If you’ve been running ads on platforms like Google Ads and tracking your website performance with Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you might have noticed something odd: The sessions data from GA4 doesn’t always match the data from your ads campaigns. While both platforms are supposed to help you understand how visitors are interacting with your site, it can be frustrating when the numbers don’t align.
But don’t worry, this is a common issue! In this blog, we’ll dive into why your GA4 sessions and ads data may not match, and more importantly, how you can fix it. By the end of this post, you'll have a better understanding of the discrepancies and actionable steps to resolve them.
What's Causing the Mismatch?
Before we get into how to fix this, let’s first break down what’s happening. Both GA4 and your ads platform track user activity on your site, but they use different methods and definitions. When the numbers don’t match up, it’s usually because of the way these platforms measure and attribute sessions and conversions.
Here are the main reasons:
1. Different Definitions of Sessions
- GA4 Sessions: A session in GA4 is defined as a single visit to your site. This means when someone visits your website, GA4 tracks the entire time they’re on your site, along with their activity, like which pages they viewed, how long they stayed, etc.
- Google Ads: Advertising platforms, like Google Ads, track clicks and conversions (actions like purchases, form submissions, etc.), not necessarily the duration of a session on your site. Ads data focuses more on the click-through rate (CTR) and conversions, rather than the detailed session data you see in GA4.
Result? If a user clicks an ad but bounces quickly (or can’t be tracked), GA4 might not count it as a session. Because of these differences, if you run an ad campaign, you may see a higher number of clicks in your ads data but fewer sessions in GA4 if those visitors leave quickly or if GA4 is unable to track the session properly.
2. Attribution Model Differences
- Google Ads Attribution: Google Ads often uses last-click attribution by default, which means it gives credit to the last ad that a user clicked before completing an action (like purchasing something).
- GA4: On the other hand, GA4 may use different attribution models, such as data-driven attribution, which distributes credit across multiple touchpoints (e.g., if a user interacted with more than one ad before converting).
This means that a user might click on an ad, visit your site, and then leave, but come back later organically and convert. In GA4, the conversion might be attributed to the organic search channel, whereas Google Ads would give credit solely to the last click—the ad. This can lead to discrepancies when comparing sessions and conversion data.
3.Tagging or Configuration Errors
Sometimes, the tracking setup on your site might be the culprit. If the GA4 tag isn’t correctly installed or there are issues with cookies, GA4 might not be able to accurately track the sessions generated from your ads.
- GA4 Tag: If your GA4 tag is incorrectly placed, outdated, or missing on key pages, it might fail to track users properly.
- Conversion Tracking: Similarly, if your conversion tracking isn’t set up properly in both Google Ads and GA4, it could lead to mismatched session and conversion data.
- Scripts not firing on key pages.
Fix: Double-check your implementation (we’ll show you how below).
4. Ad Blockers and Browser Privacy Settings
Another reason for discrepancies is that many users today use ad blockers or have privacy settings that block tracking cookies or scripts.
- Ad Blockers: Users who have ad blockers installed might click on an ad, but GA4 won’t track their session since the tracking scripts are being blocked. In contrast, Google Ads will still record the click, but GA4 won’t count it as a session.
- Privacy Settings: Some browsers, like Safari, have intelligent tracking prevention (ITP) that blocks certain cookies, which can prevent GA4 from tracking sessions correctly, but Google Ads can still count the click.
5. Time Zone Differences
Another possible reason is the difference in time zones between GA4 and your ad platform.
- GA4 Time Zone: If GA4 is set to a different time zone than Google Ads, sessions may appear to be misaligned when comparing data. For example, a user who clicked on an ad at 9:00 PM (according to Google Ads’ time zone) might show up as a session in GA4 on the following day due to the time zone difference.
- Google Ads Time Zone: Google Ads might be reporting clicks and conversions based on a different time zone setting than GA4, causing data to appear mismatched when looking at performance reports.
How to Fix the Discrepancy Between GA4 and Ads Data: 5 Key Steps
Now that you know why the sessions from Google Ads and GA4 might not match, let’s dive into how to fix it:
1. Link Google Ads and GA4 Accounts
One of the most important steps is to link your Google Ads and GA4 accounts. This allows data to flow seamlessly between both platforms, which can help align the tracking and attribution models.
How to do it:
- Go to your GA4 property, click on Admin in the bottom left corner, then under Product Linking, select Google Ads Linking.
- Follow the prompts to link your Google Ads account to GA4.
By linking these accounts, you’ll get more accurate tracking and attribution across both platforms.
2. Ensure Proper Tag Implementation
Check if your GA4 tracking code is correctly installed on all pages of your website.
- Use Google Tag Manager to manage tags more efficiently and ensure everything is set up correctly.
- Test your setup using the Tag Assistant extension for Google Chrome to verify that your tags are firing properly.
If you’re still experiencing issues, consider implementing Google Tag Manager or Google Tag Assistant to test and debug your tags.
3. Set Up Cross-Platform Attribution
To address attribution differences, you should set up cross-platform attribution to make sure your conversion data is attributed correctly.
- In GA4, review your attribution settings and adjust them based on how you want to track conversions.
- In Google Ads, you can also use conversion tracking tools to align the reporting with GA4.
Using similar attribution models will make your data comparisons more accurate.
4. Use UTM Parameters for Accurate Tracking
Using UTM parameters in your ad URLs is another great way to track traffic accurately.
- Add UTM parameters (e.g., utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign) to your Google Ads links to ensure GA4 can track the traffic accurately.
- This ensures that every click coming from your ads is properly identified in GA4.
Pro tip: Use Google’s URL Builder to generate UTM-tagged URLs.
5. Sync Your Time Zones
Make sure both Google Ads and GA4 are using the same time zone settings.
- In GA4, you can change the time zone under Admin > Property Settings.
- In Google Ads, check the time zone under Settings in your account.
Aligning the time zones will help eliminate discrepancies caused by timing differences.
Conclusion
Data discrepancies between GA4 sessions and ads data are common, but they don’t have to be a mystery. Understanding the reasons behind these differences like tracking setup issues, attribution models, and technical factors can help you fix the problem and get more accurate insights. By linking your accounts, fixing your tag setup, adjusting your attribution models, and using UTM parameters, you can ensure that both your Google Ads and GA4 data align better. This will lead to better insights, more accurate reporting, and ultimately, improved performance.
Ready to Optimize Your Data Tracking?
Want to take your Google Ads and GA4 performance to the next level? Reach out to Seven Koncepts today, and let’s optimize your website tracking to get the results you deserve!