How does Google Analytics gather user demographic information?

Google Analytics gathers user demographic information primarily through the use of cookies and other identifiers. This process allows the platform to track user interactions and behaviors across websites. When a user visits a site that has Google Analytics implemented, the cookies placed on their device enable the collection of various data points, such as age, gender, interests, and behavior patterns.

Cookies serve as unique identifiers, allowing Google Analytics to recognize returning visitors and to compile insights based on their browsing activities. This data is then aggregated and anonymized to ensure user privacy while providing valuable demographic insights to website owners and marketers.

The other methods listed, such as survey forms and user-defined attributes, are not standard practices for collecting demographic data in Google Analytics. While surveys can gather information directly from users, they are not a part of the automatic data collection process of Google Analytics. Relying solely on IP addresses for demographic information also has limitations and cannot provide the same depth of insights as cookies, considering factors like dynamic IP addresses and VPN usage that may obscure accurate tracking.