Cookieless analytics: how does it work?

How does Statora measure website visits?

You add a small JavaScript to your website. It sends visit and interaction data to Statora so your dashboard can show what happens on your website.

1. Add your tracking code

   Add your website to your account and place its tracking code on the pages you want to measure. The code associates the measurements with your website.

2. Understand visits and click behaviour

   Statora records page views, where a visit came from and clicks on outbound and download links. Browser and device information helps make the visitor report understandable.

3. Use the insights to improve your website

   View visitor numbers, popular pages, traffic sources and click paths. Campaigns help you compare which links generate visits and conversions. For example, see whether a newsletter brings people to the right page.

From Light onwards, you can also measure scroll depth, sections viewed and actions within a page. The data recorded therefore depends on your plan and the features you enable.

No tracking cookies, but browser storage

Statora's analytics code does not write tracking cookies. The current tracker does use localStorage and sessionStorage: browser storage that differs from cookies.

This stores a random visitor identifier for the website and information used to group page views into a visit. Campaign codes can be remembered to attribute a later visit to a campaign. If browser storage is blocked or cleared, recognition of returning visitors can change.

Consent rules can also apply to this storage. Using no cookies therefore does not mean nothing is stored on the device or that consent is never needed.

When is a cookie banner generally unnecessary?

This depends on the purpose, technology and impact on visitors' privacy. Assess your website's actual configuration, including the other services you use.

According to the Dutch Data Protection Authority, limited analytics cookies with no or only a minor privacy impact do not require cookie consent. Read the explanation from the Dutch Data Protection Authority about cookies (in Dutch).

What should website owners consider?

• Use analytics to understand and improve your own website; avoid advertising profiles and following people across websites.
• Limit the privacy impact. Also assess visitor recognition, campaign attribution and detailed interaction measurements in your configuration.
• Check other scripts, advertising pixels, videos and embeds. These may require consent separately.
• Explain in your privacy notice what you measure, why you do so and what data you retain.

If your use does not meet the conditions for an exemption, obtain valid consent before the relevant measurement. Simply removing a cookie banner does not make your website privacy-friendly.

What about the GDPR?

For analytics, Statora stores a hash rather than raw IP addresses. Location is estimated on the server without sending the IP address to an external location service. A hash or random visitor identifier does not automatically make data anonymous.

If you process personal data, the GDPR still applies. Ensure an appropriate legal basis, clear information, suitable retention periods and data-processing arrangements. Avoid personal data in page URLs, campaign names and submitted data.

Read more about privacy at Statora