How do I get New & Returning Visitors as Standard Metrics in SiteCatalyst

Question

I am wondering if there is a way to get New Visitors and Returning Visitors as a Site Catalyst Metrics. I understand you can get the same results using segments but I am looking for a "column-able" metrics for example - you can add "Unique Visitors" or any other Calculated Metrics to any report. I am wondering if there is a way to create a prop/evar or events to do the above?

Example firing an event if the visitor is visiting the site 2nd time? or creating a calculated metrics?

Answer 1

With the latest release of Adobe Analytics in June 2015 you can now add segments to metrics in the new calculated metric builder with out changing your javascript. Here is how you would do it.

• Create a segment for New Visitors (Visit Num = 1)
• Create a segment for Returning Visitors (Visit Num >1)
• Create the new Visitors metric in the metric builder by adding new visitors to the unique visitors metrics
• Do the same for returning visitors

Once you have done this you can use it just like any other metric.

Answer 2

Assuming the visitor retention reportsOne way you can achieve this is by using the visit number plugin or something similar: Visit Num Plugin

Using that, you can use whatever logic within your plugin section you need to set events:

var visNum = s.getVisitNum();
if(visNum === 1){
    //set event for first timer
}else{
    //set event for repeat visitor
}