Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Ghost Metrics.
General
What is Ghost Metrics?
Ghost Metrics is a HIPAA-compliant web analytics platform built for healthcare organizations. It’s built on proven, widely deployed open-source analytics technology, operated in a secure environment with the compliance controls healthcare requires.
How is Ghost Metrics different from Google Analytics?
Key differences include:
| Feature | Ghost Metrics | Google Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| HIPAA Compliance | Yes, BAA included | No — no BAA offered, prohibits PHI |
| Data Ownership | 100% yours | Google’s terms apply |
| Data Sharing | Never shared | Can feed Google advertising products when data sharing is enabled |
| Data Sampling | Reports never sampled | Explorations sampled beyond per-query event quotas |
| Hosting | Dedicated US servers | Google’s infrastructure |
Is Ghost Metrics HIPAA compliant?
Yes. Ghost Metrics is designed for healthcare organizations and includes:
- Business Associate Agreement (BAA)
- SOC 2 Type II certified (view details )
- US-based secure hosting
- Data encryption in transit and at rest
- Granular access controls
Who owns the data in Ghost Metrics?
You do. Your data is never sold, shared, or used for advertising. It remains exclusively within your Ghost Metrics account and under your control.
Can I use Ghost Metrics alongside Google Analytics?
Yes. The tracking codes don’t conflict. Many organizations run both during a transition period. However, for HIPAA compliance, be careful about what data is sent to Google Analytics.
Tracking
How do I install Ghost Metrics?
Add the tracking code to your website, as high as possible inside the <head> tag. See our Installation Guide for detailed instructions.
Why am I not seeing any data?
Common reasons include:
- Tracking code not installed — Check your page source
- Caching — Clear your cache and test in incognito mode
- Ad blockers — Temporarily disable and test
- Wrong tracking code — Verify you’re using the correct code for this website
See Troubleshooting for detailed solutions.
How quickly does data appear?
Real-time reports and the Visits Log update within seconds. Aggregated (standard) reports are processed on a schedule and can take up to 24 hours to fully reflect recent activity — so if today’s standard reports look low, check the real-time reports before assuming a problem.
Does Ghost Metrics track individual patients?
Ghost Metrics doesn’t identify visitors as named people by default: IP addresses are anonymized, and no names, emails, or identifiers are collected unless you deliberately configure them. Visit-level views (like the Visits Log) do show individual sessions’ behavior — see Visitors Reports for how to manage that for compliance.
Does Ghost Metrics slow down my website?
No. The tracking code loads asynchronously and doesn’t block your page from rendering. Impact on page load time is negligible.
Can I track multiple websites?
Yes. Each website gets its own tracking code and separate reports. You can also use Roll-Up Reporting to aggregate data across multiple sites.
Reports & Features
How do I track conversions?
Set up Goals in Ghost Metrics. Goals can track:
- Page visits (e.g., thank you pages)
- Events (e.g., form submissions)
- Downloads
- Outbound link clicks
See Goals for setup instructions.
What’s included in my plan?
Premium features — Heatmaps, Session Recordings, Form Analytics, Media Analytics, Funnels, A/B Testing, Custom Reports, and more — are available on the Premium plan and above. Contact support or your account manager for plan details.
How do I access Heatmaps and Session Recordings?
These features are available on the Premium plan and above. If you have the appropriate plan, you’ll find Heatmaps and Session Recordings in the reporting menu — note both require creating a heatmap or recording configuration before data is captured (see Heatmaps and Session Recordings).
Can I export my data?
Yes. All reports export as CSV, TSV (Excel), XML, JSON, or HTML, and scheduled email reports can be delivered as PDF, HTML, or CSV.
How long is data retained?
By default your analytics data is retained indefinitely — it isn’t automatically deleted. If your data-governance policy calls for scheduled deletion of older raw data, contact support to configure it.
Account & Access
How do I add more users?
- Go to Administration → System → Users
- Click Invite a New User
- Enter their username and email, and assign website access — they’ll receive an email invitation and set their own password
See Users & Permissions for details.
How do I reset my password?
Click “Forgot password” on the login page and follow the instructions sent to your email.
Can I have different access levels for different users?
Yes. Ghost Metrics supports multiple roles:
- Admin — Website settings and user management for assigned websites
- Write — Can create and edit goals, heatmaps, experiments, and similar measurement features
- View — Read-only access to assigned websites
How do I add another website?
Website creation is handled by our team — contact support with the site’s name, URL, and timezone, and we’ll set it up. Once created, you install the tracking code and configure everything else yourself.
See Managing Websites for details.
Technical
Does Ghost Metrics work with single-page applications (SPAs)?
Yes. The basic tracking code captures initial page loads. For route-change tracking, see SPA tracking — or contact support and we’ll configure a History Change trigger in your container.
What browsers does Ghost Metrics track?
Ghost Metrics tracks all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and mobile browsers. Very old browsers may have limited tracking capability.
Does Ghost Metrics work if visitors have ad blockers?
Some ad blockers and browser privacy features may block analytics tracking. This affects all analytics platforms, not just Ghost Metrics. The impact varies substantially by audience — technical audiences block more, general consumer and healthcare audiences considerably less.
Can I track logged-in users across devices?
Yes, with User ID tracking. When configured, Ghost Metrics can connect sessions from the same logged-in user across different devices. Contact support for setup guidance.
Is there an API?
Yes. Ghost Metrics has a comprehensive HTTP API for accessing your data programmatically — see the API documentation. You create your own API tokens under Administration → Personal → Security.
Compliance & Security
Where is my data stored?
All data is stored in secure, US-based data centers with encryption at rest and in transit.
How do I get a BAA?
A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is included with your Ghost Metrics subscription. Contact support if you need a copy or have questions.
Is Ghost Metrics SOC 2 certified?
Yes. Ghost Metrics is SOC 2 Type II certified, independently audited against the SOC 2 trust criteria. You can view our current compliance details at security.ghostmetrics.io .
How do I handle GDPR consent?
Ghost Metrics can be configured to respect user consent choices. Options include:
- Requiring consent before tracking
- Tracking without cookies (cookieless mode)
Contact support for guidance on your specific compliance needs.
Still Have Questions?
If your question isn’t answered here:
- Check the Troubleshooting Guide
- Contact Support