How to Prevent Subdomain Traffic from Showing as Direct Traffic in Google Analytics

Understanding and accurately tracking your website traffic is crucial for making informed decisions in digital marketing. When working across multiple subdomains, it's essential to ensure that the traffic metrics reflect the actual origins of that traffic. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to prevent subdomain traffic from showing as direct traffic in Google Analytics.

Set Up Proper Tracking Code

One of the foundational steps in tracking subdomain traffic lies in the proper implementation of the Google Analytics tracking code. Ensure that the tracking code is correctly placed across your main domain and all subdomains. This consistency will help Google Analytics attribute the traffic accurately.

To implement the tracking code, follow these steps:

Locate your main Google Analytics property and click on Admin. Navigate to the View section, and select the Property you wish to configure. Select Tracking Info from the menu on the left, and then click on Tracking Code. Follow the instructions provided by Google to install the tracking code on all your subdomains, ensuring to use the same tracking ID across them.

Use Cross-Domain Tracking

For websites with multiple subdomains and a main domain, cross-domain tracking is essential for recognizing sessions that cross between domains. Here’s how to implement it:

Steps to Implement Cross-Domain Tracking:

Modify the Tracking Code: Use the linker feature in your Google Analytics tracking code. Add the following snippet to your tracking code: galinker:autoLink [ ] Set Up Referral Exclusions: Go to Admin -> Property -> Tracking Info -> Referral Exclusion List. Add your main domain and any subdomains to this list to prevent traffic from being counted as a new session when moving between domains.

Use UTM Parameters

For specific campaigns or links directing traffic between your main domain and subdomains, consider using UTM parameters. These parameters help in tracking the source, medium, and campaign effectively. Here's how to add UTM parameters to your links:

Direct your links to include UTM parameters. For example: Add utm_sourcekeyword, utm_mediummedium, and utm_campaigncampaign_name to your subdomain link.

Check Your Analytics Settings

To ensure accurate data collection, check your Google Analytics property settings:

Go to Admin -> Property and select the View Settings tab. Set the default URL to your main domain. Check the box for Include subdomains to ensure that all subdomains are included in your analytics reports.

Monitor Traffic Sources

Regularly reviewing your traffic sources in Google Analytics is crucial for identifying and correcting discrepancies. Follow these steps:

Visit the Acquisition -> All Traffic -> Channels report in your Google Analytics dashboard. Inspect the traffic from each subdomain to ensure it is correctly attributed. Adjust your settings as needed to correct any misattributed traffic.

Conclusion

By following these strategies, you can significantly reduce the amount of subdomain traffic that appears as direct traffic in Google Analytics. Consistent tracking and regular reviews of your analytics settings are key to maintaining accurate and actionable data. Ensuring that your subdomain traffic is correctly attributed will help in making more informed decisions for your digital marketing strategies.