Data Layer for Google Analytics VS Data layer for Adobe Analytics

In this section, let’s talk about the data layer. There are data layers in Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics, but they are the same thing? If not, then where else?

Let’s first look at what the two data layers refer to, how they are, and how to use them?

Data Layer for Google Analytics

The data layer is a very important concept in Google Analytics/Google Tag  Manager. It can ensure that data is sent accurately when triggered or executed. The structure of the data layer looks like this:

<script>
  dataLayer = [{
    'pageCategory': 'signup',
    'visitorType': 'high-value'
  }];
</script>

If the data layer code is called after the container snippet, any variables declared within will not be available for Google Tag Manager to selectively fire tags on page load.

We often see the structure of dataLayer.push, This functionality is accomplished by calling the push API as a method of the data layer on your page, Actively push the data out and send it out. The basic syntax for setting an event, This way, you don’t need to put it in front of the container snippet. then, is as follows:

dataLayer.push({
  'color': 'red',
  'conversionValue': 50,
  'event': 'customizeCar'
});

This is the most common way for the data layer to actively send data out.

Data layer for Adobe Analytics

A data layer is a framework of JavaScript objects that developers insert into pages.  In essence, a data layer is a Javascript object. The first example follows the traditional method of SiteCatalyst data capture:

The second example shows what the same data points look like within a digital data layer:

This structure is known as JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Put this data layer as high as possible in the head of the page, before the call to Adobe Launch, so that the values can be used immediately by Launch, and by Adobe solutions that need to be high on the page, like Adobe Target. And then, In Launch, create “data elements” that reference the data points in the data layer, and which can be used throughout Launch in rules, extensions, etc.

The fixed information on the page of the data layer of Adobe Analytics cannot push data actively, so the effect is the same as that of JavaScript Variable in Google Tag Manager.

Adobe Analytics provides other ways to actively push data, but it is not called the data layer. It is Direct Call Rules and tom Events. Third-party Extensions also provide similar functions that can actively push data at the data layer.

The data layer of Google Analytics is very different from the data layer of Adobe Analytics. In terms of functionality, the JavaScript Variable of Google Analytics is closer to the data layer of Adobe Analytics; and the data layer of Google Analytics is similar to the Direct Call Rule of Adobe Analytics , Custom Event  It is closer to the Data Layer Manager extension, and their relationship can be represented by the following figure:

In contrast, the data layer of Google Analytics is more powerful.