If you’ve noticed an unprecedented wave of Google Analytics spam in the past two weeks, you’re not alone. This is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It appears some spammers have managed to overpower Google’s protective measures and infiltrate numerous websites. Most Google Analytics 4 (GA4) accounts under our management have been impacted. So, should you be concerned? Let’s explore this sudden influx of Google Analytics spam.
What’s Up with All This Google Analytics Spam?
If you haven’t noticed this new spam, you might wonder what it looks like. The following is an example of the type of spam we’re seeing:
Judging by the volume of concerned posts in Google forums, this is a widespread issue. Many GA4 users have noticed a similar pattern, with an unusual surge in traffic from Poland (though the IP addresses are primarily in Russia) that doesn’t lead to any engagement. The following are some of the most aggressive spam URLs at the moment:
rida.tokyo / referralnews.grets.store / referralstatic.seders.website / referral
WARNING: If you decide to explore it further, please keep in mind that it is NOT safe to click on the links people are posting as examples of this spam.
What Is Spam Traffic?
Spam traffic refers to fake or shady visits to your website. They could be sketchy visitors, shady bots, or random referrals, and they can screw up your data. After all, when you’re analyzing your website’s traffic, you want to see how real people are interacting with your site. That way, you can understand your audience and make positive changes. An influx of spam traffic can make it hard to understand your data. It’s frustrating, it may pose a security risk, and it can make your site seem less trustworthy. For all of these reasons, it’s important to confront spam traffic when you notice it.
Why Do Spammers Spam?
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, spam is “unwanted or intrusive advertising on the internet.” Spammers aim to draw in the curious by promoting services or products. Their marketing strategy isn’t very effective, but, sadly, a small percentage of people do click on spam links. A spam bot can target millions of people for next to nothing, so even if only a few people click, the spammer may view it as worthwhile.
Keep in mind that many people who send spam, such as hackers and botnet owners, don’t do so on their own behalf. They operate spam networks, offering their services to business owners who may view it as a legitimate marketing strategy. From the perspective of spammers, it may not matter if spamming generates money for the companies they’re advertising. If those companies believe spamming is effective and agree to pay them, the spammers will make money regardless. In addition, many scammers engage in affiliate fraud to gain a commission through marketing programs.
When it comes to spam marketing, spam traffic is just the tip of the iceberg. There are even more malicious tactics that can compromise personal information. Nowadays, spammers’ primary goal is to implant malware in users’ browsers. Malware can be used to steal credit card information, hold a device hostage for large sums of money, gain access to sensitive data, disrupt critical systems that businesses rely on, find personal data to sell on the dark web, and much more.
What Can I Do About Google Analytics Spam?
Until now, GA4 has been very successful at keeping spam traffic at bay. This is the first big wave of spam we’ve seen. And, unlike GA3, which offered numerous spam filters, GA4 lacks that functionality, so users have no direct options to deal with spam. However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing we can do about it.
If you’re a client of ours, there’s no need to worry. We’re actively managing bots and spam for our clients. Given the novelty of this spam type in GA4, we are evaluating various solutions to block it. While you will likely see this spam in your GA4 account, you won’t see it in Looker Studio, and the spam won’t affect your next monthly report.
If you’re on your own, we encourage you to check out Filtering Referral Spam in Google Analytics 4, a comprehensive guide created by our Data Quality Lead, Carlos Escalera Alonso. It’s designed to assist you in filtering any referral spam from crawlers and bots visiting your site. The solutions Carlos outlines work on a variety of content management systems (CMSs) — WordPress, Joomla, Shopify, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, and more. So long as you’re using GA4 and Google Tag Manager (GTM), the guide is applicable.
Good luck!
