Tracking & cookie guides,
in plain English
Everything we wish more businesses knew about GA4, Google Tag Manager, server-side tracking, consent and attribution, written without the jargon. 229 guides, organised by topic.
Tracking basics
21Start here. What the core tools and terms actually mean, in plain English.
What is a conversion?
A conversion is simply any action on your site that you have decided counts as a success.
Read guide
What is a data layer?
A data layer is a structured bundle of information about the page and the user that your tags can read from, in one consistent place, rather than each tag trying to scrape it off the page.
Read guide
What is a tracking pixel?
A tracking pixel is a tiny piece of code, historically a 1x1 invisible image, that loads when someone visits a page or takes an action, telling a platform like Google or Meta that it happened.
Read guide
What is a UTM?
A UTM is a small piece of text you add to the end of a link so your analytics can tell exactly where a click came from.
Read guide
What is conversion tracking?
Conversion tracking is the system that tells your ad platforms which clicks actually led to something valuable, a sale, a lead, a booking, so they can optimise toward the right outcome.
Read guide
What is event tracking?
Event tracking is measuring specific actions people take on your site, a click, a form submit, a video play, rather than just which pages they viewed.
Read guide
What is GA4?
GA4, or Google Analytics 4, is Google's current free analytics tool.
Read guide
What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is Google's free website analytics tool.
Read guide
What is Google Tag Manager (GTM) and how does it work?
Google Tag Manager explained in plain English: what tags, triggers, variables and the dataLayer are, why GTM exists, and the mistakes that quietly break tracking.
Read guide
What is retargeting?
Retargeting, also called remarketing, is advertising to people who have already visited your website or app.
Read guide
What is server-side tracking, and do you actually need it?
Server-side tracking in plain English: what it is, how it differs from browser tracking, what it fixes (iOS, ad-blockers, consent) and an honest view of when it’s worth it.
Read guide
What is the Meta (Facebook) Pixel?
The Meta pixel is Facebook and Instagram's tracking tag.
Read guide
What is a GCLID?
A GCLID is the click ID Google Ads adds to your links so conversions can be matched back to the ad. Here is what it is, how auto-tagging sets it, and what breaks it.
Read guide
What is marketing attribution?
Marketing attribution decides which channels get credit for a sale. Here is what attribution means, the main models, and why no single model is the 'true' answer.
Read guide
What is an attribution (lookback) window?
An attribution window is how far back a platform looks to credit an ad for a conversion. Here is what it means, why 1-day and 7-day windows give different numbers, and how to set it.
Read guide
What is a view-through conversion?
A view-through conversion credits an ad someone saw but didn't click. Here is what it means, why it inflates platform numbers, and how to treat it in reporting.
Read guide
What is first-party data (and why it matters now)?
First-party data is information you collect directly from your own audience. Here is what it is, how it differs from third-party data, and why it is the future of tracking.
Read guide
What is the Google tag (gtag.js)?
The Google tag is the single snippet that connects your site to GA4 and Google Ads. Here is what gtag.js does, how it differs from GTM, and which you should use.
Read guide
What is engagement rate in GA4 (and where bounce rate went)?
GA4 leads with engagement rate instead of bounce rate, and the two are mirror images. Here is what engagement rate measures and how to read it without being misled.
Read guide
What is cross-domain tracking?
Cross-domain tracking keeps one visitor as one journey when they move between two of your domains. Here is what it is, when you need it, and how it differs from subdomains.
Read guide
What is conversion rate, and how is it measured?
Conversion rate sounds simple but GA4 can measure it several ways. Here is what conversion rate means, the difference between session and user rates, and how tracking skews it.
Read guideGA4 & attribution
55Where your traffic really comes from, and the weird GA4 rows that hide it: (not set), Unassigned, (other), self-referrals and more.
"Data may be withheld": GA4 thresholding, explained
You open a GA4 report, see an orange icon and a row that should have numbers sitting blank.
Read guide
"Unassigned" traffic in GA4, and how to get rid of it
Unassigned is GA4 admitting defeat: it collected the sessions but could not match them to any channel in its rules.
Read guide
Auto-tagging vs UTMs, and GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID explained
What Google’s auto-tagging does, how it differs from manual UTM tags, and what GCLID, GBRAID and WBRAID are for. How to use them together without breaking your attribution.
Read guide
Cross-domain tracking in GA4 and GTM, set up properly
If your users move between domains (site to checkout, booking or payment), GA4 can restart the session and lose the source. Here’s how cross-domain tracking works and how to set it up.
Read guide
GA4 attribution explained (and what changed from Universal Analytics)
A plain-English guide to how GA4 decides which channel gets credit for a conversion, the attribution models available, and what changed when Universal Analytics went away.
Read guide
Google Ads and GA4 report different conversions. Who is right?
Same website, same sales, two Google products, two different numbers.
Read guide
Key events vs conversions in GA4 (the rename that confused everyone)
In 2024 Google renamed GA4 "conversions" to "key events", and reserved the word "conversions" for the ads side.
Read guide
Referral exclusions and self-referrals in GA4, explained
Self-referrals and rogue referral sources quietly steal credit from your real marketing channels in GA4. Here’s what they are and how to fix them with referral exclusions.
Read guide
The "(other)" row in GA4, and why it hides your best data
When a report shows a big <b>(other)</b> row, GA4 is not broken: it hit a limit on how many unique values it will keep and bundled the rest together.
Read guide
Why GA4 is full of "(not set)" (and what each one means)
"(not set)" is GA4's way of saying "I was asked for a value and didn't have one".
Read guide
Why GA4 landing pages show "(not set)"
The landing page is derived from the first page_view of a session.
Read guide
Why GA4 shows traffic from countries you don't sell to
A wave of sessions from countries you have never shipped to usually is not new demand.
Read guide
Why GA4 users, sessions and conversions never add up
People open GA4, see users, sessions and conversions that refuse to reconcile, and conclude it is broken.
Read guide
Why is direct traffic so high in GA4?
A big 'Direct' channel in GA4 usually means lost source data, not people typing your URL. Here's what really causes it and how to win that attribution back.
Read guide
Why is my GA4 traffic so low?
If GA4 is showing far fewer visitors than you expect, here are the common reasons, from cookie banners and missing tags to filters and the wrong data stream, and how to check each.
Read guide
Why your first-click and last-click numbers differ so much
Switch your attribution model and your best channel can change overnight.
Read guide
Why your GA4 conversion rate looks impossibly high
If your conversion rate suddenly reads 20%, 40% or more, do not celebrate yet.
Read guide
Why your GA4 conversions arrive late or delayed
You make a sale and it is not in GA4 yet.
Read guide
Why your paid traffic shows as organic in GA4
Paid clicks counted as organic or direct? Why it happens and how to fix it.
Read guide
Why your three analytics tools all report different revenue
GA4 says one number, Google Ads another, Meta a third, and your shop a fourth.
Read guide
Your GA4 funnel says everyone skips a step
You build a funnel exploration, and one step shows a cliff: 90% of people apparently vanish between add-to-cart and checkout, or skip a step entirely.
Read guide
Your own domain showing as a referral in GA4
If datahound.agency shows up as a referral source to datahound.agency, something is handing GA4 a fresh session mid-journey.
Read guide
How to track outbound link clicks in GA4
GA4 can track clicks on links that leave your site, automatically or with a custom event. Here is how outbound click tracking works, how to switch it on, and how to report on it.
Read guide
How to track PDF and file downloads in GA4
GA4 can track downloads of PDFs, spreadsheets and other files. Here is how the automatic file_download event works, its limits, and how to track downloads it misses.
Read guide
How to track scroll depth in GA4 with GTM
GA4 tracks a 90% scroll automatically, but real scroll-depth tracking needs GTM. Here is how to track 25, 50, 75 and 100% scroll and use it without fooling yourself.
Read guide
How to track phone-number (tel:) clicks as conversions in GA4
For service businesses, a tap on a phone number is a lead. Here is how to track tel: link clicks in GA4 with GTM and count them as conversions, plus the limits to know.
Read guide
How to track mailto: email clicks in GA4
Clicks on email links are a quick contact-intent signal. Here is how to track mailto: clicks in GA4 using Google Tag Manager, and when to treat them as conversions.
Read guide
How to track a Calendly or booking-widget booking as a conversion
Embedded booking tools like Calendly sit in an iframe, so GA4 cannot see the booking by default. Here is how to capture the booking event and count it as a conversion.
Read guide
How to track YouTube embed video plays in GA4
GA4 can track plays, progress and completion of embedded YouTube videos, if you set it up right. Here is how the automatic video events work and the one setting people miss.
Read guide
How to set a conversion value for leads in GA4
Giving your leads a value lets Google and Meta bid for revenue, not just form fills. Here is how to attach a value to lead conversions in GA4 and why it changes your results.
Read guide
How to track a multi-step form in GA4 without a thank-you page
Multi-step and single-page forms often never load a thank-you URL, so GA4 misses the submission. Here is how to track each step and the completion with events instead.
Read guide
How to exclude your own visits from GA4 (internal traffic filter)
Your own visits, and your developer's, quietly inflate GA4. Here is how to exclude internal traffic by IP and by a developer flag, and how to confirm the filter is working.
Read guide
GA4 channel groupings explained: default vs custom
GA4 sorts traffic into channels using rules you can change. Here is how default channel groupings work, when to build a custom one, and why bad UTMs break them.
Read guide
GA4 data retention: why your old data vanished
GA4 deletes user-level data after 2 or 14 months by default, which is why old explorations go empty. Here is what retention controls, what it does not, and what to set it to.
Read guide
How to tag email and SMS links with UTMs (so they stop showing as direct)
Untagged email and SMS links collapse into Direct traffic in GA4. Here is how to UTM-tag them correctly, the medium values GA4 expects, and the mistakes that misfile them.
Read guide
How to track across subdomains in GA4 (blog.yoursite.com)
Moving between your main site and a subdomain can break sessions and inflate referrals in GA4. Here is how cross-subdomain tracking works and how to set it up cleanly.
Read guide
How to set up GA4 for a single-page app (React, Vue, Next.js)
Single-page apps do not reload between views, so GA4 only sees the first page. Here is how to track virtual page views and events in a React, Vue or Next.js app properly.
Read guide
Why your GA4 BigQuery numbers don't match the GA4 reports
Export GA4 to BigQuery and the totals rarely match the GA4 UI. Here is why: sampling, modelling, thresholding, attribution and timezones. And which number to trust.
Read guide
Why GA4 sessions don't match your Google Ads clicks
Google Ads reports more clicks than GA4 reports sessions, and that is expected. Here is why the gap exists, when it is too big, and how to narrow it.
Read guide
Why GA4 and Search Console clicks don't match
GA4 organic sessions and Search Console clicks measure different things, so they never tie out. Here is what each one counts and which to trust for SEO.
Read guide
Payment gateway showing as a referral in GA4 (Stripe, PayPal, Klarna)
When checkout redirects to Stripe, PayPal or Klarna and back, GA4 can credit the sale to the payment provider. Here is why, and how to fix the referral with an exclusion.
Read guide
How to set up GA4 on Shopify properly
Shopify and GA4 can be connected several ways, and the easy one often misses checkout and purchase data. Here is how to set up GA4 on Shopify so ecommerce actually tracks.
Read guide
How to set up GA4 on Webflow
Webflow has no native GA4 integration, so you add it by hand or via GTM. Here is the clean way to set up GA4 on Webflow, including form and interaction tracking.
Read guide
GA4 property vs data stream: what's the difference?
GA4's structure confuses people: account, property, data stream. Here is what each level is, how they nest, and the mistakes that split or merge your data by accident.
Read guide
How to add a second website to GA4
Adding another site to GA4 can mean a new data stream or a new property, and the choice shapes your reports. Here is how to decide and how to set it up cleanly.
Read guide
How to connect GA4 to Looker Studio
Looker Studio turns GA4 into shareable dashboards. Here is how to connect GA4 as a data source, the settings that matter, and why your numbers may differ from the GA4 UI.
Read guide
How to create a custom dimension in GA4
Custom dimensions let you report on your own event parameters, like plan type or author. Here is how to register one in GA4, the limits, and why yours may show (not set).
Read guide
How to build a funnel report in GA4
GA4's funnel exploration shows exactly where people drop off between steps. Here is how to build one, how to read it, and the setup that makes funnels trustworthy.
Read guide
Engaged sessions vs sessions in GA4, explained
GA4 replaced bounce rate with engagement, and 'engaged sessions' confuses everyone. Here is what counts as an engaged session, how it differs from a session, and why it matters.
Read guide
"Last non-direct click" in GA4, explained
GA4's default attribution ignores direct traffic when assigning credit, which surprises people. Here is what last non-direct click means and how it shapes your reports.
Read guide
How to build a GA4 audience for Google Ads
GA4 audiences can feed Google Ads for remarketing and targeting. Here is how to build one, link it to Ads, and the consent and size rules that decide if it works.
Read guide
Why your UTM campaign isn't showing in GA4
You tagged a link with UTMs but the campaign never appears in GA4. Here is why, from wrong parameters to timing and channel rules, and how to get it reporting.
Read guide
How to stop your staging or test site polluting GA4
If your staging site shares the GA4 tag, test traffic and fake conversions leak into your real reports. Here is how to keep staging data out of GA4 for good.
Read guide
What is Google Signals in GA4?
Google Signals adds cross-device and demographic data to GA4 using signed-in Google users. Here is what it does, the privacy trade-offs, and why it can cause data thresholding.
Read guide
What is Enhanced Measurement in GA4?
Enhanced Measurement makes GA4 track scrolls, outbound clicks, downloads, searches and video automatically. Here is what it captures, its limits, and when to turn parts off.
Read guideFixing broken tracking
31When conversions vanish, tags stop firing, or the numbers stop making sense.
Conversions dropped suddenly? How to find the cause fast
A sudden drop in tracked conversions is usually a tracking break, not a demand collapse. Here's how to diagnose it fast and the most common causes by date.
Read guide
Fake traffic in GA4: bots, spam and self-inflicted noise
A spike that makes no sense, a referral from a site you have never heard of, hundreds of zero-second sessions.
Read guide
GA4 DebugView shows nothing (even though the tag is live)
DebugView is the tool for proving an event actually reaches GA4 in real time.
Read guide
GA4 Realtime works but reports are empty the next day
Your visit shows in GA4 Realtime but the standard reports stay empty the next day. Here's why that happens and how to tell a harmless cause from a real problem.
Read guide
GA4 shows no conversions? How to find and fix it
GA4 says zero conversions even though you're making sales? Work through these 8 checks, from consent and key events to tags that never fire, to find exactly where your conversions are disappearing.
Read guide
GTM preview works but not live: why, and how to fix it
Your tag fires perfectly in GTM Preview but nothing happens on the live site. Here are the specific reasons that happens and how to fix each one.
Read guide
How much revenue is your broken tracking hiding?
Broken tracking is not just a reporting annoyance.
Read guide
How to fix duplicate and double-counted conversions in GA4
Double-counted conversions make your ROAS look great and your data useless. Here are the common causes of duplicate conversions in GA4 and how to fix each one.
Read guide
Is your website tracking actually set up right? 10 checks
Most businesses assume their tracking works because it shows no errors. Here are 10 quick checks you can run yourself to tell whether GA4 and your ad pixels are really counting your sales, leads and calls.
Read guide
Meta pixel not firing? How to diagnose and fix it
A Meta (Facebook) pixel that isn't firing means lost ad data and worse optimisation. Here's how to diagnose it step by step and the common fixes.
Read guide
Tag not firing in GTM? A step-by-step diagnosis
A GTM tag that won't fire comes down to a short checklist: triggers, exceptions, consent, the dataLayer and publishing. Here's how to work through it in order.
Read guide
What your agency isn't telling you about your tracking
Most agencies are honest and competent.
Read guide
Why publishing in GTM broke your tracking
It all worked in Preview, you hit Publish, and now live tracking is down.
Read guide
Why you have duplicate GA4 tags firing
If your pageviews doubled overnight and engagement collapsed, you probably have GA4 installed twice.
Read guide
Why your conversion fires on every page instead of once
If your conversion count is wildly higher than your real orders or leads, the usual cause is simple: the tag is firing on every pageview, not just on the success page.
Read guide
Why your event fires but doesn't count as a conversion
You can see the event arriving in GA4, but the conversions, now called key events, report shows nothing.
Read guide
Why your form submissions aren't tracking as conversions
The enquiries are landing in your inbox, but GA4 and your ad platforms show zero form conversions.
Read guide
Why your phone-call conversions aren't being recorded
If the phone is how customers reach you, and those calls are not tracked, a huge share of your real conversions are invisible, and your ads are optimising only toward the ones that happen to fill in a form.
Read guide
Why your tag is blocked in some browsers but not others
It tracks fine in Chrome, then you test in Safari or Firefox and nothing fires.
Read guide
Why your thank-you page isn't firing a conversion
The thank-you or order-confirmation page is where most sites count the conversion.
Read guide
Why your analytics broke after a website redesign
A redesign or replatform is the most common way tracking silently breaks. Here is what gets lost in a rebuild, how to spot it fast, and the checklist to fix it.
Read guide
Why your tracking broke after moving to a new domain
Changing domain can reset your analytics, strip attribution and trigger self-referrals. Here is what a domain move does to tracking and how to migrate it cleanly.
Read guide
Why your tracking works on desktop but not mobile
Conversions show on desktop but mobile looks dead? The gap is usually consent, script timing or in-app browsers. Here is how to find why mobile tracking fails.
Read guide
Why ad blockers ruin your analytics (and what to do)
Ad blockers stop GA4 and pixels from loading for a big slice of visitors, so your data undercounts. Here is how much they cost you and the only real fix.
Read guide
Why your GTM container isn't loading at all
If Google Tag Manager itself is not loading, none of your tags fire. Here is how to tell the container is the problem, the usual causes, and how to get it back.
Read guide
Why your conversions suddenly doubled overnight
A conversion count that jumped overnight is almost never a sales miracle. Here is what causes conversions to double, how to confirm it, and how to stop the double-counting.
Read guide
Why in-app browsers (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) break your tracking
Taps from social apps open an in-app browser that restricts cookies and scripts, so conversions go missing. Here is what happens and how to recover the data.
Read guide
Why your bounce rate suddenly hit 0% (or 100%)
A bounce rate stuck at 0% or 100% is a tracking bug, not visitor behaviour. Here is what a duplicate tag or broken event does to the number and how to fix it.
Read guide
GA4 shows zero users today but had data yesterday
Data yesterday, nothing today usually means your tag stopped firing overnight. Here is how to tell a real outage from reporting lag, and how to get tracking back fast.
Read guide
Why Google Tag Assistant shows errors (and which ones matter)
Tag Assistant flags warnings that range from harmless to serious. Here is how to read the errors, which ones actually break your tracking, and which you can ignore.
Read guide
Why your tracking broke after a developer or theme change
A developer edit or theme switch can quietly strip your tags and data layer. Here is how a routine change breaks tracking, how to catch it, and how to prevent it next time.
Read guidePlatform mismatches
12Why GA4 never quite matches Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, WooCommerce or Meta.
GA4 and Squarespace numbers don't match: what's going on
Squarespace's built-in analytics and GA4 rarely agree. Here's why they differ, which to trust for what, and how to get GA4 tracking Squarespace sales properly.
Read guide
GA4 and Wix numbers don't match: why and how to fix it
Wix and GA4 often disagree on traffic and sales. Here's why, the Wix-specific setup gotchas, and how to get GA4 and your Wix store telling the same story.
Read guide
GA4 and WooCommerce sales don't match: why and how to fix it
If GA4 revenue doesn't match your WooCommerce orders, here are the usual causes (purchase event, duplicates, consent, missing transaction_id) and how to fix each.
Read guide
Why GA4 and your store’s sales numbers don’t match
GA4 rarely matches Shopify or Stripe exactly, but a big gap means a tracking fault. Here’s what causes the mismatch, how close they should be, and how to fix it.
Read guide
Why your Meta Ads numbers never match GA4 or Shopify
Meta Ads Manager, GA4 and Shopify almost never agree on how many sales your ads drove. Here are the real reasons, from iOS tracking loss and attribution windows to missing CAPI, and how to close the gap.
Read guide
GA4 and HubSpot numbers don't match: why, and how to reconcile
GA4 and HubSpot count sessions, contacts and sources differently, so they rarely agree. Here is why the gap exists, which tool to trust for what, and how to reconcile them.
Read guide
GA4 and Klaviyo revenue don't match: why and how to fix it
Klaviyo reports more email revenue than GA4 attributes to email, often by a lot. Here is why attribution windows and tracking methods differ, and how to reconcile the two.
Read guide
GA4 and Stripe revenue don't match: why and how to fix it
Stripe is your source of truth for money, but GA4 revenue rarely matches it. Here is why, from off-site checkouts to refunds and consent, and how to close the gap.
Read guide
GA4 and Shopify's own analytics don't match: why
Shopify's dashboard and GA4 count sessions and sales differently, so they rarely agree. Here is why the gap exists, which to trust, and how to reconcile them.
Read guide
Why Looker Studio shows different numbers than GA4
Your Looker Studio report and the GA4 interface disagree, even though Looker pulls from GA4. Here is why, from sampling to date ranges to thresholding, and how to fix it.
Read guide
Why Meta reports more conversions than Google Ads
Meta and Google Ads both claim conversions on different rules, so their totals rarely agree and can overlap. Here is why Meta tends to claim more and how to read it.
Read guide
Why your ROAS looks different on every platform
Google, Meta and GA4 each report a different ROAS for the same spend. Here is why attribution, windows and revenue sources pull them apart, and which number to act on.
Read guideEcommerce tracking
13Getting every sale, item, refund and funnel step counted, and why most stores quietly miss revenue.
GA4 ecommerce purchase tracking, set up properly
GA4 ecommerce tracking only works if the dataLayer sends the right events and item data. Here’s what a correct setup looks like and the mistakes that ruin ecommerce reports.
Read guide
GA4 revenue doesn't match your Shopify payouts
You compare GA4's revenue to what actually hit your bank, and they are miles apart.
Read guide
Refunds are inflating your GA4 revenue (and your ROAS)
Here is a quiet one that flatters every report you own: unless you actively tell GA4 about refunds, it keeps the full original revenue on the books.
Read guide
Shopify killed checkout.liquid: what it breaks in your tracking
Shopify is retiring the old customisable checkout, checkout.liquid and the "Additional scripts" box, in favour of checkout extensibility.
Read guide
Shopify sales not showing in GA4 (the checkout gap)
Orders are landing in Shopify, but GA4's purchase count is a fraction of them, or zero.
Read guide
The ecommerce funnel every store should track
Ask most store owners what they track and they say "sales".
Read guide
Why your abandoned carts aren't being tracked
Abandoned carts are one of the most recoverable sources of revenue a store has, but only if you can see them.
Read guide
Why your GA4 product (item) data is missing
You can see sales in GA4, but the ecommerce reports have no product names, no categories, no quantities, just totals.
Read guide
Why your GA4 purchase event has no value or transaction ID
GA4 shows purchases, but with zero revenue, or your orders collapse into one.
Read guide
Why your subscription renewals don't show in tracking
For a subscription business, the first order is the smallest part of the value.
Read guide
How to track coupon and discount-code usage in GA4
GA4's ecommerce events can capture which coupon was used on an order. Here is how to send coupon data, report on code performance, and spot discounts eating your margin.
Read guide
Why Safari's 7-day cookie cap (ITP) is erasing your returning visitors
Safari's Intelligent Tracking Prevention caps many cookies at 7 days or less, so returning customers look brand new. Here is what ITP does and how to work around it.
Read guide
How to track new vs returning customers in GA4 ecommerce
Telling new buyers from repeat buyers is vital for ecommerce, but browser limits make GA4's default unreliable. Here is how new vs returning works and how to measure it properly.
Read guideConversions & ad platforms
27Getting clean conversions into Google Ads and Meta, including server-side.
Enhanced conversions for Google Ads, explained
Enhanced conversions recover conversions that cookies miss by matching hashed first-party data. Here’s what they are, how they work, and how to set them up safely.
Read guide
How iOS privacy quietly broke half your ad tracking
If your ad results fell off a cliff and never fully recovered, and nobody changed anything, this is probably why.
Read guide
Meta Conversions API (CAPI) explained
The Meta Conversions API sends conversions server-to-server to recover what the browser pixel misses. Here’s what it is, why deduplication matters, and how to set it up right.
Read guide
Modelled conversions explained (Consent Mode)
Modelled conversions are Google's estimate of the sales you can't measure directly because of consent or privacy limits. Here is how modelling works and how far to trust it.
Read guide
Offline conversion imports: connecting your CRM to Google and Meta
For lead-gen and considered purchases, the real conversion happens in your CRM, not on the website. Offline conversion imports feed that back to Google and Meta. Here’s how.
Read guide
Server-side GTM vs client-side GTM: what’s the difference?
Client-side and server-side GTM containers do different jobs. Here’s how each one works, how they fit together, and what a server-side container actually needs to run.
Read guide
Why you get duplicate events between your pixel and CAPI
You added the Conversions API to recover lost conversions, and now Meta shows roughly double the events.
Read guide
Why your enhanced conversions aren't working
Enhanced conversions are one of the best ways to claw back conversions that iOS, consent and cookie limits take away, but they fail quietly.
Read guide
Why your Facebook pixel is undercounting conversions
If Meta reports fewer sales than you know you made, you are not imagining it.
Read guide
Why your Google Ads conversions are "unverified" or not recording
Google Ads shows your conversion action as "unverified", "inactive" or "no recent conversions", even though sales are happening.
Read guide
Why your pixel fires but Events Manager shows nothing
The Meta Pixel Helper lights up green, so the pixel is clearly firing, yet Events Manager shows no events arriving.
Read guide
TikTok Pixel not firing? How to diagnose and fix it
Your TikTok Pixel is installed but events are not showing in Events Manager. Here is how to diagnose why the pixel is not firing, and the fixes that actually work.
Read guide
TikTok Events API (server-side) explained
The TikTok Events API sends conversions server-to-server so blocked browsers and iOS still report. Here is what it is, why you need it alongside the pixel, and how deduplication works.
Read guide
LinkedIn Insight Tag not recording conversions
The LinkedIn Insight Tag loads but conversions are not showing in Campaign Manager. Here is why, how LinkedIn conversion tracking really works, and how to fix it.
Read guide
Microsoft (Bing) UET tag not tracking conversions
Your Microsoft Advertising UET tag is live but conversion goals stay empty. Here is how the UET tag and conversion goals work, and how to fix tracking that is not recording.
Read guide
Pinterest Tag not firing or undercounting conversions
Your Pinterest Tag is installed but conversions are missing or too low. Here is how to diagnose a Pinterest Tag that is not firing, and how the Conversions API fills the gap.
Read guide
Snapchat Pixel setup, and the errors that break it
Setting up the Snapchat Pixel the right way, plus the common errors that stop it recording purchases. Includes when to add the Conversions API for reliable tracking.
Read guide
How to connect GA4 to Google Ads for conversion import
Importing GA4 key events into Google Ads lets you bid on real conversions. Here is how to link the accounts, import the right conversions, and avoid double counting.
Read guide
Google Ads conversion tracking through GTM, set up properly
How to set up Google Ads conversion tracking in Google Tag Manager the right way, with the conversion linker, dynamic values and no duplicate conversions.
Read guide
How to track a conversion on a third-party checkout or booking page
When the sale completes on a different domain, the conversion lands off-site and goes uncounted. Here is how to track conversions that finish on a third-party page.
Read guide
Why your Google Ads conversions are limited by consent
Google Ads can under-report conversions in the EU when Consent Mode is missing or misconfigured. Here is what triggers it and how to recover the conversions with modelling.
Read guide
Primary vs secondary conversions in Google Ads
Google Ads splits conversions into primary (used for bidding) and secondary (reporting only). Here is what each does and why misusing them wrecks your campaigns.
Read guide
What is a conversion action in Google Ads?
A conversion action is a single goal you tell Google Ads to track, like a purchase or a lead. Here is what it is, how it is counted, and the settings that change your numbers.
Read guide
Why your Performance Max conversions look inflated
Performance Max often reports more conversions than feel real, thanks to brand traffic, view-through and overlap. Here is why PMax looks inflated and how to see its true value.
Read guide
How to exclude existing customers from retargeting
Showing ads to people who already bought wastes budget and annoys customers. Here is how to build an exclusion audience and keep your retargeting pointed at the right people.
Read guide
How to deduplicate conversions across platforms
When one sale is counted by GA4, Google Ads and Meta at once, your totals balloon. Here is how conversion deduplication works and how to stop multi-platform double counting.
Read guide
How to set up the Google Ads remarketing tag
The Google Ads remarketing tag builds audiences of your visitors so you can advertise to them again. Here is how to set it up, build audiences, and the consent rules that gate it.
Read guideConsent, cookies & privacy
70Cookies, consent and the law, and how to stay compliant without losing your data.
Are cookie banners legally required? UK and EU rules
Whether you legally need a cookie banner depends on the cookies you set and where your visitors are. A plain-English summary of the UK and EU rules, without the legalese.
Read guide
Are cookies safe?
Mostly, yes.
Read guide
Are third-party cookies going away? Where it stands
The third-party cookie story has been full of U-turns. Here is where it actually stands, why it barely matters for your plans, and what to do about it now.
Read guide
Can one consent setup cover GDPR, PECR and CCPA at once?
If you sell across the UK, EU and US, you are under three different regimes with genuinely different rules.
Read guide
Can you be fined for your cookie setup?
Yes, in principle, cookie and consent breaches can carry fines, and some have been large.
Read guide
Can you track before consent if you anonymise it?
It is a tempting loophole: if you strip out anything identifying, surely you can measure people before they consent? Sometimes, within limits, but the line is finer than most assume, and getting it wrong is still a breach.
Read guide
Can you track users who reject cookies?
When visitors reject cookies you cannot track them individually, but you are not left blind. Here is what you can still measure legally, and how modelling fills the gap.
Read guide
Consent Mode vs a cookie banner: what's the difference?
A cookie banner and Google Consent Mode are two different things that work together. Here is what each does, why you need both, and how they connect.
Read guide
Cookie consent banner examples that actually work
Good and bad cookie banner examples, what separates a compliant, high-consent banner from a dark-pattern one, and a template you can adapt.
Read guide
Cookieless tracking explained
Cookieless tracking is how you keep measuring as third-party cookies disappear. Here is what it really means, the methods involved, and an honest view of what it can and can't do.
Read guide
Do you have to accept cookies? (No, and here is why)
You do not have to accept non-essential cookies. Here is what the law says, what happens when you decline, and when a site can still use cookies without asking.
Read guide
Do you need a cookie banner on your website?
Whether your website legally needs a cookie banner depends on what cookies you set and who visits. Here is a clear rule of thumb and what a compliant banner must do.
Read guide
Do you need Consent Mode to run Google Ads in the EU?
Short answer: effectively yes.
Read guide
First-party vs third-party cookies (simple guide)
First-party and third-party cookies sound similar but do very different jobs. Here is the difference in plain English and why it matters for privacy and tracking.
Read guide
Google Consent Mode v2 explained
Consent Mode v2 in plain English: what the consent signals do, why Google now requires it for EEA/UK ads features, and how to set it up without throwing away measurable data.
Read guide
How cookie consent quietly breaks your tracking
Cookie banners are one of the biggest hidden causes of missing data. Here’s how a badly wired consent setup blocks your tags, and how to stay compliant without going blind.
Read guide
How to clear cookies (and what happens when you do)
A simple guide to clearing cookies in Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge, what it fixes, and what you'll need to log back into afterwards.
Read guide
How to prove you collected valid consent if audited
Under GDPR you do not just have to get consent, you have to be able to demonstrate it.
Read guide
How to track conversions without cookies
A practical, honest guide to tracking conversions as cookies disappear: the four methods that work, in what order to adopt them, and what to expect from each.
Read guide
Is Google Analytics legal under GDPR?
A few years ago several EU regulators ruled specific Google Analytics setups unlawful, and headlines declared GA banned.
Read guide
Is your cookie banner actually compliant?
A cookie banner that looks professional can still be breaking the law, and most do.
Read guide
Is your cookie banner blocking Google Analytics?
A cookie banner is supposed to control your tags, but many block Google Analytics entirely or fail to pass consent. Here is how to tell, and how to fix it.
Read guide
Should you accept cookies? A plain-English guide
A clear, honest answer to whether you should accept cookies on a website: what they actually do, when it is fine to accept, and when it is smarter to decline.
Read guide
What are cookies?
A cookie is just a small text file a website stores in your browser so it can remember something about you between page loads or visits.
Read guide
What does 'accept cookies' actually mean?
'Accept cookies' means giving a site permission to store small files that remember you. Here is what that really involves, what you're agreeing to, and what you're not.
Read guide
What happens if you don't accept cookies?
Declining cookies is allowed and usually harmless. Here is exactly what changes when you don't accept, what still works, and the rare times a site may behave differently.
Read guide
What happens when you accept cookies on a website
Clicking Accept on a cookie banner has specific, limited effects. Here is exactly what happens, what cookies can and cannot do, and what changes for your privacy.
Read guide
What is 'Do Not Track'?
Do Not Track was a browser setting that sent websites a polite signal asking them not to track you.
Read guide
What is a cookie banner?
A cookie banner is the message that appears when you land on a site, asking whether you accept its cookies.
Read guide
What is a cookie policy?
A cookie policy is a page that lists the cookies your website uses, what each one is for, and how long it lasts.
Read guide
What is a session cookie?
A session cookie is a cookie with no expiry date, so your browser deletes it the moment you close it.
Read guide
What is CCPA?
The California Consumer Privacy Act gives people in California rights over the personal data businesses hold about them, including the right to opt out of their data being sold or shared.
Read guide
What is GDPR?
GDPR is the European data-protection law that governs how businesses collect and use people's personal data.
Read guide
What is PECR?
PECR, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, is the UK law that specifically covers cookies, electronic marketing and similar technologies.
Read guide
What is tracking consent?
Tracking consent is the permission a visitor gives for you to use analytics and marketing cookies.
Read guide
What should a cookie consent banner say?
A good cookie banner is short, honest and gives a real choice. Here is what to include, what wording to avoid, and an example that is both compliant and clear.
Read guide
Which of your cookies count as "strictly necessary"?
Strictly necessary cookies are the only ones you can set without consent, so it is tempting to label everything that way.
Read guide
Why Consent Mode isn't working after you set it up
You added Consent Mode, ticked the box in your banner, and assumed it was done.
Read guide
Why Consent Mode v2 stopped your ads tracking
You enabled Consent Mode v2 because Google required it for EU ads, and your Google Ads conversions fell off a cliff.
Read guide
Why does every website ask about cookies now?
Cookie banners appeared everywhere because of privacy laws like GDPR and PECR. Here is the real reason, why it happened when it did, and what the banners are actually for.
Read guide
Why your "reject" button might make your banner illegal
The single most common cookie-banner failure is also the easiest to spot: a big, bright "Accept all" and a reject option that is hidden, greyed out, or two clicks deeper.
Read guide
Why your analytics dropped after adding a cookie banner
Added a cookie banner and watched your GA4 traffic fall off a cliff? Here is exactly why it happens, how much is normal, and how to recover the lost data legally.
Read guide
Why your cookie banner breaks tracking on mobile only
Your numbers look fine on desktop, then you notice mobile conversions are oddly low.
Read guide
Why your visitors' consent choice isn't being remembered
The banner pops up on every visit, sometimes every page, no matter how many times someone clicks accept.
Read guide
Why your cookie banner shows twice (and how to fix it)
Two cookie banners stacked on the same page looks broken and annoys visitors. Here is why a double cookie banner happens and how to track down and remove the duplicate.
Read guide
Is your cookie banner slowing your site down?
Heavy consent tools can add real load time and hurt Core Web Vitals. Here is how a cookie banner slows your site, how to measure it, and how to keep consent without the drag.
Read guide
Cookie banner causing layout shift or flicker? Fix the CLS
A banner that pops in late and pushes your content around hurts Cumulative Layout Shift and looks broken. Here is why it happens and how to stop the flicker.
Read guide
Do I need a cookie banner if I only use Google Analytics?
Running just Google Analytics and no ads? You very likely still need consent. Here is why GA4 counts as non-essential, what the law says, and the practical setup.
Read guide
Do I need a cookie banner if I don't run ads?
Not running ads does not get you out of consent. Here is what actually triggers the need for a cookie banner, and the few genuinely exempt sites.
Read guide
Do embedded YouTube videos need cookie consent?
Embedding a YouTube video can drop tracking cookies before a visitor consents. Here is when that is a problem, how privacy-enhanced mode helps, and how to stay compliant.
Read guide
Do Google Fonts need consent? The GDPR question, explained
A German court fined a site for loading Google Fonts from Google's servers without consent. Here is what that means, whether it applies to you, and the simple fix.
Read guide
Does a contact form need cookie consent?
A plain contact form usually does not need cookie consent, but the data still falls under GDPR, and spam tools or embeds can change the answer. Here is the clear line.
Read guide
Cookies still load after clicking "reject all"? Here's why
If cookies still set after a visitor rejects, your banner is decorative, not functional, and that is a compliance risk. Here is why it happens and how to actually block them.
Read guide
Cookie consent for a Shopify store, explained
Shopify has built-in consent tools, but they need setting up correctly to actually gate your pixels and GA4. Here is how cookie consent works on Shopify and the common gaps.
Read guide
Cookie consent for WordPress, explained
WordPress consent plugins are easy to install and easy to misconfigure. Here is how cookie consent should work on WordPress and the settings that leave tags firing early.
Read guide
Do I need cookie consent for US visitors?
US privacy law is opt-out, not opt-in like the EU, so the cookie rules are different. Here is what you actually need for US visitors, state by state, in plain English.
Read guide
How to increase your cookie consent opt-in rate (legally)
More opt-ins means more data you are allowed to use. Here is how to raise your consent rate with honest banner design, without the dark patterns that break the law.
Read guide
Why your cookie consent rate varies so much by country
Opt-in rates differ wildly between countries, and it is not random. Here is what drives the variation, why it skews your data by region, and what you can do about it.
Read guide
What is a CMP (Consent Management Platform)?
A CMP is the tool that shows your cookie banner, records choices and tells your tags what they're allowed to do. Here is what a CMP does and whether you need one.
Read guide
Consent Mode basic vs advanced, explained
Google Consent Mode has two implementations, basic and advanced, and they behave very differently on a decline. Here is the difference and which one to use.
Read guide
Do heatmap tools (Hotjar, Microsoft Clarity) need consent?
Heatmap and session-recording tools capture behaviour and often personal data, so most need consent. Here is where they sit under GDPR and how to set them up compliantly.
Read guide
Does Google Tag Manager itself need consent?
GTM is a tag loader, not a tracker, so the container usually does not need consent, but the tags inside it do. Here is the distinction that trips people up.
Read guide
How to test that Consent Mode is actually working
A Consent Mode setup can look fine and still be wrong. Here is how to test it properly, with the browser tools and the exact signals to check on accept and reject.
Read guide
Cookie consent for Squarespace, explained
Squarespace has a built-in cookie banner, but it has limits and does not gate every tool you add. Here is how cookie consent works on Squarespace and where it falls short.
Read guide
Cookie consent for Wix, explained
Wix has a cookie consent banner and a consent API, but your custom tracking has to actually use them. Here is how cookie consent works on Wix and the common gaps.
Read guide
How long should cookie consent last before you re-ask?
Ask too often and you annoy visitors; too rarely and consent goes stale. Here is the common guidance on how long consent should last and how to handle re-consent.
Read guide
Is IP anonymisation enough for GDPR? (GA4)
GA4 anonymises IPs by default, and people assume that makes it GDPR-safe. It helps, but it is not the whole story. Here is what IP anonymisation does and does not cover.
Read guide
Are cookie walls and "pay or consent" legal?
A cookie wall forces visitors to accept tracking to see your site. Here is where cookie walls and 'pay or consent' models stand legally, and the safer alternative.
Read guide
What happens to Google Ads remarketing without consent
No consent means no remarketing cookies, so your audiences shrink and your retargeting weakens. Here is exactly what breaks and how to keep remarketing alive compliantly.
Read guide
Do logged-in users still need a cookie banner?
Members, account holders and logged-in users still need consent for non-essential cookies, but the essentials are exempt. Here is how consent works inside a logged-in area.
Read guideNot sure which one applies to you?
Run the free 10-second check and we will point you straight at the problem.
Check my tracking free