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Discrepancy Between Google Ads Clicks and Google Analytics Sessions: Causes, Troubleshooting, and Best Practices

Google Ads and Google Analytics are undoubtedly two of the most popular digital marketing platforms. Marketers rely heavily on Google Analytics to measure campaign performance. However, one common issue that often arises is the discrepancy between the number of clicks recorded in Google Ads and the sessions tracked in Google Analytics. Understanding the root causes of these discrepancies and implementing appropriate solutions can help marketers make better data-driven decisions. This article explores the key reasons for these discrepancies, how to troubleshoot them, and strategies to minimize the gap.



Discrepancy between Google Ads clicks and Google Analytics sessions


Understanding the Metrics


Before diving into the causes of discrepancies, it's important to clarify the difference between the two key metrics:


Clicks (Google Ads): A "click" is recorded every time a user clicks on an ad. This is counted at the ad-serving level and does not necessarily indicate that the user reached your website.


Sessions (Google Analytics): A "session" is recorded when a user interacts with your website. This interaction must include loading the tracking code on your site, which begins a session.


Due to these fundamental differences, discrepancies between clicks and sessions are common.


Track Discrepancy Between Google Ads and Google Analytics Using a Control Chart


A control chart is used in quality control to track and measure a signal as well as how it moves around the average. The control chart also dynamically calculates upper and lower bounds of the interval, within which most data points are. This enables you to know how you are performing versus the average as well as see when a data points moves well beyond the ordinary.


A control chart also helps you tag events to see how the discrepancy changed after you made certain changes in your configuration of Google Ads and Google Analytics.


AdQMS allows you to create a number of control charts and automatically fetches data from both Google Ads and Google Analytics, calculates the discrepancy for you and provides you with easy to use control charts. AdQMS also enables you to create 'events' which are actions you have taken, for example changing a setting in Google Ads. These events are then logged to the chart so you can easily follow up how discrepancy changed after those changes. You can sign up for an account with AdQMS here.




Common Causes of Discrepancies


1. User Behavior After Clicking

  • Dropped Connections: Users may click an ad but fail to reach your website due to slow loading times, server errors, or network issues. Google Ads will count the click, but Google Analytics will not record a session.

  • Immediate Exit: If a user clicks an ad but quickly closes the page before it fully loads (and before the tracking code fires), Google Analytics will not register the visit.


2. Google Analytics Tracking Issues

  • Missing or Incorrect Tracking Code: If the Google Analytics tracking code is not installed properly on your landing pages, sessions will not be recorded. In some cases we've seen, the analytics code loads first after the user has clicked 'Ok' to accept cookies on the website, causing the initial page view to not count since the GA script was not loaded until the second page view (when the user had accepted cookies and scripts to run).

  • JavaScript Blockers or Ad Blockers: Many users use browser extensions or privacy-focused browsers that block Google Analytics scripts, preventing sessions from being tracked.

  • Redirects on Landing Pages: If there are intermediate redirects between the ad click and the final landing page, and tracking parameters are not carried over, this can result in lost session data.


3. Campaign Tracking Settings

  • Auto-Tagging Mismatch: If Google Ads auto-tagging is disabled or the Google Analytics account is not properly linked to Google Ads, session data may not align with click data.

  • Manual Tagging Errors: For campaigns using manual UTM parameters, a typo or inconsistent tagging can prevent sessions from being attributed correctly.

  • Session Timeouts: Google Analytics ends a session after 30 minutes of inactivity by default. If users leave the landing page idle and return later, additional visits may not align with ad clicks.


4. Click Fraud or Invalid Clicks

  • Some clicks may originate from bots, automated scripts, or accidental clicks by users. Google Ads has mechanisms to detect and filter invalid clicks, but discrepancies can still occur.


5. Time Zone Differences

  • Google Ads and Google Analytics use different default time zones, which can cause daily reporting discrepancies. For example, if Google Ads is set to Pacific Time but Google Analytics is set to GMT, the data may appear inconsistent for specific time periods.


6. Sampling in Google Analytics

  • If your website receives a high volume of traffic, Google Analytics may use data sampling in reports. This can result in sessions being under-reported compared to actual click data.


How to Troubleshoot Discrepancies


  1. Verify Tracking Setup

    • Ensure that the Google Analytics tracking code is installed and functioning correctly on all landing pages.

    • Use the Google Tag Assistant or browser developer tools to check for errors in the tracking code.

  2. Enable Auto-Tagging

    • Auto-tagging ensures that Google Ads clicks are properly tagged with gclid parameters, allowing seamless integration with Google Analytics. Verify that auto-tagging is enabled in your Google Ads account.

  3. Check UTM Parameters

    • If using manual tagging, double-check all UTM parameters for accuracy. Consistent tagging is crucial for accurate attribution.

  4. Test Landing Pages

    • Manually test your landing pages to ensure they load correctly and tracking scripts fire without issues.

    • Review any redirects or URL parameters that might interfere with session tracking.

  5. Adjust Session Settings

    • Customize session timeout settings in Google Analytics to align better with user behavior for long visits or inactive sessions.

  6. Analyze Time Zones

    • Verify and align time zones between Google Ads and Google Analytics to ensure reporting periods match.

  7. Monitor Invalid Clicks

    • Regularly review your Google Ads account for reports on invalid clicks. While these clicks won’t result in Analytics sessions, they can inflate click numbers.

  8. Use Debugging Tools

    • Utilize tools like the Google Analytics Debugger and Real-Time reports to identify discrepancies in live traffic data.


Best Practices to Minimize Discrepancies


  • Integrate Google Ads and Google Analytics Accounts: Linking these accounts ensures data flows seamlessly and reduces manual errors.

  • Optimize Landing Page Performance: Ensure your website loads quickly and reliably to capture as many sessions as possible.

  • Regularly Audit Campaigns: Periodically check tracking codes, tagging settings, and campaign configurations to avoid issues.

  • Educate Stakeholders: Help your team understand the inherent differences between clicks and sessions to set realistic expectations.


Summary


There can be many causes of click and session discrepancy. We recommend you start tracking this important quality control point using a control chart. Then take the recommended steps to try to reduce discrepancy.


Please contact us if you'd like help to get started. Our support team is available to help you configure your Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts into your AdQMS dashboard so you can start tracking today.


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