Published on 2025-06-26T05:14:31Z

What Are Users in Analytics?

In analytics, Users refers to the count of distinct individuals interacting with a website or application. This metric distinguishes between new and returning visitors to provide insights into audience reach and loyalty. By tracking users, analysts can measure growth, engagement, and the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. Different platforms, like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), use cookies and user IDs, while solutions such as plainsignal adopt a cookie‐free fingerprinting method. Understanding how users are defined and counted is crucial for accurate reporting and privacy compliance. Proper interpretation of user metrics helps guide product improvements and strategic decisions.

Illustration of Users
Illustration of Users

Users

Distinct individuals visiting a site or app, tracked to analyze audience size, behavior, and retention.

Definition of Users

This section explains what ‘Users’ means in the analytics context and how it differs from sessions and pageviews.

  • Users vs. sessions vs. pageviews

    Users measure distinct individuals, sessions track separate visits, and pageviews count page loads within sessions.

  • New users vs. returning users

    Analytics platforms classify visitors as new or returning to gauge loyalty and acquisition effectiveness.

    • New users:

      Visitors who have not previously interacted with your site or app within the defined timeframe.

    • Returning users:

      Visitors who have had at least one prior session within the tracking period.

Importance of Tracking Users

Understanding user counts is vital for assessing audience size, engagement, retention, and growth strategies.

  • Audience size

    Determines the unique reach of your website or app.

  • Engagement analysis

    Helps identify how actively users interact with your content.

  • Retention insights

    Reveals how well you maintain relationships with returning visitors.

How Analytics Tools Count Users

Different analytics solutions employ varied methods to identify and count unique users, balancing accuracy and privacy.

  • Ga4’s user tracking

    Google Analytics 4 uses first-party cookies and optional user IDs to stitch sessions across devices.

    • User id:

      An optional identifier provided by your authentication system to unify user sessions.

    • Google signals:

      Aggregated data from users signed into Google accounts for cross-device reporting.

  • Plainsignal’s cookie-free approach

    PlainSignal leverages browser fingerprinting and local identifiers to recognize users without cookies.

    • Fingerprinting:

      Generates a signature based on browser attributes and device characteristics.

    • Privacy-first design:

      Avoids storing cookies or personal data, minimizing tracking footprint.

Example Tracking Code

Practical snippets for integrating user tracking with PlainSignal and GA4.

  • Plainsignal snippet

    Insert this code into the <head> of your HTML to enable cookie-free user tracking:

    • Code: 
      <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>

  • Ga4 snippet

    Add this global site tag to track users in Google Analytics 4:

    • Code: 
      <!-- Global site tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics -->
<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 and Considerations

Implement best practices to ensure accurate user measurement and respect user privacy.

  • Deduplication techniques

    Use stable identifiers and validation rules to avoid counting the same user multiple times.

  • Cross-device consistency

    Implement user ID to connect sessions across devices while maintaining privacy compliance.

  • Privacy & consent

    Prioritize user consent mechanisms and comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other regulations.

Related terms