Why is my website receiving unusual traffic from Columbus, Ohio?

Technical Q&A
1

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if someone could give some advice regarding the following.

I am getting very unusual traffic on my website. It’s coming only from Colombus, Ohio. My website is targeting Australia only.

I initially thought this is from my Google Ads, even though I’ve set my targeted location to Australia. So I stopped the campaign and to my surprise, the number of visitors from Ohio rocketed even more as it hit over 230 visitors 2 days ago with no running ads. They are all visiting the same page on my website and not even browsing or doing any activities.

I tried reaching out to Google ads support and Shopify support but both were not able to help me.

Shopify support said it’s normal since my website is searchable on Google, but I think this doesn’t make any sense, because all traffic is only coming from one specific city.

Sorry for the long post and thanks for advance for any help.

Dina

1 Like
2

Unusual traffic from a specific location can be a sign of a potential security issue or bot activity. Here are some steps you can take to investigate this issue:

  1. Check for any installed apps or plugins that may be causing the issue. Uninstall any apps that you suspect may be contributing to the problem.

  2. Implement Google Analytics to monitor the traffic on your website. This will give you more information about the source of the traffic and any patterns that may be emerging.

  3. Use a security plugin, such as the Shopify Security App, to help block unwanted traffic and protect your site from potential security threats.

  4. Contact Shopify support again and provide them with more detailed information about the unusual traffic, including the specific page that the visitors are accessing and any information you have gathered from Google Analytics. They may be able to help you further.

  5. Consider using a content delivery network (CDN), such as Cloudflare, to help protect your website from unwanted traffic and improve your website’s overall security.

If the issue persists, it is recommended to consult a professional cybersecurity expert to help you secure your website and protect your online business.