I admit, my expertise is not in third-party statistical programs. However, I have recently discovered something that left me wondering ‘what’s going on?’ I, like so many bloggers, use Bloggers stats too to show my pageviews per day, yesterday, month and all time. I also use Google Analytics: a free web based program which tracks all different types of stats for your blog. However, I find myself with different stats which gaps of 40% between stats! Why is this? Why does Blogger stats show different values to Google Analytics? Well I think I may have found the answer.
Let’s start off with my problem. In my Blogger stats, I can see that my pageviews for last month were 11,103:
So that was from 5th September 2011 – 4th October 2011 (it says 27th September – 4th October because the stats are showing weekly but for month the dates are 5th Sept – 4th Oct). Therefore, if I place them two dates into Google Analytics I should get the same number? Well check out the number I get instead.
7,604! That’s 3,499 pageviews difference! Why is the gap so huge between these two different programs which record the stats of the same blog? Well, my theory is simple and logical (I hope!).
To let Google Analytics record your stats, you have to install a bit of HTML code onto your blog such as this:
<script type=’text/javascript’>
var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push([&#;_setAccount&#;, &]); _gaq.push([&#;_trackPageview&#;]);
(function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = (&#;https:&#; == document.location.protocol ? &#;https://ssl&#; : &#;http://www&#;) + &#;.google-analytics.com/ga.js&#;; var s = document.getElementsByTagName(&#;script&#)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })();
</script>
As you can see, it begins with a script and ends with a script. This is where I think Google Analytics flaw is.
Many internet users (for me, around 30% of my visitors) use ad blockers which block adverts. Because adverts are ‘scripts’ like Google Analytics’ code, you will find the ad blockers will block any HTML code that has ‘script’ in it from appearing or being used. Therefore, Google Analytics shows the stats for people that don’t use ad blockers on your blog.
Is that a fair judgement? If not, why do you think Google Analytics gets different results to Blogger or WordPress Stats? Comment below.
That is nothing compared to the discrepancies between my blogger stats and Google analytics stats. For October 3rd, Blogger stats say 18,984 pageveiws while GA says 2,535. SMH, I would think it would be closer to the Blogger stats figure as my site is quite popular.
I agree, it does seem blogger stats are more accurate: the only really reason I use GA now is for stats like the bounce rate, traffic sources and in page analytics.
It is really important to have accurate showing of blog stats, you have described in brief about the all this reasons so with the help of this code we can get accurate blog stats.
Thank you for the positive feedback.
In over an hour of searching, this has been the most helpful article regarding the discrepancy I'm seeing in my stats. Thank you!
I'm glad this proved useful!
I recently started a blog, and this is confusing the heck out of me! Something else I don't understand is why my AdSense account shows 250 page views, and Analytics shows… 1.
There's something else that is incorrect. Adsense can't be lying so it must be Analytics.
I have never used google analytics until very recently when I changed my blogger theme to a dynamic view and decided to try out Google Analytics too. The funny thing is Google Analytics shows 25 page views from 'the past' that is from ancient times even before I started using Google Analytics and Blogger dynamic view. And that 25 from Brazil cannot be the truth, anyway. Not going to use the funny tool anymore.
The frustration is that most ad networks want to know your Google stats. I use Word Press and the stats are just as varied as with Blogger. What do I tell folks that want to advertise on my page?
I would tell them Google Analytic's stats as much as it might be less than your WordPress stats. Be safe than sorry: you don't want to promise your advertisers s certain amount of traffic which they don't get.
to everyone who needs to understand why they are different see the google link:
http://support.google.com/adsense/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=55613
Can anyone tell me about websiteinformer.com? Is it a reliable source? I also find GA wildly different to my Alexa stats and what is on WebsiteInformer
Most Websites that show stats for other websites are usually wrong as they don't have as much data Google Analytics get. Yes, Analytics is not accurate in showing stats. But, websites that show stats are even more unreliable.
I hate to sound completely ignorant, but I suppose I am to an extent. I can see the discrepancy in the stats and if I'm understanding you correctly, to correct the issue, I copy the above HTML and insert it somewhere into my blog. But where? I just need a little help please.
Thank you!!!
No, what I am saying above is that if you use Google Analytics, the pageviews it says your website gets will be less to that on Blogger because the code you insert on your page is a 'script' which are blocked by ad clockers from working.
You make more sense than all the Google Analytics apologists who think it is the "gold standard." I have seen all the supposed explanations why GA is supposed to be giving the truest information, but none of it makes any sense when you dig in. I have confirmed that GA 'WILDLY" under-reports blog traffic (at least on my blog). The sales pitch from most of the supposed gurus is just plain idiotic and wrong when you check it out. Their claim that most of your blog traffic is really from search bots doesn't stand up to any scrutiny. Google Analytics is DEAD WRONG.
So instead of apologising, they are blamining most websites for having poor traffic from search bots? The solution above seems extremely simple and it makes sense. Therefore, if Google Analytics want to improve their program to show the most accurate pageviews, they need to add a code which cannot be blocked by ad blockers.
Thanks Will, that's really useful!
Here are 21 lies that Google Analytics is telling you, including traffic sources, set up … Here, Analytics isn't lying, but it isn't telling the whole truth. … It turns out that this little decision affects the accuracy of the data in your referral traffic. … Let's keep this rant going to poke some more holes in our web stats. his post
Google analytics is great tool, with many useful features. Sometimes I’m combining Google analytics data for traffic, visitors, pages with all data from hosting account. That way I got full picture what’s going on the site/blog.
website design
I stopped believing in Google analytics a long time when a friend of mine , his country (Italy) lest his hometown never showed on Google analytics … you can always say how sure you are….more than 199% because he pointed to a mistake he could not have guessed if he did not read the post …..and you can reply how do you know he was in italy … he was just recovering from a chirurgical operation …Blogger stats are not better either (seach bots, referrers etc…) but more believable…
Totally flummoxed and don't what to believe. The other day, Blogger reported nearly 900 pageviews; GA under 100.
I REFUSE to believe there were less than 100 pageviews. Perhaps, not 900 either but somewhere in between.
God — someone who knows– help us all!