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Semalt Explains Why It Is Important To Exclude An IP Address From Google Analytics Account

When a Google Analytics account has been setup, it is important to make sure that the site is not contaminated by the rogue data, which may depend on website visits. This visits may include your own or even those of your employees if there are any. Therefore, it is important to exclude all IP addresses that are not wanted to prevent data from displaying in the Google Analytic account. The blocking of this visits can be carried out by visiting the Admin menu and editing the Filters option.

Oliver King, the Semalt Customer Success Manager, states that it is important to note that all computers using the same Wi-Fi have the same IP address and should, therefore, be excluded if that data is not required to be reflected in the Google Analytic account. The IP address can be identified by visiting this site: http://www.whatsmyip.org/; all other IP addresses that need to be blocked can be identified by using the same link. If the link is used appropriately the results indicate the IP address, the host name, and the user agent. It is possible to obtain other information on your network from this link. Other information that can be obtained from the link include:

  • The port scanner
  • HTTP Compression
  • Traceroute
  • Ping
  • WHOIS and DNS
  • Website ranking
  • IP location
  • HTTP Headers

It should be noted that if the Wi-Fi is disconnected, then different IP addresses will be generated using the same link. The IP address can also be obtained for mobile phones and tablets, which utilize cell towers to access the internet if they are not using Wi-Fi.

How to exclude an IP address from Google Analytics?

  • The first thing is to log in to the Google Analytics account.
  • After logging in into the Google Analytics account you are required to select the profile.
  • After the profile has been selected, you are supposed to select the Admin menu.
  • On the Admin menu, The All Filters option should then be selected under the Account option.
  • Under the All Filters menu, the next step is to click on the Add Filter button.
  • The filter should be given a name. The name of the Filter can be any name of choice.
  • The filter type should remain as it is already predefined.
  • The filter type should indicate "Exclude + traffic from the IP addresses + that are equal to".
  • Input the IP address obtained from the link mentioned above.

After the above-stipulated procedure has been followed, the previous historical data will still remain affected by the IP address. However, if the process is followed to the latter, then the data will not be intruded from that point onwards. This will make sure that reporting data will not be affected by rogue data, which lead to false statistics. Once the unwanted visits are excluded from the Google Analytics account, reliable statistical data may be obtained which can be used for improving and better marketing the website.