When Google Analytics Tracking Code (GATC) runs, it gathers information about your website visitors and sends that information to the GA data collection servers.
The information is sent in a request to:
https://www.google-analytics.com/collect
This request is made for every single pageview, transaction, social interaction, tracking, timing, and event.
When processed, Google Analytics strings together the individual actions and associates them with a session.
Example: Universal Analytics request
https://www.google-analytics.com/collect?v=1&_v=j68&a=753537405&t=pageview&_s=1&dl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.analyticsmarket.com%2F&ul=en-us&de=UTF-8&dt=Resources%20for%20Google%20Analytics&sd=24-bit&sr=1600x900&vp=1583x418&je=0&_u=AACAAEAB~&jid=1528408694&gjid=192180985&cid=1602946763.1549335544&tid=UA-23423231144-1&_gid=1845815927.1549335544&_r=1&z=549945300
Example: GA4 request
https://www.google-analytics.com/g/collect?v=2&tid=G-W82H8S53ST>m=45je4620&_p=102644968&cid=1489945657.1691089601&ul=en-us&sr=1920x1080&uaa=x86&uab=64&uafvl=Not_A%2520Brand%3B99.0.0.0%7CGoogle%2520Chrome%3B109.0.5414.120%7CChromium%3B109.0.5414.120&uamb=0&uam=&uap=Windows&uapv=0.1.0&uaw=0&_s=1&sid=1691096027&sct=3&seg=0&dl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.analyticsmarket.com%2Fblog%2Fhow-google-analytics-collects-data%2F&dt=How%20Google%20Analytics%20Collects%20Data%20-%20AnalyticsMarket&en=page_view&_ss=1&_ee=1
When Google Analytics receives these requests, the data populates your reports.
Although each URL looks overwhelming, it’s pretty simple when broken down:
- It’s a request for www.google-analytics.com/collect
- It contains twenty-ish URL-encoded parameters
- Each parameter stores a specific piece of information that is either used to populate reports or to keep things organized.
- Some parameters are only used in specific cases, others are required each time.
- One of these requests is made each time a User views a page on your website.
Blocked Tracking Issues
Common browser plug-ins like NoScript or AdBlock prevent GATC from loading, or block the request from being sent.
This happens more frequently than you may realize – most Users don’t want to be tracked.
When tracking is blocked, you won’t see those Users in your Google Analytics reports.
The best solution to this problem is to combine Google Analytics with a log analysis tool – Users can’t block themselves from the access log.
Angelfish Software is a Google Analytics Wingman – it sees things GA doesn’t see!
Parameter Analysis: UA
Let’s take a look at the query parameters in the UA request:
| Name | Description | Example Value |
|---|---|---|
| v | Protocol version | v=1 |
| _v | SDK Version number | _v=j68 |
| a | AdSense linking number | a=753537405 |
| t | Hit Type. e.g. pageview, event, item, timing, etc. | t=pageview |
| _s | Hit sequence number? (unsure) | _s=1 |
| dl | Document Location (full URL) | dl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.analyticsmarket.com%2F |
| ul | User Language | ul=en-us |
| de | Document Encoding | de=UTF-8 |
| dt | Document Title (Page Title) | dt=Resources%20for%20Google%20Analytics |
| sd | Screen Depth (color) | sd=24-bit |
| sr | Screen Resolution | sr=1600×900 |
| vp | View Port | vp=1583×418 |
| je | Java Enabled (0 = no, 1 = yes) | je=0 |
| _u | Usage info: tells Google which features are used | _u=AACAAEAB~ |
| jid | Join ID for DoubleClick beacon | jid=1528408694 |
| gjid | Tracking code version | gjid=192180985 |
| cid | Client ID: random-number.timestamp | cid=1602946763.1549335544 |
| tid | Tracking ID / Web Property ID | tid=UA-23423231144-1 |
| _gid | User ID, used to distinguish users | _gid=1845815927.1549335544 |
| _r | Not sure (it’s undocumented) | _r=1 |
| z | Random Number Cache Buster | z=549945300 |
The parameters shown above are for a pageview (t=pageview). Different parameters are used with different Hit Types, like t=event or t=transaction.
If you’d like to see the parameters used by GA4, we recommend looking at the
GA4 Measurement Protocol Reference.
Next Steps
Check out our Recommended Tools to learn about products that complement Google Analytics.