Adobe Launch is a valuable tool to help you manage the tags placed across your website, including Facebook, Pinterest, and Bing pixels as well as Adobe Analytics and Target depending on your property. Many of these tags are either deployed via custom code or via one of the many extensions within Launch’s extension to help you manage your tags.
However, as your implementation grows over time, you may find that it becomes difficult to handle due to several factors, including any dependencies on extensions within the property and the complexity of introducing so many new variables and rules into an implementation.
Here are 3 best practices to help you more easily maintain your Adobe Launch Implementation:
Evaluate the Use of Custom Code vs. Extensions
When it comes to using Custom Code in Adobe Launch, it can be useful in many ways. However, it negatively impacts readability and scalability when it comes to analyzing what each tag does.
This namely comes in the fact that a developer will have to spend time analyzing the code, its implications on the rule and having to work on updating the rule without breaking any existing tagging. It also serves as a challenge for the developer and the end goal of managing the existing rule, especially as it adds time to understand and interpret how JavaScript within the Launch library interacts with the website.
In addition, with each tag placed on your site, you take the risk of adding more weight to your container, which can negatively impact the performance of your website.
Consider the following when using extensions in Launch:
- Make sure that the tags and built-in templates you are maintainable, easy to update, and bring value to your implementation.
- Always evaluate their maintainability and performance when compared to other tags and extensions on the website—using certain extensions may lead to more technical debt on the website.
- Watch out for any updates to extensions on existing tracking, and create internal processes needed to audit and deploy these updates, as well as recommend any extensions that make your implementation easier to manage.
- Work with your IT and cybersecurity team to thoroughly screen the original author to avoid any potential risks.
Continuously Reference and Update Your Solution Design Reference Document
It’s important that every Adobe Analytics tagging implementation has a Solution Design Reference (SDR) document, or a universal design document that contains the eVars, props, report suites and other relevant information for a tagging implementation that aligns with the business goals of not only your website, but your organization.
This should also include an overview of all your report suites, how your variables are configured, and your Key Business Objectives. Every developer should be instructed to reference and update this document as implementation evolves.
Think about the following when using your SDR:
- Encourage your stakeholders to take an active role in governing and understanding the document to ensure that the right projects are being prioritized and the right data is being collected.
- Consider investing in a wiki solution like Confluence to help more easily manage standard and processes for your implementation. This, along with the SDR, will help you to centralize information and allow for it to be easily diffused across not only your developers, but other departments.
- Encourage and incentivize developers to share and update the wiki with information to serve as an all-in-one resource of the team.
Deprecate, Consolidate and Elaborate Upon Tags as Necessary
You should always look towards auditing and maintaining your implementation over time, as this helps to avoid technical debt throughout the course of a project.
Consider the following when auditing your implementation:
- Consider moving away from outdated tags that are no longer in use or deemed to be too costly in terms of maintenance while looking for simpler tags that are easier to maintain. Try consolidating or repurposing them.
- Repurpose or remove data elements that aren’t being used. Make sure to follow the DRY principle when using them, as this will help keep your implementation simple.
- Audit each property to look for extensions that are no longer in use or deemed to be too costly in terms of maintenance. Create internal processes for the deprecation and removal of these extensions.
- Communicate any possible concerns around technical debt and work with your team to manage it over the course of a project.
- Strive towards auditing on a frequent cadence, to make sure that all your tagging is working as expected.
Hopefully this article has helped you to gain some best practices to use when managing your Adobe Launch implementation. Best of luck and happy tagging!
Sources:
https://experienceleague.adobe.com/docs/analytics/implementation/prepare/solution-design.html?lang=en
