Sessions

[elinden2]

We are pretty confused about this new Sessions stuff. Can some expound on Sessions and Visits? This 30 minute deal seems odd. We need to accurately calculate our conversion rate sales on website so our monthly visitors are very important. We need a very accurate metric. Thank you!!!

[KatieSchieder · Accepted solution]

If you want to make sure that your HubSpot sessions are accurate make sure your google analytics account is connected. If it's not you can still see sessions, etc. in google analytics but having it wired in so you can quickly switch between dashboards is so much easier.

[D_ReyIsMe]

We trust conversions (defined as as downloads & form submissions) in HubSpot because we can attribute them to actual customers or new contacts. 

[PLippens]

How can we make sure conversion rates are correct if there are such discrepancies?

[bobbymcg]

I am having the same exact issue as D_ReyIsMe.

My session count is over 3x higher in Hubspot than it is in in GA.

Additionally, my bounce rate is also ~3x higher in Hubspot than it is in GA.

I've double checked IP/bot filters, etc and can not pin point what could be causing such a drastic inconsistency. I've read the articles by Hubspot and am not finding any explanation.

I am using the Wordpress plugin to implement the script - just wanted to note this to maybe find a pattern here from others having issues.

Any insight is appreciated. 

In the meantime, I will be relying on Google Analytics - and look forward to a resolution!

Thanks

[D_ReyIsMe]

Yea, we finally gave up trying to square the two sources having concluded (for ourselves if not definitviely) that HubSpot and Google count sessions differently.

Now we use the analytics each platform is most useful for. For example, we use GA for tracking patterns in traffic and engagement-- things like users/new user, sessions/new sessions, pages per session, etc.

We use HubSpot for campaign metrics, conversions, and page performance + engagement of returning users within HS's CRM. 

It's not the "single source of truth" approach that analtyics gurus hold up as the ultimate best practice but it works for us. 

Good luck with your approach; I understand the frustration! 

[D_ReyIsMe]

Hi Pam, 

I guess I'm still in weekend mode or something today because even after reading this article 3 or 4 times and researching other blogs on the same topic, the explanation doesn't make sense to me. 

Specifically what's throwing me is, both GA and HubSpot use the 30-minute timeframe and both platforms count all activity within that timeframe as a single session. At least that's how I am interpreting the support articles and Jory's answer.

I am seeing some red flag-y discrepancies in our sessions between the two reports and I would like to understand why because at the moment, HubSpot says our sessions are increasing through most channels and GA says they are not. 

Thanks all. 

[D_ReyIsMe]

I don't understand the difference in the explanations HubSpot's definition of a session and a session in Google Analytics. I keep tripping over the 30-minute distinction-- it seems like after 30 minutes of inactivity the session expires no matter which tool you use.

My problem is that I am seeing a large discrepancy between the session numbers HubSpot is reporting and the ones Google is reporting. 

Google is showing a decline; HubSpot shows increases. 

The wide margin between the two makes me wonder which source I can trust when it comes to traffice trends over time. 

I would be grateful for any help or inisghts anyone can offer. 

Thanks! 

[PamCotton]

Hello @D_ReyIsMe , I will be sharing this knowledge base with more information : HubSpot analytics and Google Analytics don't match 

I hope this helps.

Kindly,

Pam

[JorieMunroe · Accepted solution]

Hi @elinden2,

Great question!  A visit is any time a visitor reaches your site from somewhere outside of your website domain. That means the person was on a different site and clicked on a link that took them to your site or entered your website URL directly into their browser. 

On the other hand, a session is an engagement metric. Rather than just looking at when a visitor lands on your site, it takes into account all activities someone takes, such as CTA clicks, forms submissions, page views, etc. As long a visitor is active, the system will group their engagement into one session because they are actively interacting with your site. But if they are inactive for 30 minutes (also a default time frame in Google Analytics), the system sees the user is no longer interacting with your website elements and the tracked session is ended. If the visitor was to then return to your site anytime after their 30 minutes of inactivity, the system would begin tracking a new session for that user.

Let me know if you have any specific follow up questions! Happy to dig into this with you further! 

Best,

Jorie

[KatieSchieder · Accepted solution]

If you want to make sure that your HubSpot sessions are accurate make sure your google analytics account is connected. If it's not you can still see sessions, etc. in google analytics but having it wired in so you can quickly switch between dashboards is so much easier.