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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

How to Filter a Dynamic IP in Google Analytics

If you haven't read my first post on filters and ip addresses in relation to Google Analytics I suggest you start there to determine if you have a dynamic ip address.

If you have determined that your ip address is dynamic please follow these modified instructions to filter out your own clicks. Please note that this will also filter out other people in your area who come to your shop.

Log into Google Analytics. Toward the bottom right click the blue link titled "Filter Manager." On the right side of the long gray box click "Add Filter."

a. Name the filter whatever you would like; I named mine "me"
b. Under filter type select "Exclude all traffic from an IP address"

Okay, now you need to open up a new window.
First go to whatismyip and copy the IP address that is displayed.
Now go here and paste your IP address into "First IP address" and then click "Generate RegEx." Now copy the characters displayed in "Step 3."

You should have copied something that looks like this: ^88\.100\.200\.300$ Now since you have a dynamic ip (changes often) instead of blocking out your own ip address we are going to only block out part of it. To do this replace the 3 numbers at the end with "\d+" So your new regular expression should look like this: ^88\.\d+\.\d+\.\d+$ (your numbers will be different)

c. Paste the regular expression you just edited into the field titled "IP address"
d. Below that, in the box, click www.etsy.com.
e. Click the "add" button to the right.
f. Click "Save Changes."


Don't understand something I wrote about? Have a related question? Post a comment and I will be sure to answer it. Have an unrelated question? Submit it here and I will feature it on my blog!

xoxo
susan.

8 comments:

  1. Well, I followed these directions and now I'll see if I noticed a difference! I'll be back another day to learn more about Google Analytics! Thanks

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  2. I only have two numbers at the end of my IP address?

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  3. That is totally okay every ones ip address is different. Just replace the two digit number with \d+ which stands for 1 or more number.

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  4. I couldn't find the field that said "regular expression...etc.

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  5. hmm, that seems to have changed. Just paste into the box that says "IP address"

    susan.

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  6. Hi Susan,
    I'm not even sure how to set up my google analytics account. I just tried but I'm having trouble knowing where to paste the tracking code on my etsy website. I'm not sure if i'm supposed to go to view>source at the top of my browser or go to the rss feeds on Etsy. I'm a bit ignorant about what all this stuff means! I tried to add in the tracking code under view>source, but then it asked me to "save as" so I named the file, but somehow this didn't seem to help anything. I don't think my account is set up yet. Please help! Thanks, Sheret

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  7. Sweet, Thanks.

    I have been working on the dynamic IP thing for a few days now!

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  8. LOL, I was actually getting several views in my analytics due to that I failed to do this. Will definitely integrate this into my analytics now once I can. Oh and if I can suggest, try IP Elk when checking IPs, better and has more features than others!

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