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ionos webanalytics provides me with the most important usage data of my website in clear reports, without cookies and with anonymized IPs [5]. This allows me to quickly see what is working, where visitors are bouncing and what content I should expand - directly in the hosting and, if required, also in the WordPress dashboard [1][3].
Key points
- Cookie-free and IPs anonymized for GDPR-compliant analyses [5]
- Immediately usable in IONOS Hosting, no installation [3]
- Dashboard with filters, time periods and export
- WordPress-Integration without extra plugin [1]
- Filter and segments for targeted evaluations
What is IONOS WebAnalytics and why do I use it?
IONOS WebAnalytics is a web analytics solution that is already included in many IONOS hosting plans [3]. I record page views, devices, browsers and referrers and use them to identify patterns that make my content visible. The reports remain compact and provide me with exactly the key figures I need to make decisions.
Especially Important: The tool works without cookies and anonymizes IP addresses immediately upon receipt [5]. I do not store any personal data and therefore comply with GDPR requirements. This allows me to use statistics without using cookie banners for tracking.
What data does IONOS WebAnalytics collect?
Raised browser type and version, operating system, device type as well as the pages accessed and entry times [5]. I can also see referrers, i.e. the origin of my visitors, and quickly recognize which channels are working. The IP address is included, but is immediately anonymized and not stored as personal data [5].
Each Depending on the hosting tariff, the data is stored as log files in the directory or is collected via pixel capture for MyWebsite tariffs [5]. Log data is deleted after eight weeks, but I continue to use the graphical statistics [5]. For more in-depth analyses, I export the data and check time trends and seasonal fluctuations.
Get started quickly: login, dashboard and first checks
I log in to my IONOS account, select Hosting and then "Analyze visitor statistics with WebAnalytics" [3]. Alternatively, I open analytics.ionos.de and use the IONOS access data [3]. In the dashboard, I first check visits, page views and the distribution across devices.
Subsequently I filter by time periods to check campaigns and compare weekdays and times. This allows me to recognize when content receives the most attention. The first 10 minutes are often enough to derive concrete measures.
Setup in practice: domains, directories, subdomains
I start in a structured way: I select the appropriate view for each domain and make a note of which areas I want to view separately (e.g. blog, store, landing pages). I deliberately evaluate subdomains separately so that I don't mix different content. For large pages, a clear naming convention for directories helps me to hit filters faster and separate internal campaigns from evergreen content.
For I set staging or test environments to "noindex" and keep them out of communication so that they only rarely generate real visits. In the reports, I exclude these hosts/directories if I only want to see live data. This keeps my picture of the user journey consistent and comparable - week after week and across seasonal peaks.
Filters, segments and exports: turning data into answers
Filter by device, page or source quickly show me which content performs on mobile devices. I segment according to entry pages and discover content that delivers the first contact particularly frequently. This helps me to strengthen titles, teasers and internal links in a targeted manner.
Exports to evaluate time series in tables and test hypotheses. This allows me to see whether new content or design changes are having an effect. For reporting purposes, I save monthly comparisons and summarize the findings in a few key points.
IONOS WebAnalytics in comparison: when to use which tool?
IONOS scores with cookie-free collection, easy handling and GDPR compliance [5]. Marketing suites such as Google Analytics provide additional attribution, but require consent and technical maintenance [3]. Depending on the objective, I combine tools and pay attention to lean effort.
Who want to look deeper into data protection aspects and alternatives, take a look at Matomo vs. Google Analytics. There it becomes clear which solution is suitable for ambitious campaigns and where I remain pragmatic. In the end, what counts is how quickly I make reliable decisions.
Measure campaigns cleanly: UTM parameters, social and newsletter
For campaigns, I use consistent UTM parameters in target URLs (e.g. source, medium, campaign name). The visits appear as referrers/URLs in the reports, I recognize increases and can compare channels. It is important that I standardize spellings so that I don't see "newsletter", "newsletter" and "nl" as three sources later on - a style guide saves me a lot of clean-up work.
Organic-I monitor social and SEO separately by always tagging social posts with highlighted links and additionally displaying search queries in the Connect Google Search Console check. That way, measuring points don't overlap and I can set up attribution pragmatically: What brings people in, what keeps them, and what ensures a second visit?
Data protection put into practice: consent, logs and deactivation
Because IONOS WebAnalytics works without cookies, I do not need any additional consent for tracking [5]. I provide information about statistical analysis and anonymization in the privacy policy. This lowers barriers for visitors and stabilizes the database.
Logdata is only retained for a limited time, the reports are still available [5]. If you want to pause the recording, you can switch it off in the hosting. I appreciate this control when I schedule test phases or maintenance.
WordPress integration: numbers directly in the backend
At IONOS WordPress tariffs, the most important key figures flow directly into the dashboard [1]. I save myself additional plugins and see statistics where I maintain content. This speeds up my workflow when planning, writing and updating.
Who needs further analysis, look at suitable WordPress statistics tools. I only add what gives me real added value. Less technology often means more focus on content.
Ensure data quality: Bots, internal access, staging, CDN
So that my figures are reliable, I observe anomalies: sudden jumps at a host, extremely short dwell times, unusual referrers. Such patterns indicate bot or spam traffic. I highlight anomalies in the reporting and hide these segments in analyses so that decisions are not distorted.
Internal I minimize hits operationally: I test content in staging environments and send larger previews as screenshots or screencasts instead of real links. This way, team calls don't end up in the live figures. If I use a CDN, I check whether redirects are working correctly and whether tracking pixels or logs are still arriving correctly after the CDN. For relaunches, I plan redirects so that referrers and entry pages do not end up in error pages.
Reading key figures correctly: From metric to measure
I first analyze visitors, page views, referrers and device distribution. Then I look at entry pages, bounce rates and dwell time. This combination shows me which content attracts visitors and where I need to make adjustments.
The The following table summarizes common key figures, their meaning and possible steps. I use it as a cheat sheet for weekly reviews. That way I don't lose sight of priorities.
| Key figure | What it shows | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Visitors | Range in the selected period | Check content frequency and promotion |
| Page views | Interest and depth per content | Link strong pages internally |
| Referrer | Channels that deliver traffic | Expand top channels, retest weak ones |
| Entry pages | Pages with first contact | Optimize meta title, teaser and loading time |
| Dwell time | Binding content | Adjust structure, media and call-to-action |
| Bounce rate | Abort after a short time | Check search intent, increase relevance |
Practical example: Targeted sharpening of content
AcceptedA guide page gets a lot of entries, but loses visitors after a few seconds. Then I check the headline, introduction and the first scroll. A clear benefit in the first sentence often immediately brings better results.
See I focus on readability and click-through areas. I shorten long paragraphs, compress images and move CTAs to the top. This is how I increase interactions without much effort.
E-commerce and lead tracking pragmatically
Also I can map conversions without complex tracking: I set up thank you pages for forms and orders so that they are only accessible after successful completion. I use these pages as a target proxy and measure the hits in the reports. This allows me to see which entry pages and referrers most frequently lead to leads or purchases - without additional scripts.
For For stores, I also monitor product and category pages as a micro-target: increased views without corresponding thank you pages indicate hurdles in the checkout (shipping costs, payment methods, loading time). Then I prioritize optimizing the path: clearer steps, fewer distractions, faster forms. Small UI changes to the entry and first clicks often bring more than far-reaching changes.
SEO workflow with IONOS WebAnalytics: quickly become a priority
I I start with the entry pages and note topics that are already bringing in visitors. I then check search queries and clicks via the Connect Google Search Console. Both together show me which content I should expand next.
For updates, I set myself a weekly time window. Then I check the effect in the statistics and adjust titles and teasers if necessary. Small steps generate noticeable progress.
Team workflow and reporting routines
So that I use fixed rhythms to turn findings into action: A weekly 15-minute check with top entry pages and referrers, a monthly in-depth look at devices, content and time slots. I derive specific tasks from three to five clear observations - always with a person responsible and a deadline.
At team, a standardized sheet helps me: the most important KPIs at the top, with highlights, lowlights and decisions below. This allows me to document developments without having to write long reports. Anyone providing external support gets exactly this one page - easy to understand and implementation-oriented.
Frequently asked questions and troubleshooting
Why do figures differ between tools? Measuring points, recording methods and filters vary. I compare trends, not absolute values, and define a "leading" system for each question.
Why do I see sudden peaks? Often it's campaigns, social virality or crawlers. I check referrers and entry pages as well as the dwell time. If it remains extremely low, I mark the period as an outlier.
Why Is data from individual pages missing? Frequent reasons are new URLs without internal links, forwarding errors or changed slugs. I test the page in the incognito window, check status codes and internal links - then the numbers appear reliably.
Like do I deal with seasonal fluctuations? I periodically compare equal time periods (e.g. week-to-week, month-to-month) and keep an eye on calendar events. Exported time series help me to quickly recognize patterns.
Advanced evaluations with exports
For For deeper insights, I use exports to form cohorts: Entry pages as groups, plus developments over 4-12 weeks. This allows me to see which topics are sustainable and which impulses only have a short-term effect. At the same time, I find candidates for internal linking because strong entry points can "pull along" other content.
I normalize URLs by combining irrelevant parameters (e.g. tracking snippets) in the analysis. This results in clear time series per content instead of many split data sets. I use the cleansed data to plan tests: new teasers, adjusted meta titles, changed order of sections. Each change is given a date in the sheet - the subsequent evaluation shows me in black and white what progress has been made.
My short summary: This is how I implement the figures
IONOS WebAnalytics gives me reliable data without cookie banners and with clear reports [5]. I find trends faster, make more focused decisions and save time in my day-to-day business. The integration into hosting and WordPress lowers hurdles and keeps the analysis lean [1][3].
With filters, segments and exports, I set priorities that have an impact. If you need additional marketing features, you selectively add more tools. The decisive factor is that I evaluate regularly and act consistently.
