How can I filter out deleted posts in my Analytics data?

jgd10

Hello!

The forum I run has been inundated with spam posts, which isn't great, but that's something we're dealing with. We'd still, however, like to track how popular the individual tags are to see if our users are interested in a specific tag due to a recent event, for example.

However, the tag numbers are being swamped by the spam numbers. We have one tag with 300+ posts attached to the tag name but only 4 posts that can actually be accessed on the site because the 296 spam posts have been deleted.

What filter can I add to my table that would leave out posts that have been deleted? I have tried filters like "post ID exists True" and "post URL exists True", but neither has worked.

Val

Good morning, @jgd10!

Thanks for this great question. I hear you on the frustration around inflated tag counts caused by spam posts.

To be quite frank, Analytics isn’t currently the best tool for tracking how live content is using tags. Below is a breakdown of why that is, plus a few better options you can use right now, and some exciting updates we're cooking up for the near future!

Why Analytics Tag Counts Include Deleted Posts

Our Analytics platform is event-based, meaning it tracks when specific actions occur — not whether they’re still valid today.

• Posts Stream → Tracks when posts are added
• Post Modifications Stream → Tracks when posts are edited or deleted
• Tags Stream → Tracks when a tag is applied to a post (which can happen at any time)

These are separate data streams and don’t cross-reference one another.

So if a spam post was created, tagged, and later deleted, the tag usage still gets counted — even though that post is no longer live. That’s why you might see a tag with 300+ posts, but only a handful are actually accessible.

Filters like "post ID exists True" or "post URL exists True" don’t help here because Analytics doesn’t verify if the post still exists — it just records that the tag was applied at some point.

Better Ways to Track Tag Usage on Live Content

1. Use the API to Get a Real-Time Snapshot of Tagged Post : The /discussions API endpoint is a good workaround for getting a current list of live posts with a specific tag, filtered by timeframe.

Example:

/api/v2/discussions?slotType=w&tagID=30

• slotType=w = Past week
  You can also use:
  • d = Past day
  • m = Past month
  • y = Past year
  • a = All time
• tagID=30 → Replace this with your actual tag ID

If you want to download that list as a spreadsheetyou can just add .csv to the endpoint:

/api/v2/discussions.csv?slotType=w&tagID=30

Here's a full guide on how to export API data into a CSV.

2. Coming Soon: Update Tags Management UI

We’re working on a new Tags Management UI that will give you a live, accurate view of how many posts are currently using each tag — no deleted content included.

Here’s a sneak peek:

This will provide a much cleaner view of tag usage without needing to dig through Analytics or build API calls.

3. Planned: Scheduled Reports (Later This Year)

We’re also planning to introduce Scheduled Reports later this year. These will let you pull "state-based" snapshots like:

“How many live posts from the past week have this tag?”

Unlike Analytics (which shows historical events), these reports will query your database as it exists now, giving you real-world, accurate data.

In summary…

• Analytics shows historical events — not whether posts still exist.
• Use the API to get accurate, live-tagged post data today.
• The new Tags Management UI is coming soon to show real-time usage.
• Scheduled Reports are planned for later this year to give you cleaner insights without needing custom workarounds.

Let us know if you'd like help setting up an API call or finding your tag IDs, we'll be happy to assist you.