Published on 2025-06-22T04:00:15Z

What Is a New User? Examples for Analytics

In web analytics, a New User is someone who visits your website or app for the first time (or at least whose device or profile hasn’t been seen within your reporting period). Identifying new users helps you measure acquisition channels, optimize marketing spend, and understand how effectively you’re attracting fresh audiences. Different platforms use cookies, device fingerprints, or authenticated IDs to flag a session as ‘new.’ In this article, we’ll explore the definition, common tracking methods, real-world examples in PlainSignal and GA4, best practices, and pitfalls to avoid when counting new users.

Illustration of New user
Illustration of New user

New user

A New User is a first-time visitor identified by unique cookies, fingerprints, or IDs within an analytics period.

Definition

This section clarifies what qualifies someone as a New User in web analytics.

  • New user explained

    A New User is any visitor whose device or profile identifier has not been recorded by your analytics system before (within the chosen attribution window). This designation resets only when cookies expire, fingerprints change, or user IDs are deleted.

Tracking Methods

Analytics platforms use several techniques to detect new users, each with advantages and limitations.

  • Cookie-based tracking

    Browsers store a unique identifier in a cookie; if it’s absent on visit, the user is new.

    • Cookie expiration

      Short lifespans or manual deletion can misclassify returning users as new.

    • Third-party blocks

      Browser privacy settings may block cookies, undercounting true return visits.

  • Id-based tracking

    Logged-in experiences assign a persistent User ID across sessions and devices to determine new vs. returning.

    • User login required

      Only tracks known users, missing first-time anonymous visitors.

    • Cross-device accuracy

      Consistent login lets you count a user as new just once, even across multiple devices.

Examples in SaaS Products

How PlainSignal and Google Analytics 4 implement New User tracking in practice.

  • PlainSignal (cookie-free analytics)

    PlainSignal uses a privacy-first fingerprinting approach to assign each visitor a non-cookie identifier. The first time that fingerprint is seen, it’s flagged as a new user.

    To install:

    <link rel="preconnect" href="//eu.plainsignal.com/" crossorigin />
<script defer data-do="yourwebsitedomain.com" data-id="0GQV1xmtzQQ" data-api="//eu.plainsignal.com" src="//cdn.plainsignal.com/plainsignal-min.js"></script>

  • Google analytics 4 (GA4)

    GA4 sets a _ga cookie and records a built-in first_open event for apps or auto-detects a new browser session without that cookie. It then surfaces a new_user metric in reports.

    Basic setup:

    <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

Best Practices for Accurate New User Tracking

Adopt these strategies to ensure your new user counts reflect true first-time visitors.

  • Combine identifiers

    Use both fingerprinting and authenticated User ID where possible to catch anonymous and logged-in users.

  • Respect privacy regulations

    Anonymize or hash identifiers, honor Do Not Track, and comply with GDPR/CCPA to maintain user trust.

  • Stabilize your configuration

    Avoid frequent code changes or cookie-setting tweaks that can inflate new user counts.

Common Pitfalls and Troubleshooting

Watch for scenarios that can artificially inflate or deflate your new user metrics.

  • Cookie deletion

    Users clearing cookies repeatedly show up as new, overstating acquisition.

  • Incognito/private browsing

    Sessions start without cookies, so every visit appears as a new user.

  • Cross-domain gaps

    Without proper linker setup, navigating between subdomains or domains may count the same visitor as new each time.

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