How to Add WordPress Analytics Without Cookies (2 Easy Methods)

Once I first began constructing WordPress web sites, monitoring customer knowledge simply meant putting in Google Analytics and calling it a day.

However instances have modified. With new privateness rules, utilizing cookies to gather private info with out person consent can result in authorized complications and misplaced guests.

I’ve helped a number of WordPress web site house owners transition to cookie-free analytics options that also present highly effective insights. After testing quite a few choices and implementing them throughout varied kinds of web sites, I’ve recognized the simplest approaches.

On this information, let me present you two methods so as to add analytics whereas respecting your guests’ privateness. One makes use of a privacy-first setup for Google Analytics (which makes use of first-party cookies), and the opposite is a cookieless possibility.

Do I Actually Want Cookieless Analytics?

You’ve in all probability heard rather a lot about cookies and privateness legal guidelines. However what does all of it actually imply to your WordPress web site’s analytics? Let me break it down.

Cookies are small items of information which are saved on a person’s browser after they go to a web site.

Conventional analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4) use these cookies to trace customer conduct. This consists of particulars like which pages they go to, how lengthy they keep, and what actions they take.

All this knowledge helps web site house owners higher perceive their viewers and enhance their web sites.

🚨 Right here’s the problem: New privateness legal guidelines, just like the GDPR, CCPA, and ePrivacy, require web sites to ask for specific person consent earlier than monitoring with cookies. Due to this, many web site house owners assume they need to change to cookie-free analytics to remain compliant.

Nevertheless, that’s not really true!

You’ll be able to nonetheless monitor vital knowledge with Google Analytics whereas staying compliant with privateness legal guidelines.

Why “Cookieless” Google Analytics 4 is the Finest Choice

In terms of web site analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) remains to be the very best and strongest software accessible – and that’s true for all sorts of internet sites. So, if you’d like correct insights into your guests’ conduct, GA4 is the way in which to go.

However earlier than we begin, let’s clear up a standard misunderstanding: GA4 doesn’t depend on third-party cookies. As a substitute, it makes use of first-party cookies, that are set by your individual web site to gather knowledge about your guests’ exercise on your WordPress site solely.

In distinction, third-party cookies are set by exterior providers (like advert networks) and monitor customers throughout a number of web sites. Due to their broader monitoring scope, they increase extra privateness issues and are being phased out by many browsers.

Now, you may be questioning: “Since GA4 nonetheless makes use of cookies – even when they’re first-party – can or not it’s utilized in a method that complies with privateness legal guidelines?”

The reply is sure!

Nevertheless, do be aware that Google Analytics itself isn’t robotically compliant or non-compliant. It’s your duty to make use of it in a method that follows the foundations that apply to you.

Plus, whether or not you want cookie consent for Google Analytics will depend on a number of elements. They are often the place you and your guests are situated, and the way you deal with their knowledge.

Since cookie consent legal guidelines differ by nation (even throughout the EU), some web sites should ask customers to consent to particular cookies, whereas others want a banner for any cookie use.

To assist with this, I’ll present you tips on how to pair GA4 with:

✅ MonsterInsights with the EU Compliance addon – This helps guarantee your knowledge dealing with aligns with GDPR and different privateness rules.

✅ WPConsent cookie banners – These provide help to request and handle person consent the precise method.

With these instruments in place, you’ll be able to proceed utilizing GA4 in a method that helps compliance with privateness legal guidelines. This helps you collect priceless insights whereas decreasing the danger of authorized points.

Easy methods to Add WordPress Analytics With out Cookies

Now that I’ve coated what cookieless monitoring is and whether or not you actually need it, let’s discuss tips on how to set it up in your WordPress web site.

There are 2 strong choices to do that:

1. GA4 + MonsterInsights EU Compliance addon – Observe person conduct with GA4 whereas staying compliant with privateness legal guidelines like GDPR. It makes use of first-party cookies and provides configurable settings for stronger privateness. Splendid for getting detailed insights with straightforward web site integration.
2. Burst Statistics – Let’s you arrange analytics with out cookies. It shops knowledge in your server and provides a hybrid mode with optionally available cookies.

I’ll cowl each strategies in our tutorial, together with some additional ideas and FAQs about cookieless monitoring.

Be at liberty to make use of the soar hyperlinks beneath to go to your most well-liked methodology:

Prepared? Let’s break it down.

Technique 1: Easy methods to Set Up WordPress Cookieless Analytics (Preserve Utilizing GA4 for the Finest Insights)

This methodology is for if you’d like entry to highly effective analytics whereas nonetheless respecting person privateness. I’ll be utilizing MonsterInsights alongside WPConsent to arrange cookieless monitoring.

Step 1: Set up MonsterInsights to Set Up Cookieless Analytics

MonsterInsights is essentially the most popular Google Analytics plugin for WordPress, and for an excellent purpose: it makes viewing your Google Analytics knowledge in WordPress extremely straightforward.

At WPBeginner, we use it to trace site visitors sources, customer demographics, and conversion charges on our types, buttons, referral hyperlinks, and extra. Try our complete MonsterInsights review for a deeper have a look at its options.

So, let’s first set up and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. For particulars, you’ll be able to see this information on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Step 2: Join MonsterInsights to Google WordPress Analytics

Upon getting MonsterInsights up and operating, it’s time to attach it to your web site and your Google Analytics account.

You’ll be able to click on the ‘Insights’ tab within the left-hand menu of your WordPress dashboard.

Subsequent, simply click on the ‘Launch the Wizard’ button to start out the MonsterInsights setup course of.

On the following display, you’ll want to choose a class that finest describes your web site.

This could be a WordPress blog, enterprise web site, or on-line retailer.

Simply hit ‘Save and Proceed’ after you make your selection.

After that, you’ll want to attach MonsterInsights to your web site’s Google Analytics account.

Merely click on the ‘Join MonsterInsights’ button to start the method.

Within the subsequent steps, you’ll should register to your Google Analytics account and choose the web site you wish to monitor.

MonsterInsights will then set up Google Analytics in your web site – straightforward as that!

For particulars, you’ll be able to see this information on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.

Step 3: Set up the MonsterInsights EU Compliance Addon

Since GA4 nonetheless makes use of first-party cookies, it is advisable guarantee that your monitoring complies with GDPR. The MonsterInsights EU Compliance addon makes this simpler by automating key privateness settings in GA4.

A few of its important options embody:

• Anonymizing IP addresses to forestall private knowledge storage.
• Disabling the monitoring of person demographics, pursuits, and Person IDs.

To put in the addon, you’ll be able to navigate to Insights » Addons.

Right here, go forward and click on the ‘Set up & Activate’ button to put in the EU Compliance addon.

After that, you’ll be able to change the toggle to activate the addon when it seems.

Upon activation, let’s go to the ‘Settings’ menu.

Within the ‘Engagement’ tab, merely toggle the ‘Allow EU Compliance’ setting to show it on.

We additionally advocate verifying the settings straight in GA4 to make sure your GA4 setup aligns along with your MonsterInsights privateness settings.

For instance, to ensure your GA4 doesn’t monitor demographics, you’ll be able to navigate to your GA4 ‘Admin’ panel.​

Subsequent up, you’ll wish to find the ‘Knowledge assortment and modification’ setting.

Then, merely click on the ‘Knowledge assortment’ possibility.

Now, within the ‘Google indicators knowledge assortment’ settings, it’s best to be sure it’s disabled.

Why does this matter? Google Alerts collects additional person knowledge, together with:

• Demographics & Pursuits – Age, gender, and hobbies.
• Location & Engagement – Person places (from Google accounts).
• Cross-Machine Monitoring – Identifies customers as they change between units.
• Cross-Platform Stories – How customers work together throughout units.
• Advert Personalization Knowledge – Connects with Google Ads for remarketing.

If it’s already off, then it’s best to see the choice to ‘Flip On’ like this:

You may also wish to evaluate your knowledge retention settings.

Knowledge retention controls how lengthy GA4 shops user-level and event-level knowledge earlier than robotically deleting it. A shorter retention interval may also help with GDPR compliance and privateness rules.

To do that, you’ll be able to go to Knowledge assortment and modification » Knowledge retention from the ‘Admin’ menu.

On the following display, you’ll see choices to set the occasion and person knowledge retention interval.

You’ll be able to click on the ‘Knowledge retention’ dropdown menus for each occasion and person knowledge. Then, for stricter compliance, merely select the ‘2 months’ possibility.

Don’t neglect to click on ‘Save’ once you’re accomplished adjusting.

To study extra about all issues GA4, you’ll be able to try our beginner’s guide on how to use Google Analytics 4.

Step 4: Set Up the WPConsent Cookie Consent Plugin

Utilizing Google Analytics 4 whereas complying with legal guidelines like GDPR and CCPA means it is advisable get person consent earlier than monitoring. And that duty falls on you.

Whether or not consent is required will depend on the place your small business relies, the place your customers are situated, what knowledge you acquire, and the way it’s used. Plus, guidelines differ extensively throughout international locations, even throughout the EU, with some requiring consent for particular cookies and others for any kind.

As a substitute of dealing with this manually your self, you should use WPConsent to simplify compliance.

This highly effective plugin allows you to show a cookie consent banner, log person decisions, and management when instruments like GA4 are allowed to run — all inside WordPress.

At WPBeginner (and a few of our accomplice manufacturers), we use WPConsent, and it’s been a dependable answer for managing privateness settings. Discover all of its options in our complete WPConsent review!

So, let’s begin by putting in the WPConsent plugin. In case you need assistance, then you’ll be able to see this newbie’s information on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Upon plugin activation, let’s activate the license key.

To do that, you’ll must go to WPConsent » Settings. After that, merely copy the license key out of your WPConsent account and paste it into the ‘License Key’ subject.

Then, go forward and click on the ‘Activate Key’ button.

With that accomplished, let’s navigate to ‘Dashboard’ to undergo the setup wizard.

Go forward and click on on the ‘Let’s Get Began’ button.

On the following display, WPConsent will run a scan to see if your site is using cookies.

First, it would ask you to verify your web site’s electronic mail deal with.

If the whole lot appears to be like good already, then you’ll be able to click on ‘Scan Your Web site.’

This can set off the software to start out the cookie scan.

As soon as accomplished, you’ll see a ‘Scan accomplished’ notification together with a brief report on the software’s findings. For instance, right here it says that WPConsent discovered 4 providers on our web site which have set cookies.

Let’s click on on ‘OK’ to proceed the method.

Subsequent up, you’ll see your WordPress web site’s scan ends in extra element.

On my demo web site, the providers that use cookies are WordPress login (this may be due to the ‘Remember Me‘ possibility), WordPress Feedback, Google Analytics, and Matomo.

Just be sure you choose all of the providers. Then, you also needs to verify the field that claims ‘Stop identified scripts from including cookies earlier than consent is given.’

With that accomplished, go forward and click on the ‘Auto-Configure chosen’ button.

After that, WPConsent will immediate you to arrange your cookie banner.

The method is tremendous easy. You simply want to decide on a format and choose a place.

Then, you’ll be able to scroll down the web page to preview your cookie consent banner.

If the whole lot appears to be like good to you, it’s time to click on the ‘Save & Full Setup’ button.

And also you’re accomplished!

Now, if you happen to go to your web site, you’ll see your cookie consent banner in motion.

👉 Skilled Tip: Including a hyperlink to your privateness coverage web page within the cookie banner helps construct belief along with your guests and align with authorized necessities. In case you don’t have one but, then try our tutorial on how to add a privacy policy page in WordPress.

After setting it up, you’ll be able to embed the hyperlink into your cookie banner from the WPConsent editor.

Simply navigate to WPConsent » Banner Design out of your admin space. Then, you’ll be able to edit the textual content within the ‘Message’ subject to incorporate the hyperlink to your Privateness Coverage web page.

Don’t neglect to click on the ‘Save’ button so that you don’t lose your progress.

And right here’s your cookie banner:

Step 5: Entry Consent Logs to Confirm Your Privateness Settings

WPConsent has a ‘Consent Logs’ part that gives an in depth file of how guests work together along with your web site’s cookie consent popup.

To see your logs, go forward and navigate to WPConsent » Consent Logs out of your WordPress admin area.

Right here, you’ll discover a desk with all of your customers’ consent particulars.

For instance, I’ve a person who accepted all cookies – important, statistics, and advertising and marketing.

And that’s it – you’ve efficiently arrange Google Analytics with enhanced privateness settings whereas nonetheless utilizing cookies.

Technique 2: Easy methods to Set Up WordPress Analytics With out Cookies (Free Choice with Much less Knowledge Accuracy)

In case you’re trying to monitor analytics with out cookies, then Burst Statistics is a superb possibility. This free plugin makes the method fairly easy.

Take into account that Burst Statistics makes use of a method referred to as fingerprinting. It’s a approach to determine a pc or gadget based mostly on its distinctive traits, just like the browser, working system, and put in fonts, even with out utilizing cookies.

Whereas it’s usually thought of much less intrusive than cookies, it’s nonetheless a type of monitoring, so it’s good to pay attention to it.

Now, let’s check out how one can set it up in your WordPress web site.

Step 1: Set up and Activate the Burst Statistics Plugin on WordPress

To get began, it is advisable set up and activate the free Burst Statistics plugin. Merely navigate to Plugins » Add New Plugin out of your admin space.

After that, you’ll wish to use the search function to shortly discover the plugin. Then, go forward and click on the ‘Set up Now’ button.

Then, it’s best to click on as soon as once more on the ‘Activate’ button when it seems. In case you need assistance, then you’ll be able to try this information on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Step 2: Configure Settings for Optimum Efficiency and Privateness

Upon plugin activation, you’ll be able to allow analytics with out cookies immediately.

All it’s important to do is navigate to Statistics » Settings out of your WordPress admin space. Then, let’s be sure you’re within the ‘Basic’ tab.

From right here, merely change on the ‘Allow Cookieless monitoring’ possibility like this:

And that’s it – you’ve efficiently arrange WordPress analytics with out cookies in your web site.

Step 3: Confirm if Your Analytics Are Working Correctly

Not like the extra conventional method, analytics with out cookies avoids storing private knowledge, like IP addresses or different person identifiers. As a substitute, it supplies anonymized, aggregated knowledge.

That mentioned, it’s vital to notice that some strategies nonetheless contain knowledge assortment. This may occasionally carry privateness implications relying on how they’re applied.

To see in case your analytics are working correctly, it is advisable go to the ‘Statistics’ menu. On the following display, you’ll instantly discover your guests and pageviews graph for the final seven days.

To see the statistics intimately, you’ll be able to scroll down this web page.

Right here, you may discover that your classes are counted otherwise.

In conventional analytics, cookies monitor when a customer begins and ends a session. If the identical particular person comes again inside a sure timeframe (normally half-hour), it’s counted as the identical session.

In analytics with out cookies, returning customers can’t be acknowledged inside that window. As a substitute, every go to is handled as a brand new session, even when it happens shortly after the final one.

🤔 What does this imply to your studies? You might even see a better variety of classes than standard as a result of guests who go away and return inside a brief interval gained’t be grouped right into a single session.

Additional down the web page, Burst Statistics supplies a devoted ‘Pages’ report that reveals how pageviews are distributed throughout your web site.

For instance, in case your ‘Evaluate’ report reveals 9 pageviews, then you’ll be able to see that 3 views got here from the ‘Profession’ web page, 2 views from the ‘Login’ web page, and so forth.

FAQs About Cookieless WordPress Analytics

Nonetheless have questions? Let’s clear up some frequent issues about monitoring web site knowledge with out cookies.

Why do web sites want cookies?

Cookies retailer small quantities of information to recollect person preferences, monitor person conduct, and enhance the person expertise. Many analytics instruments use cookies to determine returning guests and monitor interactions over time.

How can I add analytics to my WordPress web site?

In brief, you’ll be able to add analytics to your WordPress web site utilizing instruments like MonsterInsights, Matomo, or HubSpot.

I like to recommend MonsterInsights as a result of it makes putting in Google Analytics in WordPress straightforward. It offers you all of your GA4 knowledge in easy-to-understand studies straight in your WordPress dashboard.

For particulars, see this information on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.

Do all web sites with analytics want cookie warnings?

No. In case your analytics answer doesn’t store personally identifiable information (PII) or monitor customers throughout classes utilizing cookies, then you definately don’t want a cookie consent banner. For this reason many web site house owners change to analytics with out cookies.

For instance, Burst Statistics is a privacy-focused analytics software that makes use of fingerprinting methods. As a substitute of storing cookies, it analyzes non-personal browser and gadget knowledge to distinguish guests.

Take into account that whereas this method is technically cookieless, it’s nonetheless a type of knowledge assortment that will have privateness concerns.

Will cookieless analytics have an effect on knowledge accuracy?

It will depend on the software you utilize.

Cookieless monitoring could not seize person journeys in as a lot element, but it surely nonetheless supplies correct insights into general site visitors, web page views, and engagement.

Many trendy cookieless analytics instruments use fingerprinting methods or server-side monitoring to enhance accuracy. Whereas these strategies decrease cookie utilization, they nonetheless acquire knowledge in different methods, which can increase issues about privateness.

Can I change again to conventional analytics if wanted?

Sure, most analytics options permit you to change between cookieless and conventional monitoring. Nevertheless, if you happen to begin utilizing cookies once more, then it’s possible you’ll must add a cookie consent banner to adjust to privateness legal guidelines.

Additional Studying 📚: Extra WordPress Analytics Guides

I hope this text has helped you learn to add WordPress analytics with out cookies.

Wish to dive deeper into WordPress analytics? Try these guides to trace and perceive your web site’s efficiency extra successfully:

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