Let's talk about the importance of ethical website analytics

Why I switched from Google Analytics to Plausible

Squarespace’s Cookies & Analytics Settings Panel

By default each new Squarespace website has the analytics turned on and the cookies banner turned off.

But here’s the thing, EU regulations (AKA the GDPR) means that you have to be explicit in how you handle people’s data AND give them the right to consent to the use of that data. This is a given right now for all EU residents. 

So if you are based in Europe OR any of your website visitors are based in Europe, you have to make sure that you're handling all personal data correctly.

If you don’t know much about cookies, they are a temporary file stored in your browser that allows a website to anonymize and track your data. This is why when you look at something on Amazon or Airbnb they are able to then show you ads for something… EVERYWHERE.

Key things to have on your site when using Squarespace’s analytics: 

• Privacy policy & cookie notice

• Cookie banner

• Ability to consent (AKA opt out of being tracked by cookies)

The best option while using Squarespace’s native analytics system

is to use really clear language in your cookie banner/pop-up and then disable analytics unless someone acknowledges the cookie banner. You’ll also want to share Squarespace’s privacy policy inside your own because you're tied to their systems. Squarespace has just updated their cookie banner system and provided this handy (not so little) GDPR guide.

I don’t really want to be a part of the system that tracks our every move online with the aim to sell us more and more stuff.

This is what’s often referred to as “surveillance capitalism” and it doesn’t fit with my minimalist, shop local, try not to buy from Amazon values.

That said, it’s pretty damn important for me to have some data on how my website is performing to help me improve it and to make sure I'm providing the best content and information I can for my audience. 

Until January, I used a combination of Google Analytics and Squarespace’s analytics for this, but I didn’t love the idea of Google tracking the visitors to Calibrated Concepts. I also really didn’t like that it was really tough to have fully GDPR compliant cookie bars in Squarespace as we discussed above. 

My husband Paul, who is also in the world of websites, had recently switched to Plausible Analytics. After hearing him rave about it, I thought I’d give it a try.

Plausible is an EU-based, privacy focused website analytics company that doesn’t sell user data, track users across websites, or use cookies to track users!

So what does this mean for my business?

I removed the code that connected Google Analytics to my websites. I turned off Squarespace’s tracking and analytics and updated my cookie banner to let people know that I’m actually not tracking them! Technically, I could have turned off my cookie banner entirely, but as a website designer I wanted to let people know what I was up to!

What I love about it:

• It’s super easy to use!

• I can add all of my websites for the same (very low) price

• Right now I just have my own sites, but am looking into using this for every single website I design because it will automatically send reports to my clients!

• I know I’m not unnecessarily tracking visitors to my website and participating in a system that I don’t believe in.

• It’s a small business that donates to the environment and open source technology projects.

• I could easily share or embed my metrics if I wanted (which is super handy for influencers, bloggers, job boards and more)!

So whether you are switching to Plausible Analytics or updating your Squarespace site to be compliant with the GDPR (general data protection regulation). I hope I’ve helped you get a better understanding of how to make sure your analytics are more ethical!

Let me know what method you’re doing in the comments!