Deleting Cookies Dampens Google Analytics Data
Deleting cookies from Internet browsers is a growing trend in the digital age, but online advertisers should be aware of how it influences Google Analytics data – or, what we like to call the great numbers game.
Photo Credit: JoeinSouthernCA, Used Under Creative Commons License
According to a 2012 comScore study, about 30 percent of Internet users delete their ad-served (third-party) cookies every month, with a frequency of 4+ times per month.
That means that three out of every 10 computers perusing your website are recording each visit as unique in your Google Analytics data.
The problem with this ratio is that repeat visitors who delete their cookies will show up as unique visitors, and that makes it very difficult to track long-term behavior.
Not to mention conversion analysis is about as plentiful as nutrients in a bowl of sugar.
When the point is to see who returns to your website, including if and when, losing 30 percent of user data is of significant consequence to website owners who rely on Google Analytics data to plan their online advertising strategy.
How are you dealing with the loss of cookie-based data?
