Google Analytics now supports Include data filters for hostnames, letting a property list the domains it will keep event data from. Google announced the change in a Sept. 21 entry on its "What's new in Google Analytics" page.

Until now, hostname filters could only exclude. When Google added the filter type on June 11, its release note said it let customers "filter out (exclude) events based on their hostname." An Include filter reverses the logic: you define approved hostnames instead of adding unwanted hostnames to an Exclude filter.

How Google frames it

Google positions the change as ending the upkeep an exclude list demands. The release note reads:

"Previously, filtering was limited to Exclude filters, which required ongoing manual updates to keep up with new sources of spam. By allowing you to define a list of approved hostnames, this feature simplifies configuration and helps ensure the integrity of your analytics data with minimal maintenance."

One carve-out exists. The note says Include filters "will not be applied to events sent from the Measurement Protocol, ensuring this data remains unblocked."

Events with no hostname at all go the other way and get blocked. Google's example is gtag.js traffic, and the entry states that "a missing hostname typically indicates spam or abnormal traffic."

What to know before activating

Data filters act on incoming data only. Google's data filters help page says Analytics evaluates them "from the point of creation forward," so historical data does not change.

Once a filter is Active, the effect is permanent. Matching events are never processed, and the same page says they "will never be available in Google Analytics or BigQuery."

Google's setup page for hostname filters advises testing a filter before activation. The Testing state tags matching events with a "Test data filter name" dimension instead of dropping them. Google says a data filter can take 24 to 36 hours to apply.

Why it matters

An exclude list stays accurate only as long as the last unwanted hostname you noticed. With an allowlist, you list your production domains once and stop editing the filter every time a new spam source appears. Because Active filters permanently change incoming data, the configuration should be tested before activation.

One gap remains. Google's release note does not explain how Include matching works for subdomains or properties receiving data from several hostnames.

Looking ahead

The release note gives no rollout details, so it is unclear whether the Include option has reached every property. Users can check the Data filters section in Admin to see whether the option is available in their property.

As of Sept. 22, Google's setup page for hostname filters and its data filters overview still described the feature as exclude-only — the same lag between documentation and release notes Search Engine Journal observed when Google launched its AI Assistant channel in May. Marketers relying on hostname filtering should verify the option in their own properties before planning any configuration changes.

Source: Search Engine Journal (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/google-analytics-include-hostname-filters/590336/) / Source: support.google.com (https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320)