This article is in conjunction with the article What are data filters in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)? where I introduced the concept of data filters. Make sure to read it first before you start blocking internal traffic.
What is internal traffic in GA4 (Google Analytics 4)?
The traffic generated by you or your employees, suppliers and other service providers (like your developer) to your website is called ‘Internal Traffic‘.
These people are not your target audience, so we don’t need to track them.
Internal traffic can easily skew your website usage metrics and therefore must be filtered out from your GA4 reports.
How to exclude internal traffic in GA4?
Follow the steps below to exclude internal traffic from your reporting in GA4 property:
Step-1: Navigate to your GA4 property.
Step-2: Click on the ‘Admin’ link at the bottom left-hand side:
Step-3: Click on ‘Data Streams’ under the ‘Property‘ column:
Step-4: Click on the data stream name for which you want to exclude internal traffic.
Step-5: Scroll down your screen and then click on ‘Configure tag settings’ under the ‘Google tag’ section:
Step-6: Scroll down the screen and then click on the ‘Show all‘ drop-down menu:
Step-7: Scroll down your screen and then click on ‘Define internal traffic’:
Step-8: Click on the ‘Create’ button:
You should now see a screen like the one below:
Step-9: Give your filter a name by typing in the text box under ‘Rule Name’. Let’s name our filter ‘Internal Traffic’:
Note(3): Click on the ‘Add Condition‘ button if you want to set multiple conditions to identify internal IP addresses:
When you set multiple conditions to identify internal IP addresses, they are joined by logical OR.
For example, IP addresses that match 2a02:c7f:a82d:8d00:4351:b3c9:7387:8802 or 192.168.1.20 will be marked as internal traffic.
Step-12: Enter the IP address from which you want to exclude your internal traffic:
If you want to exclude all the traffic originating from your device, but you don’t know your IP address, you should then click on the link ‘What’s my IP address’:
You will automatically be redirected to a new tab in your browser window from where you can see your IP address:
Step-13: Copy your IP address and then paste it into the text box under ‘IP address’:
Step-14: Click on the ‘Create’ button to create your internal traffic data filter:
Your new internal traffic rule will appear like the one below.
Step-15: Click on the cross button (at the top left of your screen) three times to navigate back to the admin section of your GA4 property. You should now see a screen like the one below:
How to test the exclude internal traffic data filter in GA4?
Follow the steps below:
Step-1: If you are excluding traffic from your own device, then navigate to your website via your device.
If you are excluding traffic from an IP address that doesn’t belong to your device, then ask the person whose IP address you added (while creating the exclude internal filter) to visit your website.
Step-2: Navigate to the ‘Realtime’ report in your GA4 property:
Step-3: Click on the ‘Add Comparison’ button:
Step-4: Click on the drop-down menu under ‘Dimension’:
Step-5: Type ‘Test’, and you should see the dimension ‘Test data filter name‘ in the drop-down list:
Note: If this dimension appears disabled, you may need to wait for 12-24 hrs.
Step-6: Click on the dimension name (‘Test data filter name’) in order to select it.
Step-7: Click on the drop-down under ‘Dimension Values and then click on the checkbox next to ‘Internal Traffic’:
Step-8: Click on the ‘ok‘ button.
Step-9: Click on the ‘Apply’ button:
You should now see the new comparison applied to your report:
Step-10: Refresh your browser window.
You should now also be able to see the filtered data under ‘Test data filter name..”:
The real-time view in the orange column shows us the traffic from the internal IP address we defined earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions About Exclude internal traffic in GA4 via IP filter
What are data filters in Google Analytics 4?
Data filters are used to include or exclude event data (traffic) from your reports based on the event parameters value.
Using filters, you can exclude traffic coming to your website from your developers or internal employees. You can also use data filters to include only traffic coming from specific event parameter values.
These filters are configured at the property level and are applied to every data stream.
What are filter type in Google Analytics 4?
Currently, GA4 supports two types of filters:
1. Developer Traffic: Developer traffic is generated from your device while debugging the analytics implementation. GA4 defines developer traffic as the event data with the parameter name ‘debug_mode’ or ‘debug_event’ and parameter value ‘1’.
2. Internal Traffic: Internal traffic is the traffic coming to your website from your own employees, suppliers, and other service providers.
What is the IP filter in Google Analytics 4?
When you apply a data filter using an IP address, such filters are called IP filters. You can exclude or include traffic from a specific IP address. You can use the below conditions to define your IP address.
IP address equals: This option will match only one IP address. For example, ‘165.204.156.26’.
IP address begins with: This option will match all the IP addresses that begin with the provided input. For example, if you provide input as ‘165’, it will match ‘ 165.204.156.26’, ‘165.203.156.28’ but not ‘167.204.156.26’.
IP address ends with: This option will match all the IP addresses that end with the provided input. For example, if you provide input as ‘26’, it will match ‘ 165.204.156.26’, ‘167.203.155.26’ but not ‘165.204.156.28’.
IP address contains: This option will match all the IP addresses that contain the provided input. For example, if you provide input as ‘165’, it will match ‘ 165.204.156.26’, ‘190.165.156.28’ but not ‘167.204.156.26’.
IP address range: This option will match a range of IP addresses. For example, from ‘165.204.156.26 to 168.208.156.28’.
Register for the FREE TRAINING...
"How to use Digital Analytics to generate floods of new Sales and Customers without spending years figuring everything out on your own."
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this training…
#1 Why digital analytics is the key to online business success.
#2 The number 1 reason why most marketers are not able to scale their advertising and maximize sales.
#3 Why Google and Facebook ads don’t work for most businesses & how to make them work.
#4 Why you won’t get any competitive advantage in the marketplace just by knowing Google Analytics.
#5 The number 1 reason why conversion optimization is not working for your business.
#6 How to advertise on any marketing platform for FREE with an unlimited budget.
#7 How to learn and master digital analytics and conversion optimization in record time.
My best selling books on Digital Analytics and Conversion Optimization
Maths and Stats for Web Analytics and Conversion Optimization
This expert guide will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of maths and statistics in order to accurately interpret data and take actions, which can quickly improve the bottom-line of your online business.
Master the Essentials of Email Marketing Analytics
This book focuses solely on the ‘analytics’ that power your email marketing optimization program and will help you dramatically reduce your cost per acquisition and increase marketing ROI by tracking the performance of the various KPIs and metrics used for email marketing.
Attribution Modelling in Google Analytics and BeyondSECOND EDITION OUT NOW!
Attribution modelling is the process of determining the most effective marketing channels for investment. This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling. It will teach you how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to allocate marketing budget and understand buying behaviour.
Attribution Modelling in Google Ads and Facebook
This book has been written to help you implement attribution modelling in Google Ads (Google AdWords) and Facebook. It will teach you, how to leverage the knowledge of attribution modelling in order to understand the customer purchasing journey and determine the most effective marketing channels for investment.
About the Author
Himanshu Sharma
Founder, OptimizeSmart.com
Over 15 years of experience in digital analytics and marketing
Author of four best-selling books on digital analytics and conversion optimization
Nominated for Digital Analytics Association Awards for Excellence
Runs one of the most popular blogs in the world on digital analytics
Consultant to countless small and big businesses over the decade
Learn and Master Google Analytics 4 (GA4) - 126 pages ebook
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.