How to dynamically filter traffic from employees in Google Analytics

a) Inserting the Cookie with a Bookmarklet

Bookmarklets are extremely helpful mini-applications that provide additional functionalities to your browser right from your favorites bar. I used it all the time to simplify some common tasks.

In this case, I created this bookmarklet to insert the "Internal Traffic Cookie" with just one click.

• Just drag this button/bookmarklet into your favorites bar +InternalCookie
• Here is the javascript snippet that the bookmarklet contains:
  javascript:function setCookie(cname, cvalue, exdays, cdomain) { var d = new Date(); d.setTime(d.getTime() + (exdays*24*60*60*1000)); var expires = 'expires='+ d.toUTCString(); document.cookie = cname + '=' + cvalue + ';' + expires + ';path=/ ; domain=" + cdomain; } setCookie('InternalTraffic', 'true', 365, window.location.hostname); alert('Cookie: InternalTraffic\nValue: TRUE\nDomain: ' + window.location.hostname)

  Basically this code inserts a little cookie with the value InternalTraffic=true and sets it for 365 days.

b) Inserting the Cookie with GTM

1. Go to your GTM container,
2. Click on New Tag and call it HTML - Set InternalTraffic cookie. 
3. Click on Tag Configuration, and from the right panel select the Tag Type <> Custom HTML .
4. In the HTML box, copy the script below. This is a simple script that will set the cookie that you will use later for the filter.

   Important! Make sure to change the text your_top_level_domain for your top domain (withouth http:// and www) for example, for this site that would be carloseo.com

   <script>
   function setCookie(cname, cvalue, exdays, cdomain) {
   var d = new Date();
   d.setTime(d.getTime() + (exdays*24*60*60*1000));
   var expires = "expires="+ d.toUTCString();
   document.cookie = cname + "=" + cvalue + ";" + expires + ";path=/ ; domain=" + cdomain;
   }
   setCookie("InternalTraffic", "true", 365, "your_top_level_domain");
   </script>
   
5. On the section below click on Triggering and then click on the blue plus sign at the top right corner +
6. Name the trigger as PV - InternalTraffic, click on Trigger Configuration and select  Page View from the right panel
7. Configure the trigger as follows and set the condition like this
   • 7.1 This trigger fires on Some Page Views
   • 7.2 First dropdown select Page URL
     • Note: If you don't see Page URL on the list, click Choose Built-In Variable at the bottom of the dropdown, and from the list that appears click on Page URL to activate it.
   • 7.3 Second dropdown select matches RegEX
   • 7.4 Text Box enter \/internal\/$|\?internal$
8. Click save the trigger and again click on save for the tag.

Custom dimensions are a hefty feature to add additional information in Google Analytics. In this case, we will use it to determine if your visit is an internal or an external user.

To create a custom dimension:

1. Go to the admin section of your GA and on the PROPERTY settings (2nd column) select Custom Definitions > Custom Dimensions.
2. Next click on the red button +New Custom Dimension   
3. Configure the dimension as follows
   • 3.1 Name: InternalTraffic
   • 3.2 Scope: User
   • 3.3 Check the Active box
4. Click Create and in the next screen click Done.
5. Back in the Custom dimensions list, you will see your new custom dimension and next to it the Index number, note down this number because you will need it later.

1. In the left panel of the GTM main screen, click on Variables,
2. Scroll down to the User-Defined Variables section and click NEW at the top right
3. Click on Variable Configuration and select 1st Party Cookie
4. Name your Variable Cookie - InternalTraffic (important! use the exact same name)
5. As Cookie Name enter InternalTraffic (important! use the exact same name)
6. Save the variable
7. Now open your Google Analytics pageview tag or your Google Analytics Settings variable.
8. Under the tag, configuration click on More Settings
   Note: if you don't see the More Settings option check the override settings box. 
9. Expand Custom Dimension,
10. Click +Add Custom Dimension to add a new item (only one),
    • 10.1 In the Index box enter the Index number of your custom dimension; the number I told you to remember from the step 2-5
    • 10.2 In the Dimension Value box enter {{Cookie - InternalTraffic}}  (important! use the exact same name) and save the tag.
11. Lastly, click on Submit in the top right corner of the main GTM window.
    Note: If you want to test your tag before submitting the changes you can use the preview feature.

The last part of this solution is to create the filter in Analytics. I recommend you try this first on your test view, before setting it up in your master view.

1. Go to the Admin Section of your Analytics, click on Filters under the View settings (3rd Column)
   Important: Don't use the option "All Filters" under the Account Column because you won't see the custom dimension there.
2. Click the red button +ADD FILTER
3. Configure the filter as follows:
   • 3.1 Filter name: Exclude Internal Traffic - Dynamic
   • 3.2 Filter type: Custom
   • 3.3 Type: Exclude
   • 3.4 Filter Field: go to the bottom of the list and select InternalTraffic (This is the custom dimension you created before)
   • 3.5 Filter Pattern enter true. 

1. To activate the cookie and the filter:
   • a) Bookmarklet method: Click the bookmarklet you added while you are on any page of your website.
   • b) GTM method: Open any URL of your site with the text ?internal at the end -> carloseo.com/?internal
2. Open the real-time report in Google Analytics (Important! make sure you are seeing the view where you applied the dynamic filter AND your IP is not filtered by default)
3. Then navigate through different pages of your website.
4. If you don't see those pages in the real-time report, then Congratulations your filter is working!
   Note: you may see the page with ?internal at the end. This is fine as long as the next pages are not showing.

Next time you access the site from that browser your visit won't be counted in Analytics.

The cookie is set to last one year, however, some browsers like safari have shorter limits, so it is a good idea to refresh the cookie from time to time.