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Set up server-side analytics

Receive analytics sourced from the JWP Content Delivery Network

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JWP’s server-side analytics help broadcasters create informed monetization and engagement strategies by providing data from the JWP content delivery network (CDN) on how viewers consume content.

Server-side analytics are intended for broadcasters using JWP's services to stream long-form content across multiple platforms, including web, connected TV, and mobile.

Server-side analytics offer several benefits:

  • Player Agnostic: Effective across all platforms, including web, CTV, mobile
  • Cost-Effective: No need for player-specific integrations due to server-side data collection
  • Resilient to Anti-Tracking Systems: Unaffected by user privacy tools like ad-blockers, privacy-focused browsers, or DNS privacy services
  • Data Sharing: Accessible across all JWP properties to any business intelligence system through Data Sharing

Prerequisites

Item Description
Data Sharing Entitlement Entitlement to access and query granular JWP performance data

For more information, contact your JWP representative.
OTT App Analytics Entitlement Entitlement to access app analytics

This entitlement also reveals server-side analytics for broadcasters.

For more information, contact your JWP representative.
Snowflake Account ID (Direct Snowflake Share) Unique identifier for your Snowflake account

Stream Support

Supported Streams

Server-side analytics support the following streams and formats.

Item Description
JWP-hosted video streams
  • Video-on-demand streams
  • Broadcast Live SaaS streams
Formats / streaming protocols
  • HLS streams
  • DASH streams
  • DRM-enabled streams


Unsupported Streams

Server-side analytics are not compatible with the following streams and formats.

Item Description
JWP-hosted video streams
  • Instant Live streams
Externally-hosted video streams
  • All non-JWP-hosted streams
  • Standalone Broadcast Live streams
Formats
  • Audio-only streams

Set up server-side analytics

Follow these steps to set up server-side analytics:

  1. Configure user tracking.
  2. Set up Data Sharing.
  3. Access your data.


Configure user tracking

JWP Identity Management allows you to track users on JWP-hosted streams. To configure user tracking, follow this step:

  1. Add the user_id as a query parameter to the manifest request.

    https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/a1b2c3.m3u8?user_id=john_doe

    ⚠️

    Adding parameters to JWP-hosted streams does not affect cacheability or reliability. However, for externally-hosted streams, adding parameters may have an impact.

    We only recommend adding parameters to streams hosted at the following JWP URLs.

    URL Stream Type
    https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests
    • .m3u8
    • .mpd
    https://cdn.jwplayer.com/live/broadcast
    • .m3u8
    • .mpd

Play session metrics

Through server-side analytics, JWP offers various metrics and dimensions to help broadcasters understand play session performance and viewer behavior.

For more information, see the server-side analytics datasets.


FAQs

How does JWP identify the viewer?

A Viewer ID is generated based on the IP address and user agent. The Viewer ID is used to retrieve the video segments.

For more information, see our metrics reference and additional information.


How does JWP determine the location of a play?

The location of a play is based on the IP address of the player that requested the video from JWP servers. JWP uses a database that maps IP addresses to their assigned regions. This database is based on data collected from internet service providers and other sources.


How accurate is the location?

JWP gathers location data by analyzing a viewer's IP address through its Content Delivery Network (CDN). This method is not always accurate.

The precision of location data can vary depending on the internet connection’s characteristics. Inaccurate location may occur during the following cases:

  • VPNs. If a viewer employs a VPN, JWP’s CDN will identify the location of the VPN server rather than the viewer’s actual geography.
  • Mobile devices. As determined by a service provider’s traffic management, mobile internet users may appear in a general area rather than a precise location.

How does JWP determine the device?

The device is based on the user agent of the player that requested the video from JWP servers. JWP uses a database to map user agents to their device types.


How accurate is device identification?

New user agents are introduced regularly during streaming. As a result, the user agent can be inaccurate, occassionally leading to incorrect device types.


Updated 10 days ago