Web analytics and aalto.fi visitor tracking

Reading permissions for the analytics data are granted for content editors and site administrators.

Google Analytics is used with an Aalto University ID. Instructions on how to create a Google account with your Aalto ID, can be found below.

Once the account is created you can request access to the analytics from the service address [email protected]. In order for you to be given access to the correct analytics properties and views, you should give a brief description of your specific analytics need, and to what website (or what section of the website) it relates.

You can order Google Analytics training for your unit from a university partner through the Communications Services.

If your content is in the Drupal system at www.aalto.fi, visitor traffic is already collected by Google Analytics and you can request permissions to view the data at [email protected]. 

If you wish to set up a new site somewhere else than in Drupal, contact Communications Services at [email protected] to add visitor tracking to your page. In this case, you will be provided with a Google TAG Manager script that needs to added to the source code of the new site. 

Analytics can easily provide information on, for example, the number of visitors, visit durations, exit rates and traffic sources. The location demographics, devices used for the visit and navigation paths are also shown in the analytics. Further data can be received, for instance, by setting conversion targets.

Tracking visitor traffic of the site provides valuable information for the development of content and structure, so connecting web pages to communications analytics is highly recommended.

Instructions for using website analytics 

• The use of website analytics must be justified, and if there is no clear need for use, analytics should not be installed. Any existing unnecessary installations should also be removed. 

• If website analytics is used, the site owner must ensure that the IP addresses are not collected by analytics and that the data is processed in accordance with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation.  

• The processing of personal data in accordance with the GDPR means, for example, that the users of the website have been informed of the processing of personal data, that a legal basis has been identified for the processing, that the processing is carried out only to the extent necessary, that personal data is deleted or anonymised* as soon as possible, and that the storage of the data ensures access control, a safe storage location and other information security. The processing of personal data on the aalto.fi website is described in the privacy notice.  

• For Google Analytics, make sure that the anonymisation of IP addresses is activated. In the case that only a new version of Google Analytics (Google Analytics 4) is used, there is no need for separate IP address anonymisation. If site-specific measurement is being built on top of the basic installation of Google Analytics, it must be ensured that personal data other than the pseudonymised* ‘visitor indentifier’ of Google Analytics is not collected. Collecting personal data is also a violation of Google Analytics' Terms of Use and may result in the account being closed. 

• The Aalto.fi page operates in the Drupal environment, and the use of Google Analytics has mainly been applied through communications services, so the above instructions have been taken into account. If the site is on another platform or you are unsure about the security of your site in relation to visitor tracking, please do not hesitate to contact this address: [email protected] so a review can be made. 

*https://tietosuoja.fi/en/pseudonymised-and-anonymised-data