GA4 data not matching? Here is why
Understanding the tools and technologies that can wreck your GA4/GTM tracking can answer endless questions regarding GA4 data not matching with other platforms (like Google Ads, Facebook, Backend, CRM, shopping cart etc.).
I get so many questions on GA4 data not matching with <INSERT YOUR PLATFORM>
You need to understand that your website tracking is more skewed than ever, thanks to GDPR and the resulting fallout.
I bet if you live anywhere in the Western world, esp. Europe, 50% or more of your website traffic is currently not being tracked because of ad blockers, VPNs, privacy extensions, settings and cookie consent and it’s only going to get worse.
The following are the eight tools/technologies that can wreck your GA4 / GTM tracking and cause GA4 data to not match with other platforms.
- Browsers.
- Browser settings.
- Browser privacy extensions.
- Ad blockers.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
- Automatic rejection of cookie consent notices (Never Consent).
- Automatic blocking of cookie consent notices.
- Google Consent Mode.
#1 Browsers.
Web browsers like ‘Brave’ and ‘DuckDuckGo’ automatically block third-party trackers, including Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.
#2 Browser settings.
Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection feature is designed to automatically block third-party trackers, including those associated with Google Analytics.
Incognito or private browsing mode does not inherently block Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager.
However, it affects how these tools operate due to how incognito mode handles cookies and browsing data.
In incognito mode, cookies and site data are not saved on the device once the session ends.
This means that while Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager can still track user activity during the session, the data does not persist across sessions.
Each new incognito session appears as a new user session to these tools.
By default, incognito mode blocks third-party cookies, which can impact the functionality of Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics if they rely on such cookies.
Do Not Track (DNT) is a browser setting that requests websites to refrain from tracking user activity. While not universally respected, it can impact tracking.
Disabling JavaScript can prevent tracking scripts (like GA and GTM) from executing.
Restricting or blocking cookies via cookies settings can significantly impact tracking.
#3 Browser privacy extensions.
Browser privacy extensions like ‘Ghostery’, ‘Privacy Badger’, ‘NoScript (Firefox)’, ‘uBlock’ origin, Malwarebytes browser guard, etc can block GA/GTM by default.
Most browser privacy extensions offer features to block tracking scripts like GA and GTM.
#4 Ad blockers.
While primarily designed to block ads, ad blockers can also block third-party tracking scripts like GA and GTM.
Ghostery, AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin, etc., are examples of ad blockers that can block GA and/or GTM.
#5 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
While primarily designed to create a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, VPNs can block tracking scripts like GA and/or GTM.
Some VPNs (like ‘NordVPN’) block GA by default.
According to ‘Surfshark’, 1.6 billion people use VPNs.
#6 Automatic rejection of cookie consent notices (Never Consent).
Many browser extensions, ad blockers, VPNs etc, can automatically reject cookie consent notices by automatically declining the website’s request to store cookies on your device.
The ‘Never consent’ feature automatically rejects cookie consent notices.
Browser extensions like ‘Ghostery’ have ‘never consent’ enabled by default.
#7 Automatic blocking of cookie consent notices.
Automatically blocking cookie consent notices is a more popular privacy feature than automatically rejecting cookie consent notices.
So, users don’t even see the cookie consent banner.
Blocking a cookie consent banner essentially means the user is rejecting the website’s request to store cookies.
That means rejecting cookie consent notices is the same as blocking them when it comes to user consent.
If blocking cookie consent notices results in cookies being sent, it indicates a flaw in the blocking mechanism.
#8 Google Consent Mode.
If the consent is not automatically denied and your users do happen to see your cookie consent banner, they are likely to opt out of tracking.
I put ‘Google consent mode’ at the very last on the list because people who are privacy-conscious, most likely are already using the tools/techs mentioned earlier.
Understanding the tools and technologies that can wreck your GA4/GTM tracking can answer endless questions regarding GA4 data not matching with other platforms (like Google Ads, Facebook, Backend, CRM, shopping cart etc.).
I get so many questions on GA4 data not matching with <INSERT YOUR PLATFORM>
You need to understand that your website tracking is more skewed than ever, thanks to GDPR and the resulting fallout.
I bet if you live anywhere in the Western world, esp. Europe, 50% or more of your website traffic is currently not being tracked because of ad blockers, VPNs, privacy extensions, settings and cookie consent and it’s only going to get worse.
The following are the eight tools/technologies that can wreck your GA4 / GTM tracking and cause GA4 data to not match with other platforms.
- Browsers.
- Browser settings.
- Browser privacy extensions.
- Ad blockers.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
- Automatic rejection of cookie consent notices (Never Consent).
- Automatic blocking of cookie consent notices.
- Google Consent Mode.
#1 Browsers.
Web browsers like ‘Brave’ and ‘DuckDuckGo’ automatically block third-party trackers, including Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager.
#2 Browser settings.
Firefox’s Enhanced Tracking Protection feature is designed to automatically block third-party trackers, including those associated with Google Analytics.
Incognito or private browsing mode does not inherently block Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager.
However, it affects how these tools operate due to how incognito mode handles cookies and browsing data.
In incognito mode, cookies and site data are not saved on the device once the session ends.
This means that while Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager can still track user activity during the session, the data does not persist across sessions.
Each new incognito session appears as a new user session to these tools.
By default, incognito mode blocks third-party cookies, which can impact the functionality of Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics if they rely on such cookies.
Do Not Track (DNT) is a browser setting that requests websites to refrain from tracking user activity. While not universally respected, it can impact tracking.
Disabling JavaScript can prevent tracking scripts (like GA and GTM) from executing.
Restricting or blocking cookies via cookies settings can significantly impact tracking.
#3 Browser privacy extensions.
Browser privacy extensions like ‘Ghostery’, ‘Privacy Badger’, ‘NoScript (Firefox)’, ‘uBlock’ origin, Malwarebytes browser guard, etc can block GA/GTM by default.
Most browser privacy extensions offer features to block tracking scripts like GA and GTM.
#4 Ad blockers.
While primarily designed to block ads, ad blockers can also block third-party tracking scripts like GA and GTM.
Ghostery, AdBlock Plus, uBlock Origin, etc., are examples of ad blockers that can block GA and/or GTM.
#5 Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
While primarily designed to create a secure, encrypted connection between your device and the internet, VPNs can block tracking scripts like GA and/or GTM.
Some VPNs (like ‘NordVPN’) block GA by default.
According to ‘Surfshark’, 1.6 billion people use VPNs.
#6 Automatic rejection of cookie consent notices (Never Consent).
Many browser extensions, ad blockers, VPNs etc, can automatically reject cookie consent notices by automatically declining the website’s request to store cookies on your device.
The ‘Never consent’ feature automatically rejects cookie consent notices.
Browser extensions like ‘Ghostery’ have ‘never consent’ enabled by default.
#7 Automatic blocking of cookie consent notices.
Automatically blocking cookie consent notices is a more popular privacy feature than automatically rejecting cookie consent notices.
So, users don’t even see the cookie consent banner.
Blocking a cookie consent banner essentially means the user is rejecting the website’s request to store cookies.
That means rejecting cookie consent notices is the same as blocking them when it comes to user consent.
If blocking cookie consent notices results in cookies being sent, it indicates a flaw in the blocking mechanism.
#8 Google Consent Mode.
If the consent is not automatically denied and your users do happen to see your cookie consent banner, they are likely to opt out of tracking.
I put ‘Google consent mode’ at the very last on the list because people who are privacy-conscious, most likely are already using the tools/techs mentioned earlier.
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About the Author
Himanshu Sharma
