The reason Piwik PRO is such a fantastic GA4 option for WP users
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In the event that Google Analytics 4 (GA4) poses challenges due to its data model that is new and limitation in reporting numerous WordPress users have explored alternatives. One such alternative we think is well worth a look can be Piwik PRO.
The platform is a mirror of Universal Analytics' familiar feel while enhancing user control over their data, and adhering to the privacy laws like GDPR.
Piwik PRO offers accurate, unsampled data insights, making it an ideal option for those who prioritize thorough analytics as well as complete control over their data.
Meet Piwik PRO, a GA4 alternative you should know
This is a real benefit for institutions and businesses which must abide by strict international privacy regulations like the GDPR. This could be a decisive aspect for a few when they are weighing their options.
How Piwik Pro handles data privacy
Piwik PRO's strategy for the privacy of data is extensive. It offers the necessary tools to control consent as well as customize data collection while complying with laws and preferences of the individual.
This degree of security is crucial in areas where privacy laws are strict, as it helps you to avoid penalties by violations
Piwik Pro's commitment to privacy extends to offering EU-based data hosting on its enterprise-level analysis plans and further bolsters conformity by ensuring that data is kept within a legal environment that is respectful of privacy.
Easy WordPress integration
for WordPress clients, Piwik PRO offers an easy-to-integrate solution that respects user privacy without compromising on the quality and precision of analytics.
This makes Piwik PRO not just an alternate to GA4 but a potentially more secure and user-friendly choice for those looking to enhance the web analytics capabilities, while maintaining full data control.
Piwik Plans and pricing for PRO
Piwik PRO offers two primary pricing plans aimed at different levels of user and features. The majority of users will find this plan is completely free.
- The Core Plan The Core plan is an affordable plan with up to 500,000 actions every month, 14-month information retention as well as three modules: Analytics, Tag Management, and Consent Manager. It's stored on secure EU cloud servers. It's perfect for businesses of all sizes looking for a privacy-compliant analytics service at no costs.
- Enterprise plan It starts at $11,855 per year and is obviously targeted at bigger companies that need large amounts of data handling. It includes up to 4 billion daily actions and a choice of cloud-based or private cloud hosting along with additional features such as the customer Data Platform, extended data retention, and dedicated service.
If you have more needs than what is included in the Core plan, you are able to take on additional actions. The cost starts at $78 a month and allow more than 100,000 actions. Businesses can increase the amount of time they use without having to change plans instantly.
Set up Piwik PRO on WordPress
Installing Piwik PRO on your WordPress website is easy. Install the Piwik PRO plugin, configure the settings that are basic, then insert the tracking code.
Set up an account on Piwik PRO. Piwik PRO account
To begin, you'll need register for an account through the Piwik PRO website first to select a plan.
When you've completed this step it is time to connect your site to your online account. To do this, go to Menu > > Administration and select the Sites and Apps.
From there, you'll need to click Add a new site or app, then input your site's name and URL, like pictured on the Piwik Pro Getting Started guide:
You can also set the timezone and currency used on your site.
Make sure you install your Piwik PRO plugin
For the first step, log on to your WordPress dashboard, then go to the Plugins tab, then Create A New Plugin. Look for "Piwik PRO."
Once you find the plugin, click "Install Now" then Activate to allow it to be installed for your WordPress website.
Configuration
Once activated, head to settings > piwik PRO in your WordPress Dashboard.
The next step is to enter your site ID. This information can be found within the Piwik PRO account dashboard. This ID is what actually connects your WordPress site to the proper Piwik PRO server.
There is the possibility to modify other settings in this area too, which includes:
- Container of basic (async)
- A second container (sync)
- Data layer
You must Click Save changes once you're done.
When these steps are complete after which your website's data will start appearing in the Piwik PRO reports usually within about an hour.
If you are using a different type of website platform other than WordPress, you may need to install this tracking program manually. Piwik PRO provides full installation instructions for this procedure that you could apply in this situation.
Using Piwik PRO features
The analytics platform comes with a variety of tools. However, we'll only focus on a couple of the essential now to get up and up and.
Setting goals
Tracking and setting goals within Piwik PRO, like purchasing or registrations it is easy, making this a good idea, and can allow you measure your business goals more efficiently. Examples of the services Piwik PRO offers include:
- Purchase of a product
- Signing up for the newsletter
- Playing a video
To do this it is necessary to make a goal. This is accessible through on the Piwik PRO website within your account. Navigate to Menu > > Analytics > Goals in Piwik PRO. Click on the Add Goal button..
You can also give your goal a name and then select the kind of event that will trigger the goal according to the Piwik PRO Help Center:
The most common types of events are the visit of a particular URL, sending a custom event, or actions like file downloads and form submissions.
Depending on the selected kind of event, you can set the conditions like:
- URLs contain X
- URLs are exactly X or
- URL corresponds to the expression "X
By setting these requirements, you can modify the goal parameters.
Examine the performance of goals
After setting up objectives, Piwik PRO will track these conversions. You can view detailed reports under The menu option Analytics > Goals to evaluate the effectiveness and the impact of your objectives. There are numerous sections to be noted.
Overview gives you a top-down overview of your goals as well as the progress they have made:
Other tabs available to you on this page include the session Log, which shows you the number of times a person is interacting with your website or application in connection with the goal you've set, and user flow, which tracks the path users take through their initial interaction on your website to their final conversion.
Monitoring campaigns for marketing
Piwik PRO allows for an effective tracking of your campaigns using UTM parameters within your URLs. This will show which campaigns generate traffic, conversions, or other actions you want to take.
For this, you can use UTM parameters into URLs to specify details like media source, source, and name.
For example, you might use
?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=spring_sale to identify traffic coming from a specific email campaign promoting a spring sale.
You can utilize from here, you can use the Tag Manager to set up triggers to occur when specific requirements are fulfilled, as defined by the URLs that you tag. This helps automate tracking users' interactions with the campaign.
Advanced configurations available in Piwik Pro
Piwik PRO offers many advanced settings options that are more advanced than those you would find on GA4. The options available are as follows:
Settings for geolocation
Customizing data layers
Data Layer: The layers of data in Piwik PRO acts as a flexible container that can contain a range of data about user interactions. It includes everything from page views and clicks, to more complicated activities like product IDs price, shopping cart value.
Controlling data privacy and security by using Consent Management
This is a brief overview of how to configure and control consent settings:
Log into the Consent Manager
Log into your Piwik Pro dashboard and then click Menu > Consent Manager. There, you will be able to control all aspects of the user's consent.
Customizing consent forms
The consent forms to fit the branding of your business and also local laws in your region. It includes editing the content including multiple languages as well as linking to your privacy policy.
Managing consent preferences
The Consent Manager lets you to manage different kinds of consent, including marketing or analytics cookies. You can set up the system to activate tags based on these consent types. That means that certain scripts can only work if a user is in agreement with them.
This integration with tag Manager guarantees that all tags respect the privacy preferences of the user.
Insuring conformity
This tool automatically displays a consent form to new visitors and also explains what data is collected and why. It also provides options for visitors to choose whether or not they want particular forms of data collection.
Regional-specific display settings
You can configure the Consent Manager so that it displays consent forms according to the visitor's region, allowing specific compliance strategies designed to satisfy specific regional legal standards.
What is the best way to move data from Google Analytics to Piwik PRO
The process of moving between Google Analytics to Piwik PRO is a pretty straightforward execution. Follow this step-by-step process for a seamless transition:
Before you begin the migration make sure you have administrator access to both of your GA as well as Piwik Pro accounts. It is important to look over your tracking and information that you are currently using in GA to determine what needs to be replicated or changed in Piwik PRO.
Piwik PRO offers a tools for migration specifically designed to facilitate the transfer of analytics from Google Analytics and tags from Google Tag Manager (GTM) in a seamless manner. This tool can transfer triggers, tags, and variables from GTM greatly easing the process of transferring.
Logging to your account on Piwik Pro and then going to the menu > Administration.
Choose the Account tab, and click Migration tool on the left-hand side of the screen.
Then, click to sign in with Google and then select the right Google account that you want to connect. Choose the Allow option on the next screen.
Return to the Tools for Migration page, click Migration in the section for Google Analytics. Choose your Google Analytics account, then click Next.
Choose all settings of the GA account that you wish to transfer, then select Close when you're done.
Repeat this procedure to transfer info to Google Tag Manager as well.
Will Piwik Pro make a difference for your WordPress website?
Moving from GA4 switching to Piwik PRO on a WordPress website is an excellent option for 2024. If you're a fan of security, privacy as well as customization, this is an option worth considering.
Piwik PRO stands out for the fact that it is focused on privacy and security that conforms to global guidelines for compliance. The robust analytics capabilities that are available allow greater customization and a better understanding of performance across websites and apps. In contrast to GA4, Piwik PRO allows you to modify tags and data layers.
Jeremy Holcombe
Senior Editor at , WordPress Web Developer, and Content Writer. Apart from all things WordPress I love the beach, golf, and movies. Additionally, I'm tall and have issues.