topic Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains in Reporting & Analytics

Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

AFormigoni — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 14:10:42 GMT

Hey all,

I've been receiving many conversions on a high-intent form, and I'm trying to figure out these users' channel and website journeys.

To add some context:
- The mentioned form is placed on a specific landing page (let's call it "Demo page").
- I have different landing pages on my website showcasing different use cases, features, etc. (let's call them "use case 1 page", "use case 2 page", etc.) and they all have a button and link to the "Demo page."

Whenever I build a report based on the original source from these conversions on the "demo page," I get a bunch of "Direct traffic." When I break these down by Original source drill-down, the report will return the drill-down as "use case 1 page", "use case 2 page", etc.

I cannot think of a scenario where users would directly land on these "use case pages" (it can happen, but way less frequently than the report shows). My hypothesis is that HubSpot will "reset" the original source (and equivalent drill downs) since the conversion on the "demo page" came from a direct visit from one of the "use cases pages," - which **bleep** because I want to see how users got to the "use cases pages" in that same visit.

It might also be because the "use cases pages" have a different sub-domain; when someone visits the main website (main domain), goes to a sub-domain page, and then converts to a third page, HubSpot will reset the original source to the sub-domain one.

I'm investigating this because most of the users going through this scenario stated that they first heard about my business through a Google search. I know this self-reported attribution has flaws, but I still see this happening often. It doesn't make sense to me that someone found us in Google and then directly visited one of the "use cases pages" before converting to the "demo page." Again, my hypothesis is that HubSpot is resenting these visits.

Has anyone gone through a similar situation? Do you know how to ensure that the original source of these conversions is accurate?

Really appreciate your help!
Allan

Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

TomM2 — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:09:54 GMT

Hey @AFormigoni just to check, have you enabled cross domain linking in your HubSpot reporting settings?

You also need to ensure that all domains & subdomains are within your reporting domains too (they will automatically be added if they're connected to HubSpot).

If cross domain linking is disabled, you're right, these will essentially track the subdomain as a different domain.

Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

AFormigoni — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:44:42 GMT

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, cross-domain linking is ON, and all subdomains are set up on HubSpot, too.

I actually might have found the reason. For some reason, Hubspot is not tracking traffic to my homepage, and considering the sub-domains as the entrance URL from Direct traffic where it should be the homepage.

Any ideas on why this might be happening?

Thanks!

Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

TomM2 — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:01:37 GMT

Hey @AFormigoni is the tracking code correctly installed on your homepage?

There's usually 3 reasons a page wouldn't be tracked:

1. The tracking code isn't installed, or is incorrectly installed.

2. There's a third party script blocking the script running or cookie being dropped.

3. There's a privacy policy banner that is "opt in" and the visitor hasn't opted in.

If you have a link to your homepage I can take a quick look!

Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

AFormigoni — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 16:32:32 GMT

here it is: https://www.wetravel.com/

thanks a lot!

Re: Tracking Original Source with different sub-domains

TomM2 — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:59:15 GMT

Thanks @AFormigoni looks like your tracking code has been edited. There's an "optanon-category" class added to this, which to my knowledge is added in by onetrust privacy policys.

Strange that this seems to be embedded into the source of the site and not updated by a script. I'd advise checking in your CMS or with your developer to find out what is adding this. Then removing the HubSpot tracking code and pasting your tracking code back in exactly as it is within HubSpot. It looks like this optanon/cookie policy is blocking the tracking script loading on this page.