Google Tracking Far from Perfect

Google Analytics - Far from perfect

Did you know Google Analytics does not track 30 to 60+% of your visitors? There are many reasons Analytics reports inaccurately low numbers starting with the fact the government has safety measures in place to protect consumers' privacy...

A few of the many ways Google Analytics cannot track people...

Privacy...
Google must allow PRIVACY to individuals and has even admitted Analytics no longer tracks all referrals!

Since Windows 8: Tracking not enabled...
Starting with Windows 8, then 10 and now 11, Windows now comes with a default setting of "Do Not Track while browsing". This should come as no surprise as Microsoft is no friend of Google and is happy to allow you "not be tracked" by Google Analytics - the largest web tracking software. Windows 8 & 10 account for about 85% of current users.

Mobile Devices & Tablets...
Mobile Devices now account for 54+% of all traffic and Google Analytics has problems tracking Mobile (if at all). Tablet tracking can also be problematic.

No Javascript? No data...
Not everyone enables Javascript. Most computers today have ad-blocking software, anti-virus software, anti-malware software, and/or privacy browser software installed. All of these will block the JavaScript code Google Analytics needs to track them. Many computers simply disable JavaScript as some javascript can be malware (bad). All of these reasons result in "no visitor tracked".

Firewalls and more block cookies... No cookie = No data...
Visitors are not tracked unless they accept a "cookie". Unlike old-school web stats that analyze the log files on your server, Google Analytics needs cookies to work properly. How often are you asked "Allow Cookies" or "Do NOT Allow?" If your or your browser doesn’t accept cookies (blocked) or their firewall blocks or deletes cookies – their is no data (aka no visit). If the visitor’s computer, browser, firewall, or server rejects cookies, (as more and more are daily for privacy reasons) it’s a huge void in your data.

REFERER...
GA uses software that uses the "REFERER" (intentionally misspelled in the HTTP specs) browser header, which the browser is supposed to send to each URL showing which URL it came from. The key is "supposed to send" but there is no requirement that it does. Reasons why "Referers" are not sent include: security settings within the browser, third-party privacy software installed that prevents the sending of the information, or the user is browsing in a "privacy mode" or "incognito".

$’s Likely at least 2 to 4x’s Higher than tracking will show...
Some hotels attempt to track revenue directly associated with each website. The problem is, unless the person books on their first visit to the site from the referring site, the original referring site is not likely to get the credit. Google has stated the average person looks at 35 web sites. So if they find your site the first time at work from Site A and then go home and show the wife the property they found and book it on their home computer there is no way Site A will get the credit. This is why those that track revenue know that and $’s tracked are a MINIMIUM number of guaranteed bookings and the correct number is more likely at least 2 to 4x’s the tracked $ amount.

Tracking Just Not Perfect...
Between Windows default not tracking, mobile searches... not tracking anyone that has Java Scripts and/or cookies turned off... antivirus and anti malware software that prevents browsers from being tracked... Google Analytics is going to under track and should be considered a MINIMIUM number.

Supporting Documents:
Your data in Google Analytics may not be as accurate as you think. If you have a high volume of visits, your data could easily be off by 10-80%, or even more. Shocking right? Link to can you trust your Google Analytics Data

Why Is Google Analytics Inaccurate? Read story here

Here are 21 ways in which Google Analytics is inaccurate. Read story here http://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/inaccurate-google-analytics-traffic-sources/

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