integrated.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the user selection of the specific partner application comprises receiving a dragging input that moves a representation of the specific partner application from (i) a first portion of the graphical interface displaying a listing of partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications to (ii) a second portion of the graphical interface displaying the listing of partner applications available for integration. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising providing a web-based form for recommending a web analytics partner application to be added to the partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the listing of partner applications available for integration is specific to a current user of the web analytics application. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising identifying, based on input received via the graphical interface prior to receiving user selection of the specific partner application, associations between data sources and the partner applications available for integration. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein grouping the selected data metrics according to the data dimensions comprises:
 accessing a mapping between (i) a data dimension description provided by a user and (ii) a specific data dimension from the data dimensions; and   assigning, based on the mapping, a portion of the selected data metrics to a group for the specific data dimension.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing the bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between the data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application by:
 receiving additional web analytics data from the specific partner application;   tracking visitor information for a website;   selecting a portion of the visitor information based on the additional web analytics data; and   exporting, to the specific partner application, the selected portion of the visitor information for storage in the data source.   
     
     
         8 . A computing system for integrating specific partner applications with web analytics applications, the computing system comprising:
 a display device configured for displaying, via a graphical interface of a web analytics application, a listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the web analytics application includes information on a plurality of data metrics, wherein each of the partner applications is associated with a respective web marketing service;   an input device configured for receiving, using the graphical interface, user selection of a specific partner application from the listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the specific partner application tracks web analytics data and provides the web analytics data from a corresponding data source; and   a processing device configured for executing the web analytics application and thereby performing operations comprising:
 configuring the specific partner application by:
 (i) receiving, via the graphical interface, a first input describing the web analytics data to be imported from the specific partner application and selected data metrics from the web analytics application to be integrated with the web analytics data from the specific partner application, and 
 (ii) grouping the selected data metrics according to data dimensions specified by a second input received via the graphical interface, 
 
 integrating corresponding elements of the web analytics data into corresponding data structures storing the data metrics, wherein integrating the web analytics data into the corresponding data structures causes a bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between a data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application, and 
 generating output indicating that the corresponding elements of the web analytics data have been successfully integrated. 
   
     
     
         9 . The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein receiving the user selection of the specific partner application comprises receiving a dragging input that moves a representation of the specific partner application from (i) a first portion of the graphical interface displaying a listing of partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications to (ii) a second portion of the graphical interface displaying the listing of partner applications available for integration. 
     
     
         10 . The computing system of  claim 9 , the operations further comprising configuring the display device to display a web-based form, the web-based form configured for recommending a web analytics partner application to be added to the partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications. 
     
     
         11 . The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein the listing of partner applications available for integration is specific to a current user of the web analytics application. 
     
     
         12 . The computing system of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising identifying, based on input received via the graphical interface prior to receiving user selection of the specific partner application, associations between data sources and the partner applications available for integration. 
     
     
         13 . The computing system of  claim 8 , wherein grouping the selected data metrics according to the data dimensions comprises:
 accessing a mapping between (i) a data dimension description provided by a user and (ii) a specific data dimension from the data dimensions; and   assigning, based on the mapping, a portion of the selected data metrics to a group for the specific data dimension.   
     
     
         14 . The computing system of  claim 8 , the operations further comprising performing the bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between the data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application by:
 receiving additional web analytics data from the specific partner application;   tracking visitor information for a website;   selecting a portion of the visitor information based on the additional web analytics data; and   exporting, to the specific partner application, the selected portion of the visitor information for storage in the data source.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon for integrating specific partner applications with web analytics applications, wherein the program instructions are executable by a computing system to perform operations comprising:
 displaying, via a graphical interface of a web analytics application executed by a computer, a listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the web analytics application includes information on a plurality of data metrics, wherein each of the partner applications is associated with a respective web marketing service;   receiving, via the web analytics application, user selection of a specific partner application from the listing of partner applications available for integration, wherein the specific partner application tracks web analytics data and provides the web analytics data from a corresponding data source;   configuring, by the web analytics application, the specific partner application by:
 receiving, via the graphical interface, a first input describing the web analytics data to be imported from the specific partner application and selected data metrics from the web analytics application to be integrated with the web analytics data from the specific partner application, and 
 grouping the selected data metrics according to data dimensions specified by a second input received via the graphical interface; 
   integrating, by the web analytics application, corresponding elements of the web analytics data into corresponding data structures storing the data metrics, wherein integrating the web analytics data into the corresponding data structures causes a bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between a data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application; and   generating, by the web analytics application, output indicating that the corresponding elements of the web analytics data have been successfully integrated.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein receiving the user selection of the specific partner application comprises receiving a dragging input that moves a representation of the specific partner application from (i) a first portion of the graphical interface displaying a listing of partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications to (ii) a second portion of the graphical interface displaying the listing of partner applications available for integration.
 wherein the operations further comprise providing a web-based form for recommending a web analytics partner application to be added to the partner applications compatible with the web analytics applications.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the listing of partner applications available for integration is specific to a current user of the web analytics application. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further comprising identifying, based on input received via the graphical interface prior to receiving user selection of the specific partner application, associations between data sources and the partner applications available for integration. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein grouping the selected data metrics according to the data dimensions comprises:
 accessing a mapping between (i) a data dimension description provided by a user and (ii) a specific data dimension from the data dimensions; and   assigning, based on the mapping, a portion of the selected data metrics to a group for the specific data dimension.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the operations further comprising performing the bidirectional flow of the web analytics data between the data source of the specific partner application and the corresponding data structures of the web analytics application by:
 receiving additional web analytics data from the specific partner application;   tracking visitor information for a website;   selecting a portion of the visitor information based on the additional web analytics data; and   exporting, to the specific partner application, the selected portion of the visitor information for storage in the data source.