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Migrate from SmartTag

If you have used SmartTag SDKs before and want to understand how they are different from the new Piano Analytics SDKs and the work involved in migrating, you are in the right place.

SDK and Tagging landscape​

SDKs landscape

We've been proposing SmartTag SDKs since 2015.

These SDKs can be implemented using two different philosophies :

From April 2022, Piano Analytics SDKs are the new reference when it comes to tag your environments.

SmartTag SDKs will be maintained until April 2023, but no new features will be added. From April 2023, these SDKs will not be maintained anymore.

Before I start​

Piano Analytics SDKs have been designed for the Piano Analytics solution. Data sent through these SDKs will not be processed within the Analytics Suite 2.

attention

If your Analytics perimeters are certified (ACPM / Mediamétrie), you still need to use the SmartTag SDKs AS2 Tagging (at least for your pages).

"xtor" marketing campaigns syntax will not be recognized anymore. Please use "at_" instead.

Difference between tagging philosophies / SDKs​

The functionalities of our SDKs have followed the evolution of our audience measurement solution.

Perfectly adapted to the Analytics Suite 2, the SmartTag SDKs had to be adapted to the new Piano Analytics solution to allow you to send events and use your custom Data Model.

This is what we have enabled with the PA Tagging philosophy during winter 2020, while still using the old SmartTag SDKs.

Now, we decided to start from scratch and redesign brand new SDKs that are based by default on our new Piano Analytics solution and event-based data model:

SmartTag (AS2 Tagging) SmartTag (PA Tagging) Piano Analytics SDKs 
tag.page.set({
  name: 'My_page',
  level2: 'sub_level'
});
tag.setprops({
    'd:article_date': 1646925124,
    'b:article_premium': false
});
tag.page.dispatch()
 
tag.event.send('page.display', {
  'page': 'My page' 
  'site_level2': 'sub level' ,
  'article_date': 1646925124,
  'article_premium': false 
});
 
pa.sendEvent('page.display', {
  'page': 'My page' 
  'site_level2': 'sub level' ,
  'article_date': 1646925124,
  'article_premium': false 
});

As you can see here, if you already tagged your perimeters with the SmartTag (PA Tagging) approach, migrating to Piano Analytics SDKs will not be heavy.

It is the same event-based approach, with easier tagging methods and configurations.

If you are currently using the SmartTag (AS2 Tagging) approach, no pressure! You have one year to migrate. But we know that implementation projects take time, so we encourage you to start playing with the new SDKs soon to get the latest feature.

Piano Analytics SDKs come with:

  • A redesigned and easier tagging
  • A JS Browserless SDK to collect data in new environments
  • A new "Privacy by design" approach, the most advanced on the market
  • Dozens of improvements and new features

Can I use both SDKs?​

You can.

But both SDKs don't communicate, so Privacy configuration and users' ID are not shared.

More information in the dedicated article.

Complete tagging example​

SmartTag - AS2 Tagging (2015)​

documentation

<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Page</title>
      <script src="https://tag.aticdn.net/smarttag.js"></script>
  </head>
  <body>
    ...
    <script type="text/javascript">
      var tag = new ATInternet.Tracker.Tag({site:123456789, collectDomain:'https://logsx.xiti.com'});

      tag.page.set({
        name: 'My_page',
        level2: 'sub_level'
      });
      tag.setprops({
        'd:article_publication_date': 1646925124,
        'b:article_premium': false
      });
      tag.dispatch();
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

SmartTag - PA Tagging (Winter 2020)​

documentation

<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Page</title>
    <script src="https://tag.aticdn.net/smarttag.js"></script>
  </head>
  <body>
    ...
    <script type="text/javascript">
      var tag = new ATInternet.Tracker.Tag({site:123456789, collectDomain:'https://logsx.xiti.com'});

      tag.event.send('page.display', {
        'page': 'My page',
        'site_level2': 'sub level',
        'article_date': 1646925124,
        'article_premium': false
      });
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

Piano Analytics SDKs (April 2022)​

<html>
  <head>
    <title>My Page</title>
    <script src="https://tag.aticdn.net/piano-analytics.js"></script>
    <script type="text/javascript">
      pa.setConfigurations({ // Basic configuration to send events
        site:123456789,
        collectDomain:'https://logsx.xiti.com'
      }); 
    </script>
  </head>
  <body>
      ...
    <script type="text/javascript">
      pa.sendEvent('page.display', { // Event name
        'page': 'My page',
        'site_level2': 'sub level',
        'article_date': 1646925124,
        'article_premium': false
      });
    </script>
  </body>
</html>