Web Analytics, AdBlockers & Browsing
Websites are putting in a great deal of effort to track their users
Because they are looking for ways to make more money by studying your behavior and figuring out how they can get you to buy something. Also money can be made by selling your data.
The rise of AdBlockers and similar privacy tools
For the past couple of years the Internet has been overrun by aggressive advertising, and browsing the web without some sort of an AdBlocker software can be very frustrating. Different statistics circulate the web and per average it is estimated that around 40% of Internet users use ad blocking software.
The downfall of conventional Web Analytics solutions
Conventional Web Analytics solutions primarily use JavaScript to track web visitors and collect their user data. With the rise of AdBlockers these solutions are finding it harder and harder to stay relevant, as they fail to capture the data on web visitors that are using AdBlocking software.
The future of Web Analytics
Back to basics. Parse and study web server access logs. By using this method you wouldn’t be able to gain advanced insights on user interaction, however I think it is a win-win for the business and for the customer, because:
- You see the complete landscape of your web visitors;
- Page load times improve when you get rid of third-party scripts;
- Customer privacy is improved, as the data is not passed on to a third-party;
- You can market your business as being respectful of customer privacy, thus potentially unlocking new growth opportunities.
How I browse the web
I am using the Brave Web Browser, it is based on Chromium, and so far it is the fastest web browser that I have ever used. It has a built in ad and tracker blocker, so there is no need for third-party extensions. The browser also features a reward program where users can opt-in to see tailored ads and receive a share of the ad revenue, however I won’t comment on this feature, I’ll just say that I have tried it, and I am not using it.
