Common GA4 Mistakes and How to Fix Them (A Practical Guide for Small Businesses)
Mistake #1: Installing GA4 Incorrectly (Or Twice)
One of the most common issues is having GA4 installed in multiple places. For example, once in Google Tag Manager and again directly in the website code. This causes duplicate events, inflated numbers, and inaccurate reporting. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the right way to do it, refer to our guide on How to Set Up GA4 Properly.
How to fix it:
- Check your website source code for GA4 Measurement IDs
- Ensure GA4 is installed only through Google Tag Manager
- Remove any duplicate tags or hard-coded scripts
- Use GTM Preview Mode to confirm only one GA4 tag fires
A clean installation is the foundation of accurate analytics.
Mistake #2: Not Marketing Key Events as Conversions
GA4 tracks events, but it doesn't automatically know which ones matter to your business. Many companies forget to mark their most important actions as conversions, such as phone clicks or form submissions.
How to fix it:
- Go to Admin and head to Events
- Find your key events
- Toggle Mark as Conversion
This ensures GA4 treats these actions as real business outcomes.
Mistake #3: Relying Only on Enhanced Measurement
Enhanced Measurement is helpful, but it doesn't track everything. This is especially true for form submissions, phone calls, or custom buttons. To take full control over these custom interactions, we recommend using a Google Tag Manager Setup for Beginners.
How to fix it:
- Use Google Tag Manager to track form submissions
- Create custom events for phone clicks and CTA buttons
- Test everything in DebugView
Enhanced Measurement is a starting point, not a complete solution.
Mistake #4: Not Tracking Phone Number Clicks
For many Edmonton businesses, such as contractors, realtors, dentists, and home services, phone calls convert better than forms. Yet most websites don't track them.
How to fix it:
- Create a GTM trigger for "tel:" link clicks
- Send the event to GA4
- Mark it as a conversion
This gives you a more accurate picture of your lead volume.
Mistake #5: Missing or Broken Form Tracking
Forms are the backbone of lead generation, but GA4 doesn't automatically track successful submissions. Mastering How to Track Form Submissions in GA4 is essential to ensure you aren't missing out on valuable lead data.
How to fix it:
- Use GTM's Form Submission trigger
- Track AJAX forms with custom triggers
- Use thank-you page tracking if available
- Test every form in DebugView
If your form tracking is broken, your conversion data becomes meaningless.
Mistake #6: Not Connecting GA4 to Google Ads
Without linking GA4 to Google Ads, you lose valuable insights, and your campaigns can't optimize properly.
How to fix it:
- Go to Admin, select Product Links, and go to Google Ads
- Link your accounts
- Import GA4 conversions into Google Ads
- Enable auto-tagging
This improves bidding accuracy and lowers cost-per-lead.
Mistake #7: Ignoring Attribution Settings
GA4 uses data-driven attribution by default, but many businesses don't understand how it works...or worse, they compare GA4 conversions to last-click numbers in Google Ads.
How to fix it:
- Review attribution settings in GA4
- Compare models to understand channel influence
- Use DDA for the most accurate insights
This helps you understand the true value of each marketing channel.
Mistake #8: Not Using DebugView to Test Tracking
DebugView is one of GA4's most useful features, yet many businesses never use it.
How to fix it:
- Open DebugView while testing your site
- Trigger events manually
- Confirm they fire correctly
- Check for duplicates or missing parameters
Testing prevents months of inaccurate data.
Mistake #9: No Dashboard or Reporting System
GA4's interface can be overwhelming. Without a dashboard, it's hard to see what matters. To visualize your data more effectively, see our tutorial on How to Build Dashboards in Looker Studio.
How to fix it:
- Build a Looker Studio dashboard
- Include traffic, conversions, lead sources, and device data
- Add Google Ads and Search Console if applicable
Dashboards turn raw data into actionable facts.
Final Thoughts
GA4 is incredibly powerful, but only when set up correctly. By fixing these common mistakes, you'll get cleaner data, better insights, and more accurate reporting. For a deeper dive into the "why" behind these settings, check out The Ultimate Guide to GA4 and Web Analytics for Small Businesses.
Fixing all of these common mistakes helps you make smarter marketing decisions. For Edmonton businesses competing in crowded markets, a reliable analytics setup can dramatically improve your Google Ads performance, SEO strategy, and overall lead generation.
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