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• CRO Testing : The 6-Steps for Maximising Conversion Rates

  10 mars 2024, par Erin

  It’s a nightmare every marketing manager faces. Traffic is soaring after you’ve launched new digital marketing campaigns, but conversions have barely moved.

  Sound familiar ?

  The good news is you’re not alone — loads of marketing managers struggle to get potential customers to purchase. The better news is that you can test dozens of strategies to turn around your site’s fortunes. 

  Conversion rate optimisation testing (CRO testing for short) is the name for this kind of experimentation — and it can send conversion rates and revenue soaring.

  In this article, we’ll explain CRO testing and how you can start doing it today using Matomo. 

  What is CRO Testing ? 

  CRO testing is optimising your site’s conversion funnel using a series of experiments designed to improve conversion rates.

  A CRO test can take several forms, but it usually involves changing one or more elements of your landing page. It looks something like this :

  1. You hypothesise what you expect to happen.
  2. You then run an A/B test using a dedicated CRO platform or tool.
  3. This tool will divide your site’s traffic, sending one segment to one variation and the other segment to another.
  4. The CRO tool will measure conversions, track statistical significance, and declare one variation the winner. 

  A CRO tool isn’t the only software you can use to gather data when running tests. There are several other valuable data sources, including :

  • A web analytics platform : to identify issues with your website
  • User surveys : to find out what your target audience thinks about your site
  • Heatmaps : to learn where users focus their attention
  • Session recordings : to discover how visitors browse your site

  Use as many of these features, tools, and methods as you can when brainstorming hypotheses and measuring results. After all, your CRO test is only as good as your data.

  On that note, we need to mention the importance of data accuracy when researching issues with your website and running CRO tests. If you trust a platform like Google Analytics that uses data sampling (where only a subset of data is analysed), then there’s a risk you make business decisions based on inaccurate reports.

  In practice, that could see you overestimate the effectiveness of a landing page, potentially wasting thousands in ad spend on poorly converting pages. 

  That’s why over a million websites rely on Matomo as their web analytics solution—it doesn’t sample data, providing 100% accurate website traffic insights you can trust to make informed decisions.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Types of CRO Testing 

  There are three core types of CRO tests :

  A/B testing

  A/B testing, or split testing, is when you test two versions of the same page against each other. Usually, the two pages have only one difference, such as a new headline or a different CTA. 

  

  In the test above, for example, we test what happens if we remove one of the affiliate links from a page. We hypothesise that conversions won’t change because these links aren’t effective.

  A/B/n testing

  A/B/n testing is when you test multiple variations of the same element on the same page. 

  Rather than just testing one headline against another, for example, you test multiple different headlines at once.

  

  In the test above in Matomo, we’re testing a website’s original header against a wider and smaller version. It turns out the wider header converts significantly better. 

  Multivariate testing

  In a multivariate CRO test, you test multiple different elements at the same time. That could mean testing combining a different headline, CTA button, and image. 

  Multivariate testing can save time because you test multiple elements at once and find the best combination of elements. But you’ll usually need a lot of traffic to find a statistically significant result.

  Why is CRO testing important ?

  Who doesn’t want more conversions, right ? Improving your conversion rate is the core benefit of running a CRO test, but there are a couple of other reasons you should do it, too :

  

  Improve conversion rates

  How well does your website convert visitors ? The average conversion rate of a typical website is 2.35%, but better-performing websites have significantly higher conversion rates. The top 25% of websites across all industries convert at a rate of 5.31% or higher.

  CRO testing is the best way to improve your site’s conversion rate by tweaking elements of your website and implementing the best results. And because it’s based on data, not your intuition, you’re likely to identify changes that move the needle. 

  Optimise the user experience

  CRO tests are also a great way to improve your site’s user experience. The process of CRO testing forces you to understand how users navigate your website using heatmaps and session recordings and fix the issues they face. 

  You could simplify your form fields to make them easier to fill in, for example, or make your pages easier to navigate. In both cases, your actions will also increase conversion rates.

  Decrease acquisition costs

  Improving your conversion rate using CRO testing will usually mean a decrease in customer acquisition costs and other conversion metrics. 

  After all, if the cost of your PPC ads stays the same but you convert more traffic, then each new customer will cost less to acquire.

  How to do CRO testing in 6 steps 

  Ready to get your hands dirty ? Follow these six steps to set up your first CRO test :

  Have a clear goal

  Don’t jump straight into testing. You need to be clear about what you want to achieve ; otherwise, you risk wasting time on irrelevant experiments. 

  If you’re unsure what to focus on, look back through your web analytics data and other tools like heatmaps, form analytics, and session recordings to get a feel for some of your site’s biggest conversion roadblocks. 

  Maybe there’s a page with a much lower conversion rate, for example — or a form that most users fail to complete. 

  If it’s the former, then your goal could be to increase the conversion rate of this specific landing page by 25%, bringing it in line with your site’s average. 

  

  Make sure your new conversion goal is set up properly in your website analytics platform, too. This will ensure you’re tracking conversions accurately. 

  Set a hypothesis

  Now you’ve got a goal, it’s time to create a hypothesis. Based on your available research, a hypothesis is an assumption you make about your conversion rate optimisation test.

  A heatmap of your poorly converting landing page may show that users aren’t focusing on your CTA button because it’s hidden below the fold. 

  You could hypothesise that by placing the CTA button directly under your headline above the fold, your conversion rate should increase. 

  Whatever your goal, you can use the following template to write a hypothesis :

  If we [make this specific change], then [this specific outcome] will occur because [reason].

  Design your test elements

  Most marketing managers won’t be able to run CRO tests independently. A team of talented experts must create the assets you need for a successful experimentation. This includes designers, copywriters, and web developers. 

  Don’t just have them create one new element at a time. Accelerate the process by having your team create dozens of designs simultaneously. That way, you can run a new CRO test as soon as your current test has finished. 

  Create and launch the test

  It’s time to launch your test. Use a CRO tool to automate building your test and tracking results. 

  With Matomo’s A/B Testing feature, it’s as easy as giving your test a name, writing a hypothesis and description, and uploading the URLs of your page variants.

  

  Matomo handles everything else, giving you a detailed breakdown at the end of the test with the winning variant. 

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  Analyse the results

  You can only review the results of your CRO test once it has reached statistical significance — which means the observed outcome isn’t the result of chance.

  In the same way you wouldn’t say a die is unbiased after three rolls, you need thousands of visitors to see your landing pages and take action before deciding which is better. 

  Luckily, most CRO testing platforms, including Matomo, will highlight when a test reaches statistical significance. That means you only need to look at the result to see if your hypothesis is correct. 

  Implement and repeat

  Was your test a success ? Great, you can implement the results and test a new element. 

  Yep, that’s right. There’s no time to rest on your laurels. Continuous CRO testing is necessary to squeeze every conversion possible from your website. Just like fashion trends, website effectiveness changes over time. What works today might not work tomorrow, making ongoing CRO testing beneficial and necessary.

  That’s why it’s a good idea to choose a CRO testing platform like Matomo with no data limits.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  CRO testing examples you can run today 

  There’s no shortage of CRO tests you can run. Here are some experiments to get started with :

  Change your CTA design and copy

  Calls to action (CTAs) are the best elements to optimise during your first CRO test. You can change many things about them ; even the smallest optimisation can have a huge impact. 

  Just take a look at the image below to see how diverse your CTAs could be :

  

  Changing your CTA’s copy is a great place to start, especially if you have generic instructions like “Apply Now.”

  Try a more specific instruction like “Download your free trial” or “Buy now to get 30% off.” Or test benefit-led instructions like “Reduce your ad spend today” or “Take back control of your data.”

  Changing the colour of your CTAs can also yield more conversions. Bright colours are always a good bet. Just make sure your button stands out from the rest of your page. 

  Move the CTA button placement

  The placement of your CTA can be just as important as its copy or colour. If it’s down at the bottom of your page, there’s a good chance most of your visitors will miss it. 

  Try moving it above the fold to see if that makes a difference. Then, test multiple CTA buttons as opposed to just one. 

  Heatmaps and session recordings can identify whether this test is worthwhile. If users rarely focus on your CTA or just don’t scroll far enough to find it, then it’s a good bet you could see an uptick in conversions by moving it. 

  Try different headlines

  Your website’s headlines are another great place to start CRO testing. These are usually the first (and sometimes only) things visitors read, so optimising them as much as possible makes sense. 

  There are entire books written about creating persuasive headlines, but start with one of the following tactics :

  • Include a benefit
    • “Achieve radiant skin—discover the secret !”
  • Add numbers
    • “3 foolproof methods for saving money on your next vacation”
  • Using negative words instead of positive ones
    • “Avoid these 7 mistakes to unlock your potential for personal growth”
  • Shortening or lengthening your headline
    • Shortened : “Crush your fitness goals : Expert tips for success”
    • Lengthened : “Embark on your fitness journey : Learn from experts with proven tips to crush your wellness goals”

  Add more trust signals

  Adding trust signals to your website, such as brand logos, customer reviews, and security badges, can increase your conversion rate.

  We use it at Matomo by adding the logos of well-known clients like the United Nations and Amnesty International underneath our CTAs.

  

  It’s incredibly effective, too. Research by Edelman finds that trust is among the top three most important buying decision factors, above brand likeability.

  Start CRO testing with Matomo

  CRO testing is a data-backed method to improve your site’s conversion rate, making it more user-friendly and decreasing customer acquisition costs. Even a small improvement will be worth the cost of the tools and your time. 

  Fortunately, there’s no need to allocate hundreds of dollars monthly for multiple specialised testing tools. With Matomo, you get a comprehensive platform offering web analytics, user behaviour insights, and CRO testing – all conveniently bundled into one solution. Matomo’s pricing starts from just $19 per month, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.

  Plus, rest assured knowing that you are GDPR compliant and the data provided is 100% accurate, ethically empowering you to make informed decisions with confidence.

  Take the first step on your CRO testing journey by trying Matomo free for 21 days ; no credit card required.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

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• Top 4 CRO Tools to Boost Your Conversion Rates in 2024

  31 octobre 2023, par Erin

  Are you tired of watching potential customers leave your website without converting ? You’ve spent countless hours creating an engaging website, but those high bounce rates keep haunting you.

  The good news ? The solution lies in the transformative power of Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) tools. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the world of CRO tools. We will equip you with strategies to turn those bounces into conversions.

  Why are conversion rate optimisation tools so crucial ?

  CRO tools can be assets in digital marketing, playing a pivotal role in enhancing online businesses’ performance. CRO tools empower businesses to improve website conversion rates by analysing user behaviour. You can then leverage this user data to optimise web elements.

  Improving website conversion rates is paramount because it increases revenue and customer satisfaction. A study by VentureBeat revealed an average return on investment (ROI) of 223% thanks to CRO tools.

  173 marketers out of the surveyed group reported returns exceeding 1,000%. Both of these data points highlight the impact CRO tools can have.

  

  Coupled with CRO tools, certain testing tools and web analytics tools play a crucial role. They offer insight into user behaviour patterns, enabling businesses to choose effective strategies. By understanding what resonates with users, these tools help inform data-driven decisions. This allows businesses to refine online strategies and enhance the customer experience.

  CRO tools enhance user experiences and ensure business sustainability. Integrating these tools is crucial for staying ahead. CRO and web analytics work together to optimise digital presence. 

  Real-world examples of CRO tools in action

  In this section, we’ll explore real case studies showcasing CRO tools in action. See how businesses enhance conversion rates, user experiences, and online performance. These studies reveal the practical impact of data-driven decisions and user-focused strategies.

  

  Case study : How Matomo’s Form Analytics helped Concrete CMS 3x leads

  Concrete CMS, is a content management system provider that helps users build and manage websites. They used Matomo’s Form Analytics to uncover that users were getting stuck at the address input stage of the onboarding process. Using these insights to make adjustments to their onboarding form, Concrete CMS was able to achieve 3 times the amount of leads in just a few days.

  Read the full Concrete CMS case study.

  Best analytics tools for enhancing conversion rate optimisation in 2023

  Jump to the comparison table to see an overview of each tool.

  1. Matomo

  

  Matomo stands out as an all-encompassing tool that seamlessly combines traditional web analytics features (like pageviews and bounce rates) with advanced behavioural analytics capabilities, providing a full spectrum of insights for effective CRO.

  Key features

  • Heatmaps and Session Recordings :
    These features empower businesses to see their websites through the eyes of their visitors. By visually mapping user engagement and observing individual sessions, businesses can make informed decisions, enhance user experience and ultimately increase conversions. These tools are invaluable assets for businesses aiming to create user-friendly websites.

  • Form Analytics :
    Matomo’s Form Analytics offers comprehensive tracking of user interactions within forms. This includes covering input fields, dropdowns, buttons and submissions. Businesses can create custom conversion funnels and pinpoint form abandonment reasons. 

  • Users Flow :
    Matomo’s Users Flow feature tracks visitor paths, drop-offs and successful routes, helping businesses optimise their websites. This insight informs decisions, enhances user experience, and boosts conversion rates.

  • Surveys plugin :
    The Matomo Surveys plugin allows businesses to gather direct feedback from users. This feature enhances understanding by capturing user opinions, adding another layer to the analytical depth Matomo offers.

  • A/B testing :
    The platform allows you to conduct A/B tests to compare different versions of web pages. This helps determine which performs better in conversions. By conducting experiments and analysing the results within Matomo, businesses can iteratively refine their content and design elements.

  • Funnels :
    Matomo’s Funnels feature empower businesses to visualise, analyse and optimise their conversion paths. By identifying drop-off points, tailoring user experiences and conducting A/B tests within the funnel, businesses can make data-driven decisions that significantly boost conversions and enhance the overall user journey on their websites.

  Pros

  • Starting at $19 per month, Matomo is an affordable CRO solution.
  • Matomo guarantees accurate data, eliminating the need to fill gaps with artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning. 
  • Matomo’s open-source framework ensures enhanced security, privacy, customisation, community support and long-term reliability. 

  Cons

  • The On-Premise (self-hosted) version is free, with additional charges for advanced features.
  • Managing Matomo On-Premise requires servers and technical know-how.

  Try Matomo for Free

  Get the web insights you need, without compromising data accuracy.

  Start for free

  No credit card required

  2. Google Analytics

  

  Google Analytics provides businesses and website owners valuable insights into their online audience. It tracks website traffic, user interactions and analyses conversion data to enhance the user experience.

  While Google Analytics may not provide the extensive CRO-specific features found in other tools on this list, it can still serve as a valuable resource for basic analysis and optimisation of conversion rates.

  Key features

  • Comprehensive Data Tracking :
    Google Analytics meticulously tracks website traffic, user behaviour and conversion rates. These insights form the foundation for CRO efforts. Businesses can identify patterns, user bottlenecks and high-performing areas.

  • Real-Time Reporting :
    Access to real-time data is invaluable for CRO efforts. Monitor current website activity, user interactions, and campaign performance as they unfold. This immediate feedback empowers businesses to make instant adjustments, optimising web elements and content for maximum conversions.

  • User flow analysis
    Visualise and understand how visitors navigate through your website. It provides insights into the paths users take as they move from one page to another, helping you identify the most common routes and potential drop-off points in the user journey.

  • Event-based tracking :
    GA4’s event-based reporting offers greater flexibility and accuracy in data collection. By tracking various interactions, including video views and checkout processes, businesses can gather more precise insights into user behaviour. 

  • Funnels :
    GA4 offers multistep funnels, path analysis, custom metrics that integrate with audience segments. These user behaviour insights help businesses to tailor their websites, marketing campaigns and user experiences.

  Pros

  • Flexible audience management across products, regions or brands allow businesses to analyse data from multiple source properties. 
  • Google Analytics integrates with other Google services and third-party platforms. This enables a comprehensive view of online activities.
  • Free to use, although enterprises may need to switch to the paid version to accommodate higher data volumes.

  Cons

  • Google Analytics raises privacy concerns, primarily due to its tracking capabilities and the extensive data it collects.
  • Limitations imposed by thresholding can significantly hinder efforts to enhance user experience and boost conversions effectively.
  • Property and sampling limits exist. This creates problems when you’re dealing with extensive datasets or high-traffic websites. 
  • The interface is difficult to navigate and configure, resulting in a steep learning curve.

  3. Contentsquare

  

  Contentsquare is a web analytics and CRO platform. It stands out for its in-depth behavioural analytics. Contentsquare offers detailed data on how users interact with websites and mobile applications.

  Key features

  • Heatmaps and Session Replays :
    Users can visualise website interactions through heatmaps, highlighting popular areas and drop-offs. Session replay features enable the playback of user sessions. These provide in-depth insights into individual user experiences.

  • Conversion Funnel Analysis :
    Contentsquare tracks users through conversion funnels, identifying where users drop off during conversion. This helps in optimising the user journey and increasing conversion rates.

  • Segmentation and Personalisation :
    Businesses can segment their audience based on various criteria. Segments help create personalised experiences, tailoring content and offers to specific user groups.

  • Integration Capabilities :
    Contentsquare integrates with various third-party tools and platforms, enhancing its functionality and allowing businesses to leverage their existing tech stack.

  Pros

  • Comprehensive support and resources.
  • User-friendly interface.
  • Personalisation capabilities.

  Cons

  • High price point.
  • Steep learning curve.

  4. Hotjar

  

  Hotjar is a robust tool designed to unravel user behaviour intricacies. With its array of features including visual heatmaps, session recordings and surveys, it goes beyond just identifying popular areas and drop-offs.

  Hotjar provides direct feedback and offers an intuitive interface, enabling seamless experience optimisation.

  Key features

  • Heatmaps :
    Hotjar provides visual heatmaps that display user interactions on your website. Heatmaps show where users click, scroll, and how far they read. This feature helps identify popular areas and points of abandonment.

  • Session Recordings :
    Hotjar allows you to record user sessions and watch real interactions on your site. This insight is invaluable for understanding user behaviour and identifying usability issues.

  • Surveys and Feedback :
    Hotjar offers on-site surveys and feedback forms that can get triggered based on user behaviour. These tools help collect qualitative data from real users, providing valuable insights.

  • Recruitment Tool :
    Hotjar’s recruitment tool lets you recruit participants from your website for user testing. This feature streamlines the process of finding participants for usability studies.

  • Funnel and Form Analysis :
    Hotjar enables the tracking of user journeys through funnels. It provides insights into where users drop off during the conversion process. It also offers form analysis to optimise form completion rates.

  • User Polls :
    You can create customisable polls to engage with visitors. Gather specific feedback on your website, products, or services.

  Pros

  • Starting at $32 per month, Hotjar is a cost-effective solution for most businesses. 
  • Hotjar provides a user-friendly interface that is easy for the majority of users to pick up quickly.

  Cons

  • Does not provide traditional web analytics and requires combining with another tool, potentially creating a less streamlined and cohesive user experience, which can complicate conversion rate optimization efforts.
  • Hotjar’s limited integrations can hinder its ability to seamlessly work with other essential tools and platforms, potentially further complicating CRO.

  Comparison Table

  Please note : We aim to keep this table accurate and up to date. However, if you see any inaccuracies or outdated information, please email us at marketing@matomo.org

  To make comparing these tools even easier, we’ve put together a table for you to compare features and price points :

  

  Conclusion

  CRO tools and web analytics are essential for online success. Businesses thrive by investing wisely, understanding user behaviour and using targeted strategies. The key : generate traffic and convert it into leads and customers. The right tools and strategies lead to remarkable conversions and online success. Each click, each interaction, becomes an opportunity to create an engaging user journey. This careful orchestration of data and insight separates thriving businesses from the rest.

  Are you ready to embark on a journey toward improved conversions and enhanced user experiences ? Matomo offers analytics solutions meticulously designed to complement your CRO strategy. Take the next step in your CRO journey. Start your 21-day free trial today—no credit card required.

  Try Matomo for Free

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

  
  

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  Your information will be used to create an account on our cloud service. For more information please consult our privacy policy.
  
  
  

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• Google Analytics Privacy Issues : Is It Really That Bad ?

  2 juin 2022, par Erin

  If you find yourself asking : “What’s the deal with Google Analytics privacy ?”, you probably have some second thoughts. 

  Your hunch is right. Google Analytics (GA) is a popular web analytics tool, but it’s far from being perfect when it comes to respecting users’ privacy. 

  This post helps you understand tremendous Google Analytics privacy concerns users, consumers and regulators expressed over the years.

  In this blog, we’ll cover :

  What Does Google Analytics Collect About Users ? 

  To understand Google Analytics privacy issues, you need to know how Google treats web users’ data. 

  By default, Google Analytics collects the following information : 

  • Session statistics — duration, page(s) viewed, etc. 
  • Referring website details — a link you came through or keyword used. 
  • Approximate geolocation — country, city. 
  • Browser and device information — mobile vs desktop, OS usage, etc. 

  Google obtains web analytics data about users via two means : an on-site Google Analytics tracking code and cookies.

  A cookie is a unique identifier (ID) assigned to each user visiting a web property. Each cookie stores two data items : unique user ID and website name. 

  With the help of cookies, web analytics solutions can recognise returning visitors and track their actions across the website(s).

  

  • First party cookies are generated by one website and collect user behaviour data from said website only. 
  • Third-party cookies are generated by a third-party website object (for example, an ad) and can track user behaviour data across multiple websites. 

  As it’s easy to imagine, third-party cookies are a goldmine for companies selling online ads. Essentially, they allow ad platforms to continue watching how the user navigates the web after clicking a certain link. 

  Yet, people have little clue as to which data they are sharing and how it is being used. Also, user consent to tracking across websites is only marginally guaranteed by existing Google Analytics controls. 

  Why Third-Party Cookie Data Collection By GA Is Problematic 

  Cookies can transmit personally identifiable information (PII) such as name, log in details, IP address, saved payment method and so on. Some of these details can end up with advertisers without consumers’ direct knowledge or consent.

  Regulatory frameworks such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) emerged as a response to uncontrolled user behaviour tracking.

  Under regulatory pressure, Big Tech companies had to adapt their data collection process.

  Apple was the first to implement by-default third-party blocking in the Safari browser. Then added a tracking consent mechanism for iPhone users starting from iOS 15.2 and later. 

  Google, too, said it would drop third-party cookie usage after The European Commission and UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched antitrust investigations into its activity. 

  To shake off the data watchdogs, Google released a Privacy Sandbox — a set of progressive tech, operational and compliance changes for ensuring greater consumer privacy. 

  Google’s biggest promise : deprecate third-party cookies usage for all web and mobile products. 

  Originally, Google promised to drop third-party cookies by 2022, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Google delayed cookie tracking depreciation for Chrome until the second half of 2023. 

  Why did they push back on this despite hefty fines from regulators ?

  Because online ads make Google a lot of money.

  In 2021, Alphabet Inc (parent company of Google), made $256.7 billion in revenue, of which $209.49 billion came from selling advertising. 

  Lax Google Analytics privacy enforcement — and its wide usage by website owners — help Google make those billions from collecting and selling user data. 

  How Google Uses Collected Google Analytics Data for Advertising 

  Over 28 million websites (or roughly 85% of the Internet) have Google Analytics tracking codes installed. 

  Even if one day we get a Google Analytics version without cookies, it still won’t address all the privacy concerns regulators and consumers have. 

  Over the years, Google has accumulated an extensive collection of user data. The company’s engineers used it to build state-of-the-art deep learning models, now employed to build advanced user profiles. 

  Deep learning is the process of training a machine to recognise data patterns. Then this “knowledge” is used to produce highly-accurate predictive insights. The more data you have for model training — the better its future accuracy will be. 

  Google has amassed huge deposits of data from its collection of products — GA, YouTube, Gmail, Google Docs and Google Maps among others. Now they are using this data to build a third-party cookies-less alternative mechanism for modelling people’s preferences, habits, lifestyles, etc. 

  Their latest model is called Google Topics. 

  This comes only after Google’s failed attempt to replace cookie-based training with Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) model. But the solution wasn’t offering enough user transparency and user controls among other issues.

  

  Google Topics promises to limit the granularity of data advertisers get about users. 

  But it’s still a web user surveillance method. With Google Topics, the company will continue collecting user data via Chrome (and likely other Google products) — and share it with advertisers. 

  Because as we said before : Google is in the business of profiting off consumers’ data. 

  Two Major Ways Google Takes Advantage of Customer Data

  Every bit of data Google collects across its ecosystem of products can be used in two ways :

  • For ad targeting and personalisation 
  • To improve Google’s products 

  The latter also helps the former. 

  Advanced Ad Personalisation and Targeting

  GA provides the company with ample data on users’ 

  • Recent and frequent searches 
  • Location history
  • Visited websites
  • Used apps 
  • Videos and ads viewed 
  • Personal data like age or gender 

  The company’s privacy policy explicitly states that :
  

  

  Google also admits to using collected data to “measure the effectiveness of advertising” and “personalise content and ads you see on Google.” 

  But there are no further elaborations on how exactly customers’ data is used — and what you can do to prevent it from being shared with third parties. 

  In some cases, Google also “forgets” to inform users about its in-product tracking.

  Journalists from CNBC and The New York Times independently concluded that Google monitors users’ Gmail activity. In particular, the company scans your inbox for recent purchases, trips, flights and bills notifications. 

  While Google says that this information isn’t sold to advertisers (directly), they still may use the “saved information about your orders in other Google services”. 

  Once again, this means you have little control or knowledge of subsequent data usage. 

  Improving Product Usability 

  Google has many “arms” to collect different data points — from user’s search history to frequently-travelled physical routes. 

  They also reserve the right to use these insights for improving existing products. 

  Here’s what it means : by combining different types of data points obtained from various products, Google can pierce a detailed picture of a person’s life. Even if such user profile data is anonymised, it is still alarmingly accurate. 

  Douglas Schmidt, a computer science researcher at Vanderbilt University, well summarised the matter : 

  “[Google’s] business model is to collect as much data about you as possible and cross-correlate it so they can try to link your online persona with your offline persona. This tracking is just absolutely essential to their business. ‘Surveillance capitalism’ is a perfect phrase for it.”

  Google Data Collection Obsession Is Backed Into Its Business Model 

  OK, but Google offers some privacy controls to users ? Yes. Google only sees and uses the information you voluntarily enter or permit them to access. 

  But as the Washington Post correspondent points out :

  “[Big Tech] companies get to set all the rules, as long as they run those rules by consumers in convoluted terms of service that even those capable of decoding the legalistic language rarely bother to read. Other mechanisms for notice and consent, such as opt-outs and opt-ins, create similar problems. Control for the consumer is mostly an illusion.”

  Google openly claims to be “one of many ad networks that personalise ads based on your activity online”. 

  The wrinkle is that they have more data than all other advertising networks (arguably combined). This helps Google sell high-precision targeting and contextually personalised ads for billions of dollars annually.

  Given that Google has stakes in so many products — it’s really hard to de-Google your business and minimise tracking and data collection from the company.
  

  They are also creating a monopoly on data collection and ownership. This fact makes regulators concerned. The 2021 antitrust lawsuit from the European Commission says : 

  “The formal investigation will notably examine whether Google is distorting competition by restricting access by third parties to user data for advertising purposes on websites and apps while reserving such data for its own use.”

  In other words : By using consumer data to its unfair advantage, Google allegedly shuts off competition.

  But that’s not the only matter worrying regulators and consumers alike. Over the years, Google also received numerous other lawsuits for breaching people’s privacy, over and over again. 

  Here’s a timeline : 

  • 2019 : UK citizens issued a class action suit against Google for imposing cookies to override users’ privacy settings in the Safari browser. 
  • 2020 : US citizens pushed for a $5 billion class-action suit for tracking their activity through browsers set in “private” mode.
  • 2022 : Another class-action lawsuit in the US for deceptive privacy controls and unconsented location data tracking by Google mobile apps. 
  • 2022 : Google reached a $100 million class-action settlement for breaching Illinois biometrics privacy laws in Google Photos. 

  Separately, Google has a very complex history with GDPR compliance. 

  How Google Analytics Contributes to the Web Privacy Problem 

  Google Analytics is the key puzzle piece that supports Google’s data-driven business model. 

  If Google was to release a privacy-focused Google Analytics alternative, it’d lose access to valuable web users’ data and a big portion of digital ad revenues. 

  Remember : Google collects more data than it shares with web analytics users and advertisers. But they keep a lot of it for personal usage — and keep looking for ways to share this intel with advertisers (in a way that keeps regulators off their tail).

  For Google Analytics to become truly ethical and privacy-focused, Google would need to change their entire revenue model — which is something they are unlikely to do.

  Where does this leave Google Analytics users ? 

  In a slippery territory. By proxy, companies using GA are complicit with Google’s shady data collection and usage practice. They become part of the problem.

  In fact, Google Analytics usage opens a business to two types of risks : 

  • Reputational. 77% of global consumers say that transparency around how data is collected and used is important to them when interacting with different brands. That’s why data breaches and data misuse by brands lead to major public outrages on social media and boycotts in some cases. 
  • Legal. EU regulators are on a continuous crusade against Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as it is in breach of GDPR. French and Austrian watchdogs ruled the “service” illegal. Since Google Analytics is not GDPR compliant, it opens any business using it to lawsuits (which is already happening).

  But there’s a way out.

  Choose a Privacy-Friendly Google Analytics Alternative 

  Google Analytics is a popular web analytics service, but not the only one available. You have alternatives such as Matomo. 

  Our guiding principle is : respecting privacy.

  Unlike Google Analytics, we leave data ownership 100% in users’ hands. Matomo lets you implement privacy-centred controls for user data collection.

  Plus, you can self-host Matomo On-Premise or choose Matomo Cloud with data securely stored in the EU and in compliance with GDPR.

  The best part ? You can try our ethical alternative to Google Analytics for free. No credit card required ! Start your free 21-day trial now. 

  21 day free trial. No credit card required.

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