What Is That Traffic From “l.facebook.com” In Google Analytics?

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By: Ceci Dadisman

In: Marketing & Communications, Metrics & Analytics

If you’ve been looking at your Google Analytics data (which I know you are), you’ve probably seen traffic coming from “l.facebook.com”. You might be asking yourself, “What the heck is that?”

Well, it is traffic coming through something called a “link shim”.

Link shims were created by Facebook to protect you from malicious links. When you click on a link in Facebook, it checks that link against a huge list of malicious URLs and, if there is any concern, it will ask you if you want to proceed to the URL you clicked. That is the link shim.

So, that is desktop traffic coming from Facebook simply separated out in your Google Analytics because it is coming through the link shim. If you’re interested to delve deeper into this topic, here is more detailed information.

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Ceci Dadisman
Author
Ceci Dadisman
Ceci Dadisman is a marketing professional with more than 15 years of experience creating effective communications campaigns utilizing innovative, forward thinking methods. She is nationally recognized as a leader in digital marketing and specializes in multichannel communications campaigns. A frequent public speaker, Ceci’s recent and upcoming engagements feature national conference appearances at NTEN, Museums and the Web, National Arts Marketing Project, Arts Midwest, American Alliance of Museums, OPERA America, Midwest Museums Association, and Chorus America in addition to many other local and regional events. Known for her easy-going and vernacular style, she creates open learning environments with an emphasis on information sharing and useful takeaways. She is a member of the National Arts Marketing Project Advisory Committee and the West Virginia University College of Creative Arts Visiting Committee, and is a mentor in West Virginia University’s Creative Consultant program. She also teaches the arts marketing course at West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and is on the faculty of Chorus America’s Chorus Management Institute. Ceci was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts. She currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
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