Matomo Site Kit

FAQ

Is Matomo Site Kit free?

Yes, Matomo Site Kit is 100% free and open source. You can use it with either Matomo Cloud (paid hosting) or self-hosted Matomo On-Premise (free).

Is Matomo GDPR compliant?

Yes, Matomo is designed for privacy and can be configured for full GDPR compliance. With consent mode enabled, no tracking occurs until the visitor gives consent. Server-side tracking can even work without cookies.

How is Matomo different from Google Analytics?

Matomo is a privacy-focused alternative where you own 100% of your data. Unlike Google Analytics, Matomo doesn’t sample data, doesn’t share data with third parties, and can be self-hosted for complete control.

Should I remove existing Matomo tracking code?

Yes, Matomo Site Kit is an all-in-one solution. Remove any existing Matomo code from your theme or other plugins to avoid duplicate tracking.

Which tracking method should I use?

• Classic JavaScript – Best for most sites. Full feature support, easy setup.
• Matomo Tag Manager – Best for marketing teams who need advanced tag management, triggers, and variables.
• Server-Side PHP – Best for privacy-focused sites, GDPR compliance, or when ad blockers are a concern.

Can I use multiple tracking methods together?

Yes, you can combine Server-Side PHP with either Classic JS or Tag Manager. Server-side handles the initial page view reliably, while client-side handles interactive events like clicks and form submissions.

Does WooCommerce tracking work with all methods?

Yes, each tracking method has its own WooCommerce ecommerce toggle. Enable the one that matches your active tracking method for complete ecommerce analytics.

How does Site Search tracking work?

When a visitor searches your site, the plugin automatically tracks the search keyword, any category filters applied, and the number of results found. No configuration needed – it works out of the box with WordPress search.

What is the annotation feature?

Annotations are notes in Matomo that mark specific dates. This plugin can automatically create annotations when you publish content, helping you correlate traffic changes with content releases.

What format should I use for annotations?

The default format is: New {post_type} published: "{title}"

Available variables:
* {post_type} – Post type label (e.g., “Post”, “Page”, “Product”)
* {title} – The post title
* {url} – The permalink URL
* {author} – The author’s display name

Will this slow down my website?

No, the plugin is optimized for performance with DNS prefetch, script preloading, and async loading. Server-side tracking has zero impact on front-end performance.

Does it work with caching plugins?

Yes, Matomo Site Kit works with all major caching plugins including WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, and LiteSpeed Cache.

Does it work with page builders?

Yes, the plugin works with all page builders including Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, WPBakery, and Gutenberg.

How do I add the opt-out feature for GDPR?

Add the shortcode [matomo_opt_out] to any page or post. This displays a Matomo opt-out form allowing visitors to opt out of tracking.

Shortcode options:
* [matomo_opt_out language="en"] – Set language
* [matomo_opt_out show_intro="0"] – Hide introduction text
* [matomo_opt_out background_color="ffffff"] – Custom background
* [matomo_opt_out font_color="000000"] – Custom text color

Can I exclude certain users from tracking?

Yes, go to Settings and select which user roles to exclude. Common choices are Administrator and Editor to avoid skewing analytics with your own visits.

How do I track logged-in users?

Enable “User ID Tracking” in the settings. The plugin will track logged-in users using a SHA256 hash of their email address, allowing you to see user journeys across devices while maintaining privacy.

What is Heartbeat Timer?

Heartbeat Timer sends periodic signals to Matomo while the page is open, providing more accurate “time on page” measurements. Without it, the time spent on the last page of a session cannot be measured.

Does server-side tracking work with Matomo Cloud?

Yes, server-side tracking works with both Matomo Cloud and On-Premise installations. You’ll need your Auth Token for it to work.

Why aren’t my WooCommerce orders being tracked?

Make sure you’ve enabled the ecommerce tracking option for your active tracking method. Each method (Classic, Tag Manager, Server-Side) has its own toggle.

What is AI Bot Tracking?

AI Bot Tracking allows you to track visits from AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini separately in Matomo. Instead of discarding these visits, Matomo 5.7+ can record them in a dedicated bot tracking report. Enable this feature in Settings to see how AI agents interact with your content.

Which AI bots are detected?

The plugin detects user-triggered AI assistants including ChatGPT-User, GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Claude-Web, Google-Extended, Gemini, Meta-ExternalAgent, AmazonBot, AppleBot-Extended, OAI-SearchBot, and others. The list is regularly updated.

Can I use this with other analytics plugins?

While technically possible, we recommend using only Matomo Site Kit for analytics to avoid conflicts and duplicate tracking.

How do I get support?

For support, please visit our GitHub repository or contact us through openmost.io.

How can I contribute?

Contributions are welcome! Visit our GitHub repository to report issues, suggest features, or submit pull requests.