The analysis tools Matomo and Google Analytics often deliver different results, although they fulfil similar tasks. These differences can be attributed to several key differences in how the two tools collect, process and calculate data.
Data collection methods
A significant difference lies in the data collection. Matomo collects all data completely, without using samples. This means that precise and detailed reports are created even with large amounts of data.
Google Analytics, on the other hand, especially in the free version, often uses sampling to generate reports more quickly. This method can lead to inaccuracies with large amounts of data, as not all data is taken into account.
Data protection and tracking
Matomo offers a cookie-free tracking option, which means that users who block or regularly delete cookies can also be recorded. This leads to more accurate data collection.
Google Analytics relies on cookies and machine learning to fill gaps in the data. However, if cookies are blocked or deleted, this can lead to inaccuracies.
Adblocker and spam protection
Another difference is the susceptibility to ad blockers.
Matomo is less susceptible to ad blockers and has mechanisms to exclude spam bots. As a result, it often provides more comprehensive and accurate data.
Google Analytics can be blocked by adblockers, which means that certain users are not recorded and the data can be falsified.
Calculation of the dwell time
The calculation of the dwell time differs significantly between the two tools:
Matomo includes all visits in the calculation, even those without further interactions (so-called bounces). These visits are included in the average with a dwell time of 0 seconds, which pushes the average dwell time down.
Google Analytics excludes bounces from the calculation. Only visits with at least one further interaction are taken into account, which leads to a higher average dwell time.
Conclusion
The differences in the analysis data from Matomo and Google Analytics are due to various factors:
- Matomo collects all data completely without samples; Google Analytics often uses samples.
- Matomo offers more data protection options and is less susceptible to blocking by adblockers.
- The calculation of the dwell time differs significantly: Matomo takes bounces into account with 0 seconds, while Google Analytics excludes them.
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