Knowledge base

Are your visitors really where your analytics say they are?

Have you ever checked your website analytics only to discover that your visit was logged from a completely different city? Or received a weather alert for a city where you've never even set foot? That’s because of how visitor geolocation is done.

To determine the location of a visitor, Extellio’s analytics and other websites analyze the user’s IP address. There is no direct mapping between IP addresses and physical locations. Instead, we have to rely on geolocation databases that make an informed assumption about the visitor’s location based on the available allocation records.

One of the most common culprits behind inaccurate geolocation is the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through a VPN server, meaning that websites and online services detect the IP address of the server instead of your actual IP address. If that server is situated in a different city or even another country, your location will appear as if you’re accessing the internet from that server's location rather than your true whereabouts. In fact, a study conducted by NordVPN found that approximately 21% of Swedes utilize a VPN for their internet activities.

For most private users, the IP address assigned to you is dynamic. This means that you essentially “rent” an IP address for a limited period—often around six months—before it changes. If your IP address changes or when a block of IP addresses is reassigned to a different region or country, it can take some time before geolocation databases are updated.

Some businesses and offices may use static IP addresses that remain consistent over time, but even then, there can be discrepancies. The internet service provider (ISP) can route traffic through data centers located far from your actual location.

While geolocation serves as a valuable tool for understanding visitor patterns and behaviors, it’s critical to remember that the information it provides is based on approximations rather than precise coordinates. So, the next time you see an unexpected location in your website analytics, you’ll have a better understanding of the factors at play.