How does Brave browser impact email attribution and Google Analytics?

Key findings

• Tracker blocking: Brave automatically blocks Google Analytics scripts and other common tracking mechanisms, preventing data collection for users browsing with default settings.
• URL parameter stripping: Beyond blocking scripts, Brave can strip identifying URL parameters, further hindering campaign attribution even if a user reaches the landing page.
• Inaccurate data: The result is a significant underreporting of website visits and conversions originating from email campaigns, making traditional attribution models unreliable for Brave users.
• Privacy preference: Users opt for Brave specifically for enhanced privacy, indicating a strong desire not to be tracked, which marketers should respect.

Key considerations

• Holistic view: Relying solely on Google Analytics for email campaign performance is increasingly problematic. Consider other metrics and data sources for a complete picture, such as email service provider (ESP) click data (though this also has its limitations, particularly concerning how Gmail tracks engagement).
• Attribution model adaptation: The shift towards privacy-focused browsers necessitates rethinking traditional multi-touch attribution models. Explore privacy-centric analytics solutions or server-side tracking as alternatives, though these too have their challenges as mentioned by Optimize Smart.
• Accepting data limitations: Marketers must accept that reported numbers from traditional analytics may not reflect the full scope of user activity, especially when considering the broader impact of email tracking pixels and other privacy measures.
• Market share relevance: While Brave's market share may be small, it represents a growing trend towards privacy that influences how email marketers approach data measurement and strategy.

Key opinions

• Awareness of Brave: Marketers are starting to inquire about Brave browser's impact on their analytics, recognizing it as a growing factor in data reliability.
• Attribution concerns: A primary concern revolves around how email attribution functions when trackers are blocked and URL parameters are stripped, directly affecting insights from platforms like Google Analytics.
• Testing is key: Some marketers suggest practical testing, such as downloading Brave, to personally observe how links behave and whether tracking scripts load.
• Growth in privacy: Despite potentially low market share numbers, there's a recognition that user adoption of privacy-focused tools signifies a broader trend that can't be ignored.

Key considerations

• Scalability of workarounds: Marketers are skeptical about the scalability of manual workarounds, such as custom URLs, to circumvent Brave's tracking prevention.
• Broader ad blocker context: The challenge isn't exclusive to Brave, but extends to all ad blockers, meaning marketers are fighting a larger battle against widespread privacy tools, which can also affect ESP click tracking.
• Accepting data gaps: It's important to accept that Google Analytics data for email campaigns may be understated and to factor in untracked users when evaluating performance, as highlighted by SparkToro's perspective.
• Adapting strategy: Marketers are encouraged to adapt their measurement and strategy in response to these privacy changes, rethinking the utility of traditional metrics.

Key opinions

• Long-standing presence: Brave has been available for a considerable time, indicating its established position in the browser market as a privacy-oriented option.
• Functionality mirrors ad blockers: Brave operates much like traditional ad blockers, meaning Google Analytics scripts will generally fail to load on websites visited via the browser.
• Futility of counter-measures: It is a losing battle to try and defeat privacy features implemented by browsers; respecting user privacy choices is paramount.
• Trend towards privacy: The rise of Brave and similar tools indicates an ongoing trend that will continue to challenge the meaning and utility of various marketing metrics.

Key considerations

• Limited market share: While Brave's market share may be small (e.g., around 0.05% at times), the broader impact of ad blockers across all browsers is a more significant concern for marketers.
• Data acceptance: Marketers must accept that reported Google Analytics numbers might be an undercount of actual site visits from email campaigns, and conversely, might include click bots. This requires a nuanced understanding of how accurate email open rates are in general.
• Prioritizing privacy: Since users choose Brave for privacy, their wishes regarding tracking should be respected, similar to honoring unsubscribe requests. This aligns with broader privacy initiatives like those affecting GDPR.
• Alternative tracking assessment: It is valuable to understand how various privacy features, including link decoration, cookie lifetime, and local storage cleansing, compare across browsers. The website CookieStatus.com provides comprehensive data on these comparisons, including for Brave.

Key findings

• Script prevention: Brave explicitly removes or prevents common analytics and tracking scripts from loading, which directly undermines data collection by tools like Google Analytics.
• URL parameter stripping: The browser can strip identifying URL parameters, meaning that even if a user clicks through an email, the campaign source may not be attributable on the landing page.
• Anonymous attribution model: Brave Search (and the browser's advertising model) uses an anonymous-but-accountable attribution model, confirming event activity without compromising user privacy, a fundamental difference from traditional tracking.
• Cookie restrictions: Brave’s default settings impose significant cookie restrictions, preventing the usual tracking mechanisms that marketing campaigns rely on for user interactions and conversions.

Key considerations

• Server-side tracking limitations: Even with server-side tagging systems, Brave's stripping of URL parameters can severely impact attribution, underscoring the challenge of overcoming its privacy features.
• Impact on conversion tracking: The failure of GA4 and Google Ads conversion tracking is often linked to users easily bypassing cookie consent, a behavior amplified by browsers like Brave that enforce privacy by default, as well as the broader shifts like iOS 15 privacy changes.
• Alternative analytics viability: Privacy-respecting analytics platforms exist that claim to offer more accurate data in environments where traditional tracking is blocked. Exploring these alternatives is essential for comprehensive data collection.
• Broader privacy measures: Brave is part of a larger trend of increased privacy measures across browsers and extensions, which collectively block tracking mechanisms and necessitate new approaches to marketing attribution (including the impact of email link cloaking and click tracking).