In the 1990s, data privacy was barely on anyone's radar. Users weren’t particularly concerned with how their online actions were tracked. But in 1994, everything changed when Lou Montulli, a programmer at Netscape introduced cookies. This new technology allowed websites to remember user preferences, marking the start of data collection for business purposes.
As websites and online platforms began tracking more user interactions, people started to become aware of, and interested in, the ways their online behaviour was being monitored.
Fast forward to today, and data privacy has transformed. With new regulations, sites must be transparent about the data they collect and how they use it. At Tribus, we support these stricter data privacy laws and continuously upskill our team on the latest privacy practices, which we implement across our bespoke software solutions and website builds.
Tracking is moving away from collecting every piece of data toward a more user focused tailored approach, letting users control what information they share.
Why Your Tech Partner Should Implement User Tracking
When setting up tracking, it’s essential to stay updated on the latest laws and regulations, especially when they vary by region. For instance, many of our clients operate globally with location-specific content, so their UK-based business must adhere to the tracking standards of every region where they have a presence.
Aligning with compliance and legal teams is key, and having a tech partner who understands digital tracking and data privacy can make these conversations easier.
If you’re using tools like Google Tag Manager, GA4, or custom tracking templates, it’s best to have the same partner manage both your software or website build and your user tracking setup. This ensures that data collection is accurate, smooth, and compliant with privacy standards. A correct setup avoids issues like data exposure or poor site performance and provides reliable insights.
Evolving Tracking Practices
Today, tracking goes beyond basics like clicks, sessions, and conversions. Once a user agrees to share certain data, we can use sophisticated methods like multi-attribution models to capture their entire journey - from the first ad they see to the final purchase. Rather than assigning one conversion to a single source, multi-attribution splits the credit across multiple sources, reflecting which channels contributed most.
For instance, instead of a PDF download triggering a single conversion, you could set up a conversion event that includes variables like time spent on the page and the PDF download. This layered approach provides more precise data, helping you understand conversion behaviours that matter to your business.
At Tribus, we use multi-attribution to show clients the entire customer journey, not just the last click, enabling smarter, data-driven decisions.
Why Proper User Tracking Matters:
Align with data privacy laws
Keep your tech partner aligned with your platform/website
Return control of data privacy to the user
Gain deeper customer insights
Refine your marketing strategy
Improve user experience
Identify key user groups and top pages
Make sure your tracking setup does what it’s meant to. If you’re unsure, reach out to Tribus. We’ll ensure everything tracks correctly - cookies, clicks, and more.
