Exploring Plausible Analytics

A while back, I set up Ghost CMS on my Linux server to power my blog. After getting the site running smoothly, I realized I needed a reliable analytics tool to track visitors and see how my content was performing. But I wasn’t looking for just any tool—I wanted something simple, privacy-focused and easy to integrate with my setup. That’s when I discovered Plausible Analytics.

Why I Chose Plausible for Tracking

Running a website means understanding what’s working and what isn’t but I wasn’t willing to compromise my visitors' privacy to get those insights. Most traditional analytics tools rely on cookies, complex data mining and extensive user tracking, which didn’t align with what I was comfortable with.

When I started looking into alternatives, I wanted something that prioritized privacy and was easy to use—without the clutter of unnecessary data. Plausible stood out to me for a few key reasons:

• Privacy-Focused: The biggest selling point was Plausible’s no-cookie approach. It doesn’t use invasive tracking or collect personal data, which means it complies with privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA and PECR. I could gather the insights I needed while respecting my audience’s privacy.
• Open Source: Since Plausible is open source, I had the option to self-host it which gave me complete control over my data. No need to hand it over to a big corporation that might store or sell it for their own purposes. It’s reassuring to know that my data stays with me, on my own server.
• Simplicity: Many analytics tools overwhelm you with data you don’t need, but Plausible has an incredibly clean, intuitive interface. It highlights key metrics like unique visitors, page views and bounce rates, making it easy to see what matters without getting lost in a sea of charts and filters.

For a detailed comparison between Plausible and Google Analytics, you can check out their official website.

Setting It Up

Setting up Plausible on my server was very straightforward. After installing Docker and cloning the Plausible Community Edition repository, I followed the instructions on GitHub and had it running in no time. The tracking script was simple to add to Ghost CMS—just a matter of pasting it into the header section. I also pointed my DNS to the Plausible server and everything worked flawlessly.

Using Plausible Analytics

Once Plausible was integrated, I started exploring the dashboard and honestly I was impressed. Even though the interface is minimal, it still delivers the core metrics that matter:

• Unique visitors: See how many people are visiting your site.
• Page views: Track the number of times pages are loaded.
• Bounce rates: Understand how many people leave your site after viewing just one page.

These insights have helped me better understand what content is engaging my readers and which posts are driving the most traffic. The best part is how easy it is to navigate—no unnecessary clutter or overly technical reports, just the data I care about.

A Quick Shoutout to Fathom

While exploring options, I also came across Fathom Analytics. Like Plausible, Fathom emphasizes privacy and simplicity.

My Takeaway

Overall, my experience with Plausible has been really positive. It helps me focus on the metrics that matter without the noise and it’s comforting to know that I’m respecting my visitors’ privacy while gaining valuable insights.

If you’re looking for an analytics tool that prioritizes privacy and simplicity, I highly recommend checking out Plausible. It could be just what you need for your website. It’s especially ideal for those who want a lightweight, ethical approach to web tracking.