Google Analytics or Matomo: Which One is Right for You?​

Data privacy matters more than ever! As Google introduces automatic tag loading in GTM, businesses must rethink their analytics strategy to stay compliant with GDPR. In this article, we explore why Matomo is a powerful alternative.

This week, Google announced via email to all its users that starting in April 2025, Google Tag Manager (GTM) containers will automatically load a Google tag before sending events. This change aims to improve tracking reliability and data collection for advertisers. However, it also raises serious concerns regarding privacy regulations, particularly in the European Union. ​

Violation of EU Privacy Regulations ​

The automatic loading of Google tags without user consent is a potential violation of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Under GDPR, explicit consent is required before collecting or processing user data. By implementing this change without user control, Google risks facing legal challenges and regulatory pushback within the EU. Businesses using GTM could also be at risk of non-compliance, leading to potential fines or restrictions.

Google's Diminishing Dominance Due to Privacy Regulations

Due to privacy regulations like GDPR, Google is slowly losing access to vast amounts of user data. The growing restrictions on data collection have reduced Google's ability to track user behavior without explicit permission. As a result, businesses are seeking alternative analytics platforms that respect user privacy while still providing valuable insights. This shift is gradually weakening Google’s dominant position in the analytics market.

Matomo: A Powerful Open-Source Alternative ​

Matomo is a robust open-source web analytics platform that offers a GDPR-compliant alternative to Google Analytics. Unlike Google, Matomo allows businesses to have full control over their data, as it is stored on their own servers or cloud infrastructure of their choice. This ensures compliance with data privacy regulations by preventing unauthorized third-party access to user data.

Additionally, Matomo is fully capable of tracking and measuring Google Ads campaign results. Through its Campaign URL Builder and advanced tracking features, businesses can analyze the performance of their Google Ads campaigns while maintaining complete data privacy.

Why Matomo is a Great Choice ​

• GDPR Compliance: Since Matomo stores all analytics data on the user's own infrastructure, it guarantees that businesses remain compliant with GDPR and other privacy laws.

• Data Ownership: Unlike Google Analytics, which shares data with Google’s servers, Matomo ensures that organizations retain full ownership and control over their analytics data.

• Ease of Setup: Matomo offers a user-friendly setup process with detailed documentation and strong community support.

• Privacy-First Approach: By prioritizing user privacy, Matomo provides businesses with powerful analytics tools without compromising compliance requirements.

Conclusion

With increasing regulatory scrutiny on data privacy, businesses must prioritize analytics solutions that ensure compliance while maintaining effectiveness. Google’s automatic tagging update raises serious concerns regarding GDPR compliance, making alternatives like Matomo an attractive choice. By using Matomo, businesses can effectively track and optimize their marketing efforts without violating privacy laws.

At Young-dogs, we install and configure Matomo on any application or online project, so your business can benefit from powerful analytics without compromising user privacy. Contact us and take the step toward more transparent and secure analytics.