How to get more accurate data about your website using Google Analytics?
Use Custom Filters to opt-out your own visits
Websites statistics have always been very important from the internet’s day one. I still remember the days where web page counters were the “big thing”. The problem with counters though is they don’t give you enough information about who visits your website except for their number.
Nowadays, the amount of tools that give you enough information about your website progress is huge. Among those many tools, Google Analytics stands out from the crowd as it tells you alot of information about your web traffic, where your visitors come from, how many unique visitors, what is the most popular page(s) of your website, and much much more.
Google Analytics has made it easy for non-specialists and specialists alike, across your organization, to practice performance focused marketing.
One problem though, sometimes you want more accurate data about your website traffic. Sometimes you don’t want to count your own visits. That’s where Filters come in handy to opt out your own visits to your website.
How to use Filters in Google Analytics to opt-out your own visits?
1- Login to your Google Analytics account (or create one if you don’t have it already)
2- After you log in, scroll down at the Overview page to Filter Manager section. Click the Filter Manager link as shown below
3- Click on Add Filters link at the Filter Manager page as seen below:
4- At Create New Filter page, First give the filter a name. In my case, i named it: My Own Visits Filter. Second: By default it will say Exclude which is what we want. Third, make sure “traffic from the IP addresses” is selected. Fourth, select “that are equal to”. Then, Type in your IP address in the boxes provided.
To obtain your current IP address (especially if you are on a static dedicated Internet connection i.e. DSL, Broadband…etc.) go to any website that gives you back your IP Address. For example IP2LOCATION and get your IP address which you’ll use in the IP address field of your new filter at Google Analytics.
Then, don’t forget to add your website at Apply Filter to Website Profile section. and then click on Save Changes to save your settings.
That’s it, you’re done! From now on, all your website visits will not be considered at your Google Analytics Reports as long as you are using the same IP Address as seen below.
If you are using a dial-up connection or your IP Address keeps jumping within certain range, you still can do that as well by changing the 4th selection from 4 above, to “begins with” and then create another filter with the same settings except changing “begins with” to “ends with”.
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