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Blog / Decoding the Discrepancy: Why GA4 and Google Ads Diverge in Reporting Results

Decoding the Discrepancy: Why GA4 and Google Ads Diverge in Reporting Results

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Decoding the Discrepancy: Why GA4 and Google Ads Diverge in Reporting Results

Why is there a discrepancy between my paid clicks on Google Ads, and the User Acquisition numbers on Google Analytics

GA4 and Google Ads

There can be several reasons for the discrepancy between GA4 and Google Ads. Here are a few possible explanations:

1. Tracking Differences: 

GA4 and Google Ads use different tracking methods, which can lead to variations in the reported numbers. Google Ads tracks clicks on ads, whereas Google Analytics tracks user behaviour on your website. Discrepancies can occur due to differences in how clicks and user sessions are defined and recorded.

2. Ad Blockers and JavaScript Disabled: 

Some users may have ad blockers or JavaScript disabled in their browsers, which can prevent tracking scripts from firing. As a result, Google Ads may count a click, but Google Analytics may not record a corresponding session or user acquisition.

This, by far, is the most common our testing has shown. In this case, the user acquisition may show a source of “direct.” So our post on {insert source post title and link}, to learn more about sources.

3. Redirects and Load Times: 

If there are redirects or slow page load times on your website, users may abandon the page before Google Analytics tracking scripts fully execute. This can lead to discrepancies between the number of paid clicks and recorded user acquisitions.

A huge part of our management of ads and SEO is to ensure that our clients deliver amazing, high-quality experiences for users. Heat map tools, health checks, performance checks, and security checks are all par for the course. Please don’t underestimate the impact the quality of your site has on your rankings for ads as well as organic results.

4. Click Fraud and Invalid Traffic: 

Google Ads has measures in place to detect and filter out invalid clicks or fraudulent activity. These measures aim to ensure that advertisers are not charged for clicks generated by bots, click farms, or other malicious activities. As a result, Google Ads may filter out certain clicks that are deemed invalid, while Google Analytics may still record sessions from those clicks.

A great practice is to study the data you are seeing in your Google Ads reports, Google Analytics, Search Console and any other tools that help you study traffic. Look for anomalies, such as locations that seem higher than others or completely out of your scope.

You may also want to consider fraud prevention tools such as Click Cease. Please read more about fraud defence in our post: Mastering Click Fraud Defense: Safeguarding Your Google Ads Budget 

5. Time Discrepancies: 

GA4 and Google Ads may have different time zones or processing delays, which can result in variations in the reported numbers. It’s important to ensure that you’re comparing data for the same time period when analyzing the metrics.

When ad blockers are enabled, how does google analytics record the acquisition source?

We’ve raised this in other posts, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it again. When ad blockers are enabled, Google Analytics may face limitations in accurately recording the acquisition source of website visitors. Ad blockers typically block the execution of tracking scripts, including the Google Analytics tracking code, which is responsible for collecting data about user behaviour on a website.

As a result, when a user with an ad blocker visits your website, the Google Analytics tracking code may not be able to execute and gather information about the acquisition source. In such cases, Google Analytics may not be able to attribute the visit to a specific traffic source (such as a paid click from Google Ads) because it doesn’t receive the necessary data to do so.

Instead, Google Analytics may categorize such visits as “direct” traffic. Direct traffic refers to visits where the source of the visit is unknown or the information is missing. This can happen when there is no referrer information available, as is the case when ad blockers block the tracking scripts.

It’s important to note that not all ad blockers block Google Analytics tracking code by default. However, some users may have specific settings or ad blockers that do prevent the execution of tracking scripts, leading to potential data loss or incomplete attribution of acquisition sources in Google Analytics.

When ad blockers are enabled, how does google analytics record the acquisition source?

We’ve raised this in other posts, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it again.  When ad blockers are enabled, Google Analytics may face limitations in accurately recording the acquisition source of website visitors. Ad blockers typically block the execution of tracking scripts, including the Google Analytics tracking code, which is responsible for collecting data about user behaviour on a website.

As a result, when a user with an ad blocker visits your website, the Google Analytics tracking code may not be able to execute and gather information about the acquisition source. In such cases, Google Analytics may not be able to attribute the visit to a specific traffic source (such as a paid click from Google Ads) because it doesn’t receive the necessary data to do so.

Instead, Google Analytics may categorize such visits as “direct” traffic. Direct traffic refers to visits where the source of the visit is unknown or the information is missing. This can happen when there is no referrer information available, as is the case when ad blockers block the tracking scripts.

It’s important to note that not all ad blockers block Google Analytics tracking code by default. However, some users may have specific settings or ad blockers that do prevent the execution of tracking scripts, leading to potential data loss or incomplete attribution of acquisition sources in Google Analytics.

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