--- title: "Glossary" description: "Complete glossary of analytics, privacy, and platform terms used in Sealmetrics." canonical_url: "https://docs.sealmetrics.com/faq/glossary" lang: "en" date_generated: "2026-09-21T08:45:24.602Z" source_hash: "1f1bfae0495a00c7e658823ab32f468c7add050ccd5687aa4d0101f3a53fb44b" content_type: "documentation" owner: "docs" llm_priority: "useful" source_file: "faq/glossary.mdx" publisher: "Sealmetrics" --- # Glossary Canonical page: https://docs.sealmetrics.com/faq/glossary A comprehensive reference of all terms used throughout Sealmetrics documentation. For detailed metric formulas and benchmarks, see the [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions). --- ## A ### Aggregated Data Data that is summarized so it cannot be linked back to any individual. Sealmetrics processes pageviews ("hits") independently without reconstructing user profiles. ### API (Application Programming Interface) A programmatic interface for extracting analytics data, automating workflows, or integrating Sealmetrics with external tools. See the [API documentation](/api). ### Attribution The method used to assign a conversion to a traffic source. Sealmetrics uses last-click attribution, the only model fully compatible with consentless analytics. ### Average Order Value (AOV) The average revenue per conversion. Calculated as Total Revenue divided by Number of Conversions. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#average-order-value-aov). --- ## B ### Batch API A way to execute multiple analytics queries in a single HTTP request, reducing latency and simplifying integrations. See the [Batch API guide](/api/batch). ### Bounce Rate The percentage of sessions where the visitor viewed only one page and then left. A lower bounce rate generally indicates better engagement. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#bounce-rate). ### Browser The web browser used to access your site (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). Reported under the Devices report. --- ## C ### CCPA California Consumer Privacy Act -- regulates collection of personal data in California. Sealmetrics is compliant because it collects no personal data. ### Channel A classification of traffic into high-level groups such as Organic Search, Paid Search, Social, Direct, Email, and Referral. Channels are derived automatically from UTM parameters and referrer data. See [Sources report](/reports/sources). ### CNIL / AEPD French and Spanish data protection authorities whose guidelines define how analytics can operate without consent. Sealmetrics follows both strictly. See [Compliance](/compliance). ### Consent Mode Google's mechanism for restricting tracking based on user consent status. Sealmetrics does not use Consent Mode and must not be blocked by consent banners. ### Content Group A user-defined label assigned to pages so you can analyze sections of your site as a group (e.g., "Blog", "Products", "Checkout"). See [Content Grouping guide](/implementation/content-site-structure/content-grouping). ### Content Grouping The practice of assigning labels to pages to analyze site sections as groups. Configured via the tracker or the Sealmetrics dashboard. See [Content Grouping guide](/implementation/content-site-structure/content-grouping). ### Conversion A completed goal event such as a purchase, signup, or lead form submission, tracked with `sealmetrics.conv()`. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#conversions). ### Conversion Rate The percentage of sessions that resulted in at least one conversion. Calculated as Sessions with Conversions divided by Total Sessions, multiplied by 100. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#conversion-rate). ### Cookieless Tracking Analytics without cookies, stored fingerprints, or persistent identifiers. Sealmetrics measures hits, grouped only within a session by an identifier re-keyed every day, and nothing it stores can link a device across days. See [Consentless Analytics FAQ](/faq/consentless-analytics). ### Cookies Small files stored on a user's device to identify them across sessions. Sealmetrics uses zero cookies. ### Cost per Acquisition (CPA) The average cost to acquire one conversion. Calculated as Total Ad Spend divided by Total Conversions. Requires external cost data import. --- ## D ### Data Minimization The principle of collecting only what is strictly necessary. Sealmetrics collects minimal data per hit: timestamp, URL, and referrer. ### Delta The percentage change between the current period and the comparison period. Shown as a positive or negative value with color coding (green for improvement, red for decline). See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#delta-δ). ### Device Type The category of device used to access your site: Desktop, Mobile, or Tablet. See the [Devices report](/reports/devices). ### Direct Traffic Visits with no referrer or UTM parameters, typically from users typing the URL directly or using bookmarks. Shown as `(direct)` / `(none)` in source reports. ### Drop-off Rate In a funnel, the percentage of users who left at a specific step without proceeding further. See [Funnel report](/reports/funnel). --- ## E ### E-commerce Tracking Collection of revenue, transactions, and purchase events. Sealmetrics supports full e-commerce analytics without cookies. See [E-commerce Conversion Tracking](/implementation/ecommerce-conversion-tracking). ### Engaged Entrances Sessions where the visitor viewed more than one page (two or more pageviews). A measure of traffic quality. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#engaged-entrances). ### Engagement Rate The percentage of sessions where visitors viewed more than one page. The inverse of Bounce Rate (Engagement Rate + Bounce Rate = 100%). See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#engagement-rate). ### Entrances The number of sessions (visits) that started during the selected period. Each new session (after ~2 hours of inactivity) counts as one entrance. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#entrances). ### Event Tracking Capturing specific user actions such as clicks, form submissions, scroll depth, or video plays. See [Microconversions guide](/implementation/tracker/microconversions). --- ## F ### Fingerprinting Identifying a user through a combination of device attributes (screen size, fonts, plugins, etc.). Sealmetrics computes a hash of standard device characteristics in the browser to group hits within a session, but it never stores a persistent fingerprint: the hash is never written to the device, is re-keyed on the server with a daily salt that is destroyed on rotation, and is never stored as sent, so no device can be linked across days. See [What We Track](/security-privacy/what-we-track#6-session-identifier). ### First-Party Tracker A tracker running under your own domain (e.g., `analytics.yourdomain.com`) to avoid browser restrictions and ad blockers. See [Tracking Methods](/implementation/tracking-methods). ### Funnel A defined sequence of steps a user is expected to follow (e.g., Product Page, Add to Cart, Checkout, Purchase). See [Funnel report](/reports/funnel). ### Funnel Completion Rate The percentage of users who completed all steps in a funnel, from first step to last. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#funnel-completion-rate). --- ## G ### GDPR General Data Protection Regulation -- the EU regulation governing the processing of personal data. Sealmetrics is compliant because it does not collect personal data and does not require consent banners. --- ## H ### Hit A single interaction recorded by Sealmetrics: a pageview, event, or conversion. Sealmetrics is a hit-based system, meaning each interaction is recorded independently. --- ## I ### Isolated Hits Tracking A tracking method where each hit is recorded independently with no link between visits. This is the core of Sealmetrics' privacy-first design. See [Consentless Analytics FAQ](/faq/consentless-analytics). --- ## L ### Landing Page The first page a user views when starting a session. Analyzing landing page performance helps optimize first impressions and reduce bounce rates. See the [Pages report](/reports/pages). ### LENS Sealmetrics' AI-powered analytics insights engine. LENS analyzes your data and surfaces anomalies, trends, and actionable recommendations automatically. See [LENS documentation](/lens). --- ## M ### Microconversion A small user interaction tracked as an event, such as scroll depth reached, button clicks, form starts, add-to-cart actions, or video plays. Tracked with `sealmetrics.micro()`. Useful for measuring funnel progression before a full conversion. See [Microconversions guide](/implementation/tracker/microconversions). --- ## O ### Operating System The operating system of the visitor's device (e.g., Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux). Reported under the [Devices report](/reports/devices). ### Organization The top-level entity in Sealmetrics that contains Sites and Members. Organizations provide multi-user access control with roles (Owner, Admin, Member). See [Organizations API](/api/organizations). --- ## P ### Page Path The URL path of a page, excluding the domain. For example, for `https://example.com/products/widget`, the path is `/products/widget`. ### Page Title The HTML title of a page, taken from the `` tag at the time of the pageview. ### Pageviews The total number of pages viewed during the selected period. Each page load (including refreshes) counts as one pageview. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#pageviews). ### Pages per Session The average number of pages viewed per session. Calculated as Total Pageviews divided by Total Entrances. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#pages-per-session). ### PECR UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations -- restricts the use of cookies and similar technologies. Sealmetrics stores nothing on user devices; its reading of standard browser properties to compute the session identifier is assessed against the PECR exemption criteria in the [UK PECR self-assessment](/compliance/uk-pecr-self-assessment). ### Personal Data Any information that can identify an individual, directly or indirectly. Sealmetrics collects none. ### Privacy by Design The principle of building systems that inherently protect user privacy from the ground up, rather than adding protections as an afterthought. Sealmetrics follows this approach fully. --- ## R ### Referrer The domain of the website that linked to your site, detected from the HTTP Referer header. Used for source attribution when no UTM parameters are present. ### Revenue The total monetary value from conversions during the selected period, derived from the amount passed to `sealmetrics.conv()`. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#revenue). ### Revenue per Entrance The average revenue generated per session. Calculated as Total Revenue divided by Total Entrances. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#revenue-per-entrance). ### ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) Revenue generated per unit of advertising spend. A ROAS above 1.0 means revenue exceeds cost. Requires external cost data import. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#return-on-ad-spend-roas). --- ## S ### Session A group of interactions within a period of activity. In Sealmetrics, a new session starts after ~2 hours of inactivity. Sealmetrics uses session-level aggregation for metrics like Bounce Rate while keeping the tracking itself consentless. ### Session-ID Tracking A temporary identifier used to group the pageviews of a single session. In Sealmetrics it is a hash of standard device characteristics computed in the browser, never written to the device, and re-keyed on the server every day with a salt destroyed on rotation, so it is not persistent and cannot be linked across days. See [What We Track](/security-privacy/what-we-track#6-session-identifier). ### Site A website being tracked by Sealmetrics. Each Site has a unique Site ID used in the tracking code. Sites belong to an Organization. See [Sites API](/api/sites). ### Source-ID Technology Sealmetrics technology that allows assigning conversions to traffic sources without identifying individual users. ### Step Completion Rate In a funnel, the percentage of users who completed a step relative to the number who entered that step from the previous one. See [Funnel report](/reports/funnel). --- ## U ### Unique Visitors **Not a Sealmetrics metric.** Counting unique visitors requires a persistent per-user identifier (cookie, fingerprint, or hash), which would be personal data under GDPR — Sealmetrics deliberately does not carry any identifier across sessions. Use [Entrances](#entrances) as the audience-size signal instead. See [Metrics Reference](/reports/definitions#unique-visitors--not-tracked). ### UTM Parameters Standard URL parameters (`utm_source`, `utm_medium`, `utm_campaign`, `utm_term`, `utm_content`) used to tag marketing links and identify traffic sources. Fully supported by Sealmetrics without cookies. See [Sources report](/reports/sources).