Google Analytics – Huge spike in traffic from Poland

[Josh Smith]

For the past 2-3 days, a number of my websites have seen significant spikes in traffic from Poland. Or, more specifically, their Google Analytics reports are claiming there to be visits from Poland, but they don’t seem to be real. Has anyone else experienced this? What can we do to remove these from Analytics?

I should say that I have already logged the issue with Google, but only through their “feedback” form, which doesn’t seem to be a proper support ticketing system, so they haven’t yet responded. I’ve also Googled the issue and it seems to be affecting a large number of Analytics users, with many claiming that this could be bot-based “referral spam”, but without providing details as to how this can be removed from reports.

What to do?

[GeekVillage – cZar]

I find it strange that Google hasn’t yet resolved this issue. Days after this issue was raised here, and elsewhere, this fake referral traffic (supposedly from Poland) is still hitting a huge number of Google Analytics accounts.

While this persists, it renders Analytics almost useless, as it’s creating a situation wherein traffic trends, growth comparisons and demographic breakdowns are out of whack as a result of bot manipulation.

Have any of you received updates on this issue from Google?

[Stellar Developers]

It is highly likely that problems with tracking are a big contributor to unusually high stats in your Google Analytics direct figures. It can happen for a number reasons from missing tracking script on certain pages to external automation tools in your tech stack not being properly set up to integrate with GA.

[GeekVillage – cZar]

Thanks, Stellar Developers. That’s great advice.

In this case, integration is done correctly. This type of “referral spam” is being done deliberately. The latest attack has ended, but this seems to have affected 100s or 1000s of sites, based upon what I’ve seen being discussed on Reddit and elsewhere.

It’s great that the event has ended, but affected publishers (including myself) still have this traffic showing up in Analytics, so it pushes March stats out of whack, making it hard to see trends for this year accurately.

[Anonymous]

If you’ve already logged the issue with Google through their feedback form and haven’t received a response yet, there are a few steps you can take to try to address the issue:

Check Google Analytics Help Center: Google often provides guidance and troubleshooting steps for common issues in their Help Center. Search for articles related to your specific problem to see if there are any recommended solutions.

Community Forums: Look for forums or communities where other Google Analytics users discuss similar issues. You may find valuable insights or solutions from other users who have experienced the same problem.

Contact Google Support: While Google’s support options for Google Analytics may be limited compared to their paid services, there are still ways to contact support directly. Visit the Google Analytics support page and look for any contact options available, such as live chat, email support, or phone support.

Review Analytics Settings: Double-check your Google Analytics settings to ensure that they are configured correctly. Make sure that your filters, views, and settings are properly set up to filter out any spam or irrelevant data.

Explore Third-Party Solutions: There are third-party tools and services available that specialize in filtering out spam and bot traffic from Google Analytics reports. Consider exploring these options if you continue to experience issues with spam traffic.

Implement Filters: In Google Analytics, you can create filters to exclude certain types of traffic from your reports. Research and implement filters specifically designed to exclude known bot-based referral spam and fin more details here: https://www.gadgiz.com/

Stay Informed: Keep an eye on Google’s official announcements, blog posts, and updates related to Google Analytics. Google may release new features or updates that address common issues like referral spam.

Be Patient: Sometimes, it may take time for Google to respond to feedback or address issues reported by users. While waiting for a response, continue to monitor your analytics data and explore alternative solutions.

By taking these steps and staying proactive, you can work towards resolving the issue with spam traffic in your Google Analytics reports.

[GeekVillage – cZar]

What a brilliant response. Thanks for the detailed hints and tips, Mohamed, and welcome to Geek/Talk. 🙂

[Exotica leathers]

A sudden surge in website traffic from Poland can indicate increased interest or visibility in your content or products within that market. Analyze the source of this traffic to understand if it’s from organic search, social media, referrals, or advertising campaigns. Tailor your content or promotions to better resonate with Polish audiences, consider localization efforts, and engage with visitors through language-appropriate messaging or support. Monitor this trend to capitalize on opportunities for growth and expansion in Poland.

[GeekVillage – cZar]

Thanks Exotica, and welcome to Geek/Talk.

In this case, the traffic wasn’t human. It was bots triggering Google Analytics and not even loading the website. This “referral spam” attack seems to have simultaneously affected many thousands of sites across the web, with all showing the same referral source, huge spikes in Google Analytics figures, but no actual increases in users to the websites.

If they were genuine visitors from Poland, that would be wonderful and I’d eagerly embrace the new surge interest from a new market, but alas these were not real visitors.

I remain surprised that Google wasn’t able to filter out this form of spam and although the incident has finished now, it’s curious that Google still hasn’t removed those fake numbers from reports of sites that were affected. Hopefully it won’t happen again at this scale.

[Anonymous]

Have you checked your backlinks or references?
Or maybe a new bot?

[Author]

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