Public sector websites are not allowed to use Google Analytics
Edit 1.112023: The situation has changed since the creation of the DPF (data privacy framework) in July. Read about the current state of Google Analytics here.
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Which "GDPR-friendly" system would be the easiest to replace Google Analytics with?
Google Analytics is facing a strong headwind. The authorities have tightened their policy helmet.fi and Finnish Meteorological Institute through cases. In practice, the current interpretation of the DPA seems to be that Google Analytics should not be used on public sector websites, as it is not GDPR compliant.
The problem can no longer be avoided with cookie surveys alone, so every public sector organisation should now react and switch to another system.
What to consider when choosing visitor tracking
- The first step is to ensure GDPR compliance. After that, the selection criteria should be guided by the following.
- Features
- Price - total cost
- Availability
- Available support
Visitor tracking features
The requirements for visitor monitoring relate to what the monitoring can measure and what it can report. Through the use of analytics objectives, property requirements can be developed.
Price of visitor monitoring
The price consists of the visitor tracking license fee, the implementation costs and the usage costs. Most organisations can manage with a cloud version, and there is no need for an expensive and heavy solution installed on a dedicated server except in special cases.
Availability
Ease of use is one of the most important features to choose. Visitor tracking should be easy to access without the help of a super-expert, as this also has a direct impact on the cost of use and the smooth exploitation of the tracking.
Available support
Support should be available for the implementation and use of the software. The support can be provided directly by the manufacturer of the visitor tracking system or by a company that provides consultancy on the use of the product.
The options currently most used in the public sector are
Digiteam is the official support for Snoobi Analytics and we also offer services related to the implementation of Matomo.
We recommend Snoob to public sector organisations
All of the above visitor tracking programmes are suitable for the public sector. When evaluating the use, quality and overall cost of analytics, we have come to recommend Snoob to public sector organisations.
Snoobi was originally developed by the Finnish company Snoobi Oy, which was sold to Fonecta in 2012. Snoobi is now owned by Snoobi Technology B.V. of the Netherlands.
Why do we recommend Snoob?
- Finnish is still a strong part of Snoob, as customer support is available in Finnish directly from the software manufacturer and the user interface is also available in Finnish. The data collected by Snoob is also stored on servers located in Finland.
- The customer owns their own tracking data, no data is lost to unauthorised parties and security is well taken care of.
- Snoob's product development is quite agile and many features have been brought to visitor tracking at the request of customers. The fact that Snoob has had features for more than ten years that have only now been brought to e.g. Google Analytics 4 is a sign of its progress.
- In terms of usability, Snoobi is in a class of its own. For basic report rounding and data retrieval and even segmentation, it's infinitely clear and easy. The interface is very logical. Once the deployment project is well managed, there is no need for external expert help to continuously train the interface.
- Snoob's proven security is why it is widely used on public sector websites, government agencies, corporate intranet solutions, and mapping services used by cities and municipalities.
- For the implementation of Snoob and the use of analytics, there are high-quality partners in Finland, such as Digiteam.
- Snoobi can also be deployed on your own servers
- Snoob also offers fully cookie-free tracking
Antti Kärki
Good digital marketing since 2003, but the humour gets worse every year. All in one package! Antti takes a broad view of marketing through the eyes of the client, the agency and the web analyst, but he is also keen to tackle individual issues. Antti's texts occasionally seek a little wake-up call, as the digital marketing industry has a lot of room for improvement.
