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Google Analytics set up for non-canonicalized domains

Reporting & Analytics

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GOODSIR last edited by

Our client's website is non-canonicalized (www.example.com & example.com load the same thing). Google seems to have made a preference for the www, but canonicalizing to www breaks their Flash website. All we're really trying to do at this time is install Google Analytics for them.

What's the smartest way to make sure that both www.example.com and example.com are treated exactly the same by Google Analytics?

Google Developers: Domains & Directories states that by default visit data will be separately collected between the two domains, although I found no references to the common www/naked domain issue.

In stackoverflow: Does google analytics combine naked domains with the www subdomain? Török Gábor says, "Yes, users will be tracked, but the same visitor coming from www.datalookups.com and datalookups.com will be counted as two different visitors."

On the same page, Open SEO says, "This is completely false: www.domain.tld and domain.tld are treaded just the same, and get the same value for the HASH code (the number at the start of each __utm cookie). This an exception: every other subdomain.domain.tld will be handeld as a distinct web site".

Can any Analytics experts help me sort this out? Thanks!
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