Google Analytics is one of the most popular tools webmasters and bloggers can use for monitoring visitor statistics and tracking user behavior. It is a free to use program that is easily implemented on most websites – all you need to do is insert a short piece of JavaScript code into the HTML on each page you want to track.
If you are using a content management system such as WordPress, Google Analytics can be added to all pages by adding the JavaScript to one of the main template files, or by using a dedicated plugin.
What you have to be aware of is that Google Analytics will record all activity, including your own, on the websites it tracks.
The way to exclude your activity is to add a filter to your Google Analytics account so it doesn’t record any data from your IP address. If you do not do this, the data from Google Analytics will be inaccurate, especially if you spend a lot of time working on your blog or website.
How to Block your IP Address in Google Analytics
Luckily, it is a very simple process to exclude your IP address from Google Analytics. This is how you do it:
- Find out your IP address (What Is My IP Address?)
- Login to Google Analytics
- Look for the ‘Filter Manager’ link (bottom right hand side of the page, underneath the main box) and click it
- Look for, and click, the +Add Filter link in the top right hand corner of the filter box
- Give your filter an obvious name (like Ignore My IP) and select ‘Exclude all traffic from an IP address’ from the drop down menu
- Enter your IP address in the relevant box in this format : 12.345.678.910.*
6) Now click on the website profile in the ‘Available Website Profiles’ box and then click on the ‘Add’ button
7) The profile name will move to the second box – ‘Selected Website Profiles’
8) Click on ‘Save Changes’ and you are done
You will now be returned to the filter page and you should be able to see the new rule.
PLEASE NOTE:
This can only be done if you have a static IP address. If your IP is dynamic this rule will not work for you as each time you log onto the internet your IP address will be different to the last. In theory you could log into Analytics each time and change the rule, but this will soon become a mighty chore.
How do you get a static IP address?
You can generally purchase a static IP address from your internet service provider for just a few pounds/dollars per month.
How to find out your IP address
There are lots of sites around that can tell you your IP address, here are three of them:
What Is My IP Address?
What Is My IP?
My IP Address
