If you’re running a website, chances are you’re using Google Analytics to track user behavior and have asked what cannot be collected by the default Analytics tracking code.
The default analytics tracking code is a block of JavaScript code included on website pages to gather information and send it to Analytics reports.
It enables website owners to track user behavior on web resources and improve their websites accordingly.
However, there are certain types of data that the default analytics tracking code cannot collect.
For example, the default analytics tracking code cannot collect personally identifiable information (PII) and financial data like credit card numbers.
Google Analytics prohibits collecting certain types of data, and it’s important to be aware of these restrictions to avoid violating user privacy.
Additionally, the default analytics tracking code cannot collect data from intranet websites by default.
Intranet websites, which are private networks, may not have the necessary connectivity for data collection.
Another type of data that cannot be collected by the default analytics tracking code is the user’s favorite website.
While you can see how your users accessed your website, what operating system and device they used, their language and geo details, and how many pages they viewed during their visit, there is no option in Google Analytics interface to identify the data about the user’s favorite website.
This information can be useful for understanding user preferences and improving your site’s content, but it cannot be collected by the default analytics tracking code.
What Cannot Be Collected By The Default Analytics Tracking Code?
Google Analytics tracking code is a block of JavaScript code that is added to website pages to collect information and send it to Analytics reports.
The default tracking code is designed to capture a lot of data about user behavior on web resources.
However, there are some things that cannot be collected by the default analytics tracking code.
User Specific Information
The default analytics tracking code cannot collect user-specific information such as their name, email address, or any other personally identifiable information.
This is because the code is designed to collect anonymous data about user behavior and not personal information.
Real-Time Data
The default analytics tracking code cannot collect real-time data about user behavior.
This means that you cannot see what users are doing on your website in real-time.
However, you can see real-time data if you use Google Analytics Real-Time reports.
Offline Activities
The default analytics tracking code cannot collect data about offline activities.
For example, if users interact with your brand offline, such as in a physical store, this data cannot be collected by the default tracking code.
Detailed User Behaviors
The default analytics tracking code cannot collect detailed information about user behaviors such as mouse movements, clicks, or scrolling.
However, you can use additional tools such as heatmaps to collect this information.
In summary, the default analytics tracking code is a powerful tool for collecting data about user behavior on web resources.
However, it has some limitations and cannot collect certain types of data such as user-specific information, real-time data, offline activities, and detailed user behaviors.
If you find that Google Analytics cannot collect data from your system by default, there are alternative methods to gather that data. Here are two options:
Third-Party Tools
There are third-party tools that can help you collect data that Google Analytics cannot.
These tools can provide you with additional insights and data that can help you make more informed decisions. Some popular third-party tools include:
- Mixpanel
- Kissmetrics
- Heap Analytics
- Amplitude
Customized Tracking Code
Another option is to customize your tracking code to collect the data you need.
This requires some technical knowledge, but it can be worth the effort if you need specific data that Google Analytics cannot provide.
Here are some examples of customized tracking code:
- Custom events: You can create custom events that track specific actions on your website, such as button clicks or form submissions.
- Custom dimensions: You can create custom dimensions that allow you to track additional data about your users, such as their age or gender.
- Custom metrics: You can create custom metrics that allow you to track specific data points, such as the number of times a video was played.
By using third-party tools or customized tracking codes, you can gather data that Google Analytics cannot provide by default.
This can help you gain a more complete understanding of your website’s performance and make more informed decisions.
Key Takeaways
When it comes to collecting data for Google Analytics, there are certain things that cannot be tracked by default.
Some of the key takeaways include:
- The default analytics tracking code cannot collect data from systems that do not have JavaScript enabled.
- This includes older web browsers and websites with JavaScript disabled.
- The Google Analytics for Firebase SDK automatically generates and assigns an app-instance identifier to each instance of your app.
- By default, the SDK collects identifiers for mobile devices (for example, Android and iOS devices) and web browsers.
- The default analytics tracking code cannot collect the user’s favorite website.
- Tracking code is a block of JavaScript code included on website pages to gather information and send it to Analytics reports.
- It enables website owners to track user behavior on web resources and improve their websites accordingly.
Overall, it’s important to keep in mind that the default analytics tracking code has limitations and may not be able to collect all the data you need.
However, there are ways to customize the tracking code and use additional tools to track more information.
