Convert & fix
Compare new and returning visitors
Separate fresh traffic from people coming back, so you know whether you're only spiking or building intent.
3 min read
A traffic graph going up can mean two different things: more new people finding you, or the same people coming back. Both are good, and they call for different work.
Why this matters
New visitors measure reach. Returning visitors measure interest: people who come back are considering you. A launch brings new visitors; a product people want brings them back.
Why most analytics tools can't tell you
Many tools count a visitor as new whenever cookies are cleared or consent is refused, so returning visitors are undercounted and the split is unreliable.
How Datasense does it
With the cookie script, Datasense keeps one random first-party ID per browser for up to 400 days. The Visitors page splits everyone in your range into New and Returning segments, with each person's sessions, pages and revenue.
How to do it
- 1Make sure the site uses the cookie script (Settings → Tracking). Cookieless mode can't recognize visitors across days.
- 2Open the Visitors page and pick a range.
- 3Switch between the New and Returning segments to compare their counts, pages and sources.
- 4Open a returning visitor to see their visits one by one.
Turn it into action
- Few returning visitors? Give people a reason to come back: a newsletter, a changelog, an account.
- Lots of returning visitors who don't buy may be stuck on price or a missing feature. Look at the pages they revisit.
- Check which sources bring visitors who return; those are your best audiences.
Good to know
- Returning visitors need the cookie script; cookieless mode counts a visitor as new each day.
In the docs:GDPR and cookieless tracking →