To exclude Google Tag Manager hits from a Google Analytics view, you can use filters in Google Analytics. One way to do this is by creating an Exclude filter that filters out traffic based on specific criteria such as the presence of the GTM container in the URL or the presence of the GTM parameter in the query string. Another approach is to create a custom dimension that captures whether the hits are coming from GTM, and then create a filter that excludes hits with that custom dimension. This way, you can ensure that only relevant traffic is included in your Google Analytics reports.
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What are the limitations of excluding GTM hits from a GA view?
- Incomplete Data: Excluding GTM hits from a GA view may lead to incomplete data analysis as some important tracking information generated by GTM may be excluded from the view.
- Limited Customization: Excluding GTM hits may limit the ability to fully customize tracking and reporting in Google Analytics as GTM allows for more flexibility in tracking events and managing tags.
- Loss of Key Insights: By excluding GTM hits, valuable insights into user behavior, performance metrics, and conversion tracking may be missed, affecting the overall understanding of website performance and user experience.
- Inaccurate Reporting: Excluding GTM hits may lead to inaccurate reporting of important metrics, such as page views, bounce rate, conversions, and other key performance indicators.
- Increased Effort: Without the use of GTM, tracking and managing tags and events directly in Google Analytics can be more time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring more effort and resources to implement and maintain tracking code.
What is the recommended frequency for updating filters to exclude GTM hits in GA?
It is recommended to update filters to exclude GTM hits in Google Analytics at least once a month. This ensures that any changes made in Google Tag Manager are properly reflected in the filter settings and that no unwanted GTM hits are being included in your data. Additionally, it is a good practice to review and update filters whenever there are major changes to your website or tracking setup.
What is the best approach to setting up goals in Google Analytics with GTM hits excluded?
When setting up goals in Google Analytics, it is important to exclude hits triggered by Google Tag Manager (GTM) to ensure accurate tracking and reporting. One approach to achieving this is to create a filter in Google Analytics that excludes hits from the GTM container ID.
Here are the steps to set up goals in Google Analytics with GTM hits excluded:
- Log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the Admin section.
- Under the View column, click on Goals.
- Click on the "+ New Goal" button to create a new goal.
- Choose a goal template or custom goal type based on what you want to track (e.g., destination, duration, pages/screens per session, event).
- Set up the goal details according to your tracking needs, such as the destination URL or event category, action, and label.
- In the goal setup section, you will see a field for "Use the Event Value as the Goal Value." Make sure this option is unchecked to prevent GTM hits from skewing the goal value.
- Once you have set up your goal, go to the Admin section of Google Analytics.
- In the View column, click on Filters.
- Click on "+ Add Filter" to create a new filter.
- Enter a filter name and choose "Custom" as the filter type.
- Select "Exclude" as the filter type.
- In the Filter Field drop-down menu, select "Hostname."
- In the Filter Pattern field, enter the GTM container ID for your website (e.g., gtm-container-id.google.com).
- Click Save to apply the filter.
By following these steps, you can set up goals in Google Analytics while excluding hits triggered by Google Tag Manager, ensuring accurate and reliable tracking of your website's performance.
What are the steps to create a new view in Google Analytics?
- Sign in to your Google Analytics account.
- Click on the Admin tab at the bottom left corner of the page.
- In the Account column, select the account in which you want to create a new view.
- In the Property column, select the property for which you want to create a new view.
- Under the View column, click on the dropdown menu and select Create View.
- Enter a name for your new view in the View Name field.
- Choose the reporting time zone for your new view.
- Click on the Create View button to create your new view.
- You can now start using your new view to analyze data in Google Analytics.
How to set up cross-domain tracking in GA with GTM hits excluded?
To set up cross-domain tracking in Google Analytics without using Google Tag Manager hits, you will need to modify the tracking code on your website. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do so:
- Define all of your domains in the Referral Exclusion List in your Google Analytics property settings. This can be found under Admin > Property > Tracking Info > Referral Exclusion List.
- Update the tracking code on your website to include the linker parameter. Below is an example of the updated tracking code that you can use:
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<!-- Global Site Tag (gtag.js) - Google Analytics --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-XXXXXX-Y"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-XXXXXX-Y', { 'linker': { 'domains': ['domain1.com', 'domain2.com'] } }); </script> |
Replace UA-XXXXXX-Y with your Google Analytics property ID, and update the domains array with the domains you want to track.
- Make sure that all links between the cross-domain websites include the linker parameter in the URL. For example, if you have a link from domain1.com to domain2.com, the URL should include the linker parameter:
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<a href="https://domain2.com/page1.html?_ga=1.12345678.12345678.12345678.12345678">Link</a>
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- Test the cross-domain tracking setup by navigating between the domains and checking the Real-Time reports in Google Analytics to ensure that the traffic is being tracked accurately.
By following these steps, you should be able to set up cross-domain tracking in Google Analytics without using Google Tag Manager hits excluded.
How to troubleshoot issues with GTM tags not firing correctly in GA?
- Check the GTM container: Make sure that the GTM container is properly installed on the website and that the tags are set up correctly within the GTM interface.
- Verify trigger conditions: Check that the trigger conditions for the tags are set up correctly and that they are firing under the appropriate circumstances.
- Test in preview mode: Use GTM's preview mode to test the tags and triggers to see if they are firing correctly when the specified conditions are met.
- Look for errors in the console: Open the browser's console and look for any errors related to the GTM tags. These errors can help identify issues with the tags not firing.
- Check for conflicting tags: Ensure that there are no conflicting tags or triggers that may be preventing the GTM tags from firing correctly.
- Verify tracking code: Make sure that the GA tracking code is properly installed on the website and that it is set up correctly to receive data from the GTM tags.
- Test in real time: Use GA's real-time reports to see if the data from the GTM tags is being captured correctly in GA after the tags have been fired.
- Reach out for support: If you are still experiencing issues with GTM tags not firing correctly in GA, reach out to the GTM support team or post on online forums for additional help and troubleshooting.
