What is a unique user?

A unique user is an individual counted once within a specific period, regardless of how many times they interact with a website or app. This metric helps you understand the true size of your audience.

How are unique users tracked?

Tracking unique users involves identifying them uniquely across sessions and devices. Here's how it's typically done:

• Device ID: This identifier is based on the user's device. It can be a vendor-specific ID or a randomly generated string. It's useful for tracking users who don't log in.

• User ID: This is a consistent identifier like a username or internal ID set by the application. It persists across sessions and devices, ensuring that users are tracked accurately even if they switch devices.

• Amplitude ID: Amplitude creates a unique identifier by combining the device and user IDs. This ensures you accurately track unique users, even if they use multiple devices.

Using these identifiers, you can ensure that each user is counted only once, giving you a clear picture of your user base.

Importance of tracking unique users

Accurate audience measurement

Knowing the exact number of distinct users interacting with your product is crucial. It helps you gauge your product's reach and effectiveness. For more information, you can explore the concept of Daily Active Users (DAU) and Monthly Active Users (MAU).

Behavior analysis

Tracking unique users lets you deeply understand user behavior. You can spot trends and refine the user experience. For instance, you might want to look into Behavioral Targeting and how it can help in identifying user behavior patterns.

Marketing and sales strategies

Unique user data informs your marketing strategies. It helps predict sales with greater accuracy. Tailor your campaigns based on this insight. You can learn more about Customer Journey Management and how Geotargeting can improve marketing accuracy.

Examples of unique user tracking

Example 1: E-commerce website

An e-commerce site uses unique user tracking to count distinct daily visitors. This helps assess marketing campaign effectiveness. It also identifies returning customers. Learn more about user identifiers and how they can be used to track unique users. Additionally, using multiple identifiers can provide deeper insights into user behavior.

Example 2: Mobile application

A mobile app combines device ID and user ID to track unique users. This avoids counting users multiple times across devices. It provides a clear user base picture. Understand the importance of device-level experiments and how other stable identifiers are used in such contexts. For a detailed guide on implementing these identifiers, see Statsig Guide for Device Experiments.

Example 3: Content platform

A content platform tracks unique users to measure content engagement. It identifies how many distinct individuals view or interact with content. This aids content planning and advertising strategies. One method to achieve this is through behavioral targeting. Another useful metric is Monthly Active Users (MAU), which helps in understanding user engagement. Additionally, employing a sound strategy for customer journey management can further enhance user tracking and engagement.