Why Is My MonsterInsights Plugin Not Tracking Traffic Accurately?

One of the most common issues reported by users of the MonsterInsights plugin is a discrepancy between the traffic data shown in their Google Analytics account and the data reported by the plugin. This can manifest as a complete lack of tracking, a significant drop in reported sessions, or an inability to track users across subdomains correctly. Based on community reports, here are the most frequent causes and their solutions.

Common Causes of Tracking Discrepancies

Several factors can cause the MonsterInsights plugin to report different numbers than your main Google Analytics view. It's important to methodically check each possibility.

1. Logged-in User Exclusion

By default, MonsterInsights is configured to not track logged-in administrators, editors, and other user roles. This is a common feature to prevent site owners from skewing their own analytics data. If you are testing while logged into your WordPress site, your visits will not be recorded. This can create a perception that tracking is not working at all.

Solution: Always test your tracking while logged out of WordPress or using a browser incognito/private window. You can also review and modify which user roles are excluded in the plugin's settings under the 'Advanced' tab.

2. Caching and Performance Plugins

Caching plugins (e.g., W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket) and performance services like Cloudflare are designed to store static versions of your pages to speed up load times. If the tracking code is not being properly added to the cached pages, it will be missing for a large portion of your visitors.

Solution: After configuring MonsterInsights, you must clear your site's cache as well as any CDN cache (like Cloudflare). This ensures the updated code with the tracking snippet is served to all visitors. Some users have also reported that pausing Cloudflare temporarily helped isolate the issue.

3. Subdomain and Cross-Domain Configuration

If your WordPress site is on a subdomain (e.g., blog.example.com) and you have another site on the main domain (www.example.com), incorrect configuration will cause tracking issues. Sessions may be broken, and referral data can be lost when users navigate between the domains.

Solution: For basic subdomain tracking, you often need to exclude your own subdomain as a referral source. In the MonsterInsights 'Advanced' tab, there is a field for 'Subdomain Tracking'. The value to enter here can vary; common suggestions are to try the full subdomain (blog.example.com) or just the subdomain prefix (blog). For true cross-domain tracking (where users move between two entirely different domains), a more complex setup is required within your Google Analytics property.

4. Code Conflicts

Other plugins, themes, or custom code snippets can sometimes conflict with the MonsterInsights tracking code. This is especially true for other SEO or analytics plugins, or custom GA code added elsewhere.

Solution: Perform a basic conflict test. Temporarily disable other plugins one by one (especially other analytics plugins) and switch to a default WordPress theme like Twenty Twenty-One. If tracking resumes, you've identified a conflict. Reactivate each item one by one to find the culprit. Also, ensure you do not have any other Google Analytics tracking codes manually installed in your theme, as this can cause double-counting or errors.

5. Data Delay

The MonsterInsights dashboard inside WordPress does not show real-time data. It can take up to 24 hours for data to populate in the report overview. Real-time data should always be verified directly in the Google Analytics Real-Time report.

Solution: To verify if tracking is working in real-time, log out of your site, visit it, and then immediately check the 'Real-Time' > 'Overview' report in your Google Analytics account. If you see yourself as an active user, the tracking code is firing correctly.

How to Debug

If you are still experiencing issues, here is a step-by-step debugging process:

1. Verify Code Output: View the page source of your website (right-click, select 'View Page Source') and search for 'UA-' or 'G-'. Confirm that the MonsterInsights tracking code is present.
2. Check Google Analytics Real-Time Reports: This is the most reliable way to confirm data is being sent to GA immediately.
3. Use a Browser Console: Open your browser's developer tools (F12) and go to the 'Console' tab. Look for any JavaScript errors that might be preventing the analytics code from executing.
4. Test with Caching Disabled: Temporarily disable all caching and CDN services to see if that resolves the issue.

By systematically working through these common causes, most tracking inaccuracies can be identified and resolved.