cookie tracking

[BMargi]

If a website does not accept cookies when a visitor comes to the website, how can we track the source of the traffic?

[Jigar_Thakker · Accepted solution]

Hey @BMargi 

Here is complete knowledgebase how you can analyze site traffic in HubSpot: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/analyze-your-site-traffic-with-the-traffic-analytics-tool 

To understand traffic source here is a guide : https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/understand-hubspots-traffic-sources-in-the-traffic-analytics-t... 

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

If my post was helpful in addressing your query, Support the community by indicating it as the solution.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @BMargi,

This is indeed the limitation of cookie-based tracking. HubSpot tracks visitors using browser cookies. No cookies, no (default) tracking. This is explained in all its facets here: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/account/how-does-hubspot-track-visitors

As far as workarounds go, it's possible to capture utm parameters as values for hidden fields in forms: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/forms/pass-contact-property-values-with-hidden-form-fields

For example, if you have a hidden field utm_source on your form, and a contact arrives on your page with ?utm_source=Facebook, then HubSpot will store this 'Facebook' as the value of utm_source on the contact record after the form submission. This will not affect any of HubSpot's traffic analytics but you would at least have captured this information.

The moment a contact moves on to another page, without having accepted cookies, the parameters will vanish and this won't work. The parameters must be present on the page the form is submitted on.

If contacts don't accept cookies, a lot of traffic will appear as direct traffic. As a general rule of thumb, you can assume that a large part of that direct traffic is coming from the same split of sources that are not direct traffic. E.g. if your traffic analytics say 10% paid search, it's probably safe to assume that 10% of your direct traffic comes from paid search but contacts did not accept cookies. https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/understand-hubspots-traffic-sources-in-the-traffic-analytics-t...

@Jigar_Thakker there's nothing to analyze in the traffic analytics if sources aren't tracked.

Best regards!

[GRajput · Accepted solution]

Hi @BMargi 

You can refer to the following link attached 

1. Cookies set in a visitor's browser by HubSpot  -- (CLICK HERE)

2. Track visitors in HubSpot -- (CLICK HERE) , (CLICK HERE)

Hope this will helps you out. Please mark it as Solution Accepted & Upvote to help other Community member.
Thanks!

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @BMargi,

This is indeed the limitation of cookie-based tracking. HubSpot tracks visitors using browser cookies. No cookies, no (default) tracking. This is explained in all its facets here: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/account/how-does-hubspot-track-visitors

As far as workarounds go, it's possible to capture utm parameters as values for hidden fields in forms: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/forms/pass-contact-property-values-with-hidden-form-fields

For example, if you have a hidden field utm_source on your form, and a contact arrives on your page with ?utm_source=Facebook, then HubSpot will store this 'Facebook' as the value of utm_source on the contact record after the form submission. This will not affect any of HubSpot's traffic analytics but you would at least have captured this information.

The moment a contact moves on to another page, without having accepted cookies, the parameters will vanish and this won't work. The parameters must be present on the page the form is submitted on.

If contacts don't accept cookies, a lot of traffic will appear as direct traffic. As a general rule of thumb, you can assume that a large part of that direct traffic is coming from the same split of sources that are not direct traffic. E.g. if your traffic analytics say 10% paid search, it's probably safe to assume that 10% of your direct traffic comes from paid search but contacts did not accept cookies. https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/understand-hubspots-traffic-sources-in-the-traffic-analytics-t...

@Jigar_Thakker there's nothing to analyze in the traffic analytics if sources aren't tracked.

Best regards!

[Jigar_Thakker · Accepted solution]

Hey @BMargi 

Here is complete knowledgebase how you can analyze site traffic in HubSpot: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/analyze-your-site-traffic-with-the-traffic-analytics-tool 

To understand traffic source here is a guide : https://knowledge.hubspot.com/reports/understand-hubspots-traffic-sources-in-the-traffic-analytics-t... 

Let me know if you have any follow-up questions.

If my post was helpful in addressing your query, Support the community by indicating it as the solution.