Using Google Analytics as a process evaluation method for Internet-delivered interventions: an example on sexual health
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The study aimed to demonstrate the potential of Google Analytics as a process evaluation method for Internet-delivered interventions, using a website about sexual health as an example. This study reports visitors' behavior until 21 months after the release of the website (March 2009-December 2010). In total, there were 850 895 visitors with an average total visiting time (i.e. dose) of 5:07 min. Google Analytics provided data to answer three key questions in terms of process evaluation of an Internet-delivered intervention: (i) How do visitors behave?; (ii) Where do visitors come from? and (iii) What content are visitors exposed to? This real-life example demonstrated the potential of Google Analytics as a method to be used in a process evaluation of Internet-delivered interventions. This is highly relevant given the current expansion of these interventions within the field of health promotion.
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The bounce rate of 19.37% was substantially lower than that observed in other interventions (e.g., 32.9% in a sexual health intervention, 56.3% in a heart-healthy behaviors intervention).
“The bounce rate of 19.37% was also substantially lower than that observed in other interventions (eg, 32.9% in an intervention promoting sexual health, and 56.3% in an intervention promoting heart-healthy behaviors) [21,22], indicating that the home page was effective at engaging users.”
From Breaking open the black box: isolating the most potent features of a web and mobile phone-based intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress (2015) · cites this paper as [21]
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- Authors
- Crutzen, R., Roosjen, J. L., & Poelman, J.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Crutzen, R.
- ORCID
- Crutzen, R.
- Venue
- Health Promotion International
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2012-02-29
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 36-42
- ISSN
- 0957-4824 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2245
- OpenAlex
- W2116194564
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 9.47
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Health Promotion International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Social Media in Health Education
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Keywords
- Google Analytics, process evaluation, online intervention, sexual health, website visitors, visitor behavior, website traffic, health promotion, online health interventions
- MeSH terms
- Health Education, Health Promotion, Humans, Software, Internet, Informatics, Data Mining, Reproductive Health
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