Google Analytics (GA4) is a powerful tool for measuring website performance and building effective marketing strategies. However, inadvertent use of GA4 can lead to incorrect data and inflated or duplicated conversion information. To help you reduce unnecessary data and build an accurate conversion funnel in GA4, here are some tips:
1. Set up Default User Timing Duration Parameters
Google Analytics 4 has new default parameters that track each click, page load, and micro-event while a user is navigating a site. However, by default, the timing attribute captures 4 minutes of user activity and provides unlimited tracking of subsequent sessions with the same parameters. This can lead to heavily inflated user metrics – and even duplicate conversions – so it’s important to set specific timing parameters for each user session. This helps filter out false “sessions” and separate distinct visits for accurate conversion tracking.
2. Double-check Your Event Tracking Parameters
Google Analytics 4 provides three default “identify” parameters: Client ID, User ID and GA4 ID. However, it is also important to double-check the event tracking parameters. Ensure that the correct Client ID, User ID and GA4 ID are associated with the correct events to avoid accidental tracking of the user’s activity.
3. Minimize Cross-Domain Tracking
Since cross-domain tracking is a common source of incorrectly measured activity and double-counted conversions, it is important to minimize the amount of cross-domain tracking to ensure accurate data collection. To minimize cross-domain tracking, GA4 offers several options, such as disabling link tracking, using special links, or using the cross-domain opt-out tag in the Global Site Tag.
4. Use the GA4 “Conversion Prevention” Option
Google Analytics 4 has an “Conversion Prevention” feature that allows you to specify certain steps of your conversion process that can’t be skipped or duplicated. This is especially helpful for creating a conversion funnel that is accurate and complete. The Conversion Prevention feature also allows you to specify how many times each step of the conversion process can be repeated for a single user.
5. Set Up Your Conversion Funnel in GA4
Once you have configured all of the above settings, you can now proceed to create a conversion funnel in Google Analytics 4. This is done via the Funnels tab in the Conversions reporting suite. Once here, you can easily configure your goal and select a Primary Dimension to use when creating your funnel. You can also choose the events that make up your conversion funnel, such as landing page, search page and add-to-cart page.
Conclusion
Using these tips, you can minimize duplicate conversions and accurately create a conversion funnel in GA4. With the new Google Analytics 4 platform, it’s easier than ever to measure website performance and create effective marketing strategies – but it’s important to double-check your settings and avoid accidental data collection.
