I launched a new static site in mid-December, and I've been keeping an eye on its performance through Google Search Console and analytics tools. While Google Search Console shows some indexing progress and a few clicks, my other analytics tools like Google Analytics and Cloudflare Analytics aren't reflecting much activity, possibly because they've been blocked by privacy and cookie settings. Cloudflare indicates I have around 600-800 unique visitors daily based on HTTP requests. Am I missing something? What are the best options for getting meaningful analytics for my site?
3 Answers
Definitely trust the Cloudflare numbers more—they're based on server-side data, so they give you a clearer picture. Google Analytics is notorious for being blocked by ad blockers and privacy settings nowadays. If you want a more straightforward analytics solution, you might look into PostHog or Umami, especially if you're okay with a self-hosted option.
If your main concern is just knowing visitor counts, Cloudflare analytics is solid. However, if you need to delve deeper into user behavior, implementing a client-side tool like Plausible could give you better insights, just remember you might not capture all visitors due to blockers. It's really about deciding what info is crucial for your site.
You’re not doing anything wrong! It’s pretty common for analytics like Google Analytics to show lower numbers because of consent and privacy settings. Cloudflare’s figures are likely more accurate since they’re based on actual requests. For a more reliable setup, consider using something like Plausible or Fathom which are privacy-focused options and don’t rely on cookies, but keep in mind they do come with a cost.

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