Identifying Bots in Google Analytics

[ecommercebc]

Hi there,

While you can now filter out bots and spiders in Google Analytics, I'm interested in how you identify a bots and spiders in the first place. For example, it used to be thought that Googlebot wouldn't appear in GA as it 'couldn't process Javascript' but now Google has announced new developments for its crawler with regards to interpreting javascript and CSS, this argument isn't as cut and dry.

I'm not suggesting Googlebot appears in Google Analytics, but I am saying that you can't make the case that it won't appear only because it can't interpret JavaScript.

So, I'm interested to see what metrics you use to identify a bot? For me, the mix of Users > Browser, Users > Operating System Version is still quite handy, but is it possible to identify individual bots and spiders within Google Analytics? And would Googlebot appear?

[ecommercebc]

Hi there,

That's great - thanks. I'm aware that GA can block bots data from appearing within the settings (I think I kind of flagged this in the first sentence of my question, but probably could have been clearer), but I was a bit more interested in identifying potential bots and spiders within GA; e.g are there any noticeable tells within the browser version/operating system data that can suggest bot behaviour.

For example, if you segment a browser version, operating system and then filter only for pageviews where time on page ≤ 00:10 or less (for example) can you start to isolate bot behaviour in GA?

Edit: or are the numbers so small (due to the amount of bots that can execute javascript) that there wouldn't be much data?

[Martijn_Scheijbeler]

Hi,

By default Google Analytics blocks all the well know bots and spiders that are out there and I would say the do a pretty good job. As enabling the feature to disable even more bots and spiders made less than 1% of visitors disappear with over millions of visitors.

They're able to identify bots and spiders based on the user agents so that's why they can also easily block them.

[rflores]

Hello.

I recommend reading the following articles:

http://www.lunametrics.com/blog/2014/08/07/bot-spider-filtering-google-analytics/

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2358054/Google-Analytics-Helps-You-Filter-Spider-and-Bot-Traffic

In short, there is a checkbox under Admin settings. > _View _panel>"View Settings." But eitherway read about it to see if it is worth it for you.

They are very recent and give a lot of insight on the subject.

Adidtionaly, is your site using wordpress or a similar CMS? If so, there are a couple of pligins that ell you when a bot has visited your site.

Thanks and hope it helps

Ricardo