What are the common GA4 implementation mistakes to avoid?
Mistakes we check for: Conversions that don't match the business. Tag what counts as a customer, not what's easy to tag. A click ID overwritten. A misconfigured server-side power-up can write the word "stape" where Google's click ID should be. Preview still looks fine, so we check the next day's data. One property, several sites. Filter reports by hostname, or the numbers blend. No ID on the form. Without a first-party ID in the form, a lead can't be tied to its visit. An export that quietly stopped. BigQuery gives no error, so we check the newest table's date. Personal data in GA4. Where data is sensitive, only an ID goes in, never names, emails or phone numbers.
Conversions that don't match the business
A conversion should be what the business counts as a customer: a booked call, a paid order, a qualified lead. We define it first, build it in Tag Manager, test it in preview and send the same definition to the ad platforms.
Click IDs overwritten
Set up wrong, a server-side power-up can write the word "stape" where Google's click ID should be. Tag Manager preview still looks fine, so we check the next day's BigQuery export, not just preview.
Several sites in one property
Some properties stream more than one site. We filter reports by hostname so one site's numbers don't blend into another's.
No ID on the form
If the form doesn't carry the first-party ID, a lead can't be joined to its visit. We write the ID before the form and pass it in with the lead.
Exports that quietly stop
A stopped BigQuery export gives no error: queries run and return no recent rows. Before trusting a recent window we check the date of the newest table.
Personal data
Where data is sensitive, only an ID and a click ID go in. Names, emails, phone numbers and messages stay out of GA4.
It's part of our technical tracking service.
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What is technical and tracking infrastructure?
It's the set-up that counts what happens on your site and sends it where it needs to go: tracking tags, analytics, ad-platform conversions, your CRM connection and cookie consent, plus the hosting and security around your website.
How do you set up website analytics and tracking?
We agree with you what counts as a conversion, then set up Google Tag Manager and GA4, plus server-side tracking through Stape for sites that spend on ads. Before we hand over, we check the data is actually arriving.
Why is tracking important for my marketing?
Without it you're guessing which ads, pages and emails bring customers. Ad platforms also bid on what you tell them, so missing or wrong conversions mean they find the wrong people.
What is ongoing management, support, and reporting?
It means we don't launch your marketing and leave. We keep running and improving your ads, website and tracking on a retainer, and send reports that show what's working and what we'd change.
What’s included in your performance reporting?
Spend, leads or sales, and cost per result by channel, using data we've checked first. Reports sit in a Looker Studio dashboard you can open any time, and each one ends with what we'd push, fix or stop.
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