What's all the fuss about Google Analytics cookies and "domains"?
Whether you're a brand new user of Google Analytics or have a UA account number below 50,000. i.e. "UA-42442-1" - just a way to brag you've been using GA a looooong time :), understanding the cookies used by Google Analytics and the critical issues surrounding the domain to which those cookies are written and read is paramount to accuracy and reliability of your Google Analytics data. The number one problem I consult with clients on solving relates to cookie domain issues. It most commonly manifests in the form of "self-referrals", i.e. you see your own domain name listed in the "Referring Sites" report. THAT is because of a cookie domain problem. Other issues of high bounce rates, inflated visitor and visit numbers, and deflated time on site and pages/visit metrics also relate to cookie domain problems.
So, what's all the fuss about? It's about everything important to using Google Analytics, and it begins with the cookies. So, go grab a glass of milk and your favorite tasty snack (if we're talking cookies I prefer the home-made oatmeal chocolate chip kind) and read the rest of this post to understand the critical functions in Google Analytics that impact cookie domain settings.
