Episode 4 - Why GA4 Might Be Lying to You - The Analytics Mess No One Talks About

In this episode, I’m discussing the quiet chaos many SMEs are facing with Google Analytics 4 (GA4). I explain why traffic and conversions might be underreported, how consent banners are affecting your data, and, more importantly, what you can do about it. If you want an easier way to understand your website’s performance, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways

• GA4 often underreports traffic due to cookie consent laws and user inaction on banners.

• Lower-traffic sites struggle more because GA4’s machine learning can’t model missing data well.

• Privacy-first analytics alternatives like Fathom Analytics, Matomo, and Plausible offer clearer, more accurate insights.

• Running GA4 and another tool in parallel can give you a sanity check on your data.

Episode Highlights

00:50 The Problem with Google Analytics 4
01:20 Consent and Data Gaps in GA4
02:54 Privacy-first alternatives to Google Analytics 4
04:00 A case study: GA4 underreported by 133% vs. Fathom Analytics

About Liz:

I’m a straight-talking, results driven digital marketing strategist for growth-focused SME brands and business owners and I work with business owners to develop and embed tailored digital marketing strategies that actually drive growth.

I hate seeing money wasted and talented people exasperated by marketing that doesn’t track back to business objectives and KPIs.

I would love to hear what you think of this episode, so please do leave a comment, let me know on LinkedIn or see how you can use my digital marketing expertise at https://www.bureau43.com/

This episode was written, recorded and produced by me.

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