I am working on a new site and am considering not putting Google Analytics tags on it. I'm considering this for two reasons:
1) It would reduce the number of unnecessary external requests so that the page will load slightly faster.
2) Some users, I believe, might appreciate not being tracked by Google, given all the recent outcry about Facebook's data collection efforts.
I don't use Google Analytics much, anyway. I get the site metrics I need, like referrers and page hits, from log analysis software already installed on the server.
My question is how this would affect the site's ranking in Google. According to the latest SEM Rush Ranking Factors Study (https://www.semrush.com/ranking-factors), the top three ranking factors are direct website visits, time on site, and pages per session. I don't see how Google can get that data unless there is a link back to Google on every site page.
Will leaving off Google Analytics significantly penalize my site in their search rankings?
1) It would reduce the number of unnecessary external requests so that the page will load slightly faster.
2) Some users, I believe, might appreciate not being tracked by Google, given all the recent outcry about Facebook's data collection efforts.
I don't use Google Analytics much, anyway. I get the site metrics I need, like referrers and page hits, from log analysis software already installed on the server.
My question is how this would affect the site's ranking in Google. According to the latest SEM Rush Ranking Factors Study (https://www.semrush.com/ranking-factors), the top three ranking factors are direct website visits, time on site, and pages per session. I don't see how Google can get that data unless there is a link back to Google on every site page.
Will leaving off Google Analytics significantly penalize my site in their search rankings?
