GA4 Data Accuracy: 7 Steps to Verify Collection

Want to make sure your GA4 data is spot-on? Here's how to check:

Set up GA4 Debugger Extension
Turn on Debug Mode in GA4
Check Basic Pageview Tracking
Test Custom Event Tracking
Check E-commerce Data Collection
Look at Real-Time Reports
Review All Data Streams

Why bother? Accurate GA4 data:

Boosts your marketing
Gives sales teams key insights
Keeps you compliant with data laws

Let's break it down:

Step	What to Do	Why It Matters
1. GA4 Debugger	Install Chrome extension	Catch issues early
2. Debug Mode	Enable in GA4 or GTM	See events in real-time
3. Pageviews	Check Events Report	Ensure basic tracking works
4. Custom Events	Test in GTM Preview	Track specific user actions
5. E-commerce	Compare with platform data	Verify sales accuracy
6. Real-Time	Check last 30 minutes	Quick health check
7. Data Streams	Review all platforms	Ensure complete data capture

Remember: Check weekly for quick looks, monthly for deeper dives, and quarterly for full audits. This keeps your GA4 setup sharp and your data reliable.

1. Set up GA4 Debugger Extension

The GA4 Debugger Extension is your first step to ensuring accurate GA4 data.

Installation

Open Chrome
Go to the Chrome Web Store
Click "Add to Chrome"
Confirm

Setup

Click the extension icon
Open your website in a new tab
Open GA4 DebugView in another window

Enable debug mode in GA4:

Method	Steps
GA4 Debugger Extension	Click extension icon
Google Tag Manager	Use Preview mode
GTAG.js	Add 'debug_mode': true to gtag('config')

"The debug view in GA4 lets you validate your implementation and see logged events with parameters and user properties."

This helps you catch issues early.

Pro tip: Turn off the extension when not debugging to avoid skewing your data.

For apps:

iOS: Use –FIRDebugEnabled in Xcode
Android: Use adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app PACKAGE_NAME

Now you're ready to dig deeper into GA4 data accuracy.

2. Turn on Debug Mode in GA4

To check your GA4 data accuracy, you need Debug Mode. It shows events in real-time as they happen on your site or app.

Find and Turn on Debug Mode

Log into GA4
Go to Admin > DebugView (under Data Display)

You've got three ways to turn it on:

GA Debugger Chrome Extension
- Install from Chrome Web Store
- Click the icon on your site
- Refresh the page
GTM Preview Mode
- Open GTM
- Click "Preview"
- Enter your site URL
Add debug_mode parameter
- In your GA4 configuration tag, add:
```
'debug_mode': true
```

"Debug view in GA4 validates your implementation and shows logged events with parameters and user properties."

Once on, you'll see a live event feed in DebugView:

Blue: events
Green: conversions
Orange: user properties

Method	Pros	Cons
Chrome Extension	Easy	Chrome only
GTM Preview	Works with GTM	Needs GTM know-how
debug_mode parameter	Cross-browser	Code changes needed

For mobile apps:

iOS: Use –FIRDebugEnabled in Xcode
Android: Use adb shell setprop debug.firebase.analytics.app PACKAGE_NAME

3. Check Basic Pageview Tracking

Let's make sure GA4 is capturing pageviews correctly. Here's what you need to do:

Look at automatic pageview events

Open your GA4 property and head to the Events Report.
Find "page_view" in the list and click it.
You'll see detailed data about pageviews across your site.

Want a deeper dive? Go to the Pages and Screens Report. It shows which specific pages users visited. Use the search bar to zero in on particular pages.

Fix pageview problems

Seeing issues? Try these fixes:

Check your GA4 configuration tag: It should fire before your event tags in Google Tag Manager.
Verify Enhanced Measurement: In GA4, go to Admin > Data Streams > Your Web Stream > Enhanced Measurement. Make sure it's on.
Hunt for duplicate tracking: Use a debugger plugin and GA4's Debug View. Two pageviews with no time gap? That's a duplicate.

Here's where duplicates often hide:

Source	Fix
Shopify's Google & YouTube Sales Channel	Disconnect GA property from Google Sales Channel
GA4 tag in Google Tag Manager	Pause active GA4 configuration tags if needed
gtag code in store theme	Check `theme.liquid` for gtag script
Custom web pixel	Review and adjust custom tracking code

Single Page Applications (SPAs): Standard GA4 setup might not cut it. Try this code:

gtag('event', 'page_view', { page_title: '<Page Title>', page_location: '<Page Location>' });

Clear cache: Made code changes? Delete and disable the cache.
Use Google Tag Assistant: It helps spot and fix issues with Google Tags.
Check the developer console: Look for GA tracking code errors like 'abort' or 'command ignored'.

4. Test Custom Event Tracking

Custom events in GA4 track specific user actions. Here's how to make sure they're working:

Pick important custom events

Choose events that matter for your business:

Form submissions
Button clicks
Video plays
Downloads

Focus on events that show user behavior and conversions.

Test event triggers and data

Set up events in Google Tag Manager (GTM)
Use GTM's Preview mode to check tags
Verify data in GA4's DebugView

Let's test a custom event for menu link clicks:

Create a GTM trigger for menu clicks
Set up a GA4 event tag named "menu_link_click"
Add parameters like "menu_item_url" and "menu_item_name"
Use Preview mode to test
Check DebugView in GA4

Step	Action	Tool
1	Create trigger	GTM
2	Set up event tag	GTM
3	Test tag firing	GTM Preview
4	Verify data	GA4 DebugView

A few things to keep in mind:

Start custom event names with a letter
Use only letters, numbers, and underscores
Keep names under 40 characters
Don't use reserved event names or prefixes

5. Check E-commerce Data Collection

Want to make sure GA4 tracks your e-commerce actions and sales correctly? Here's how:

Check e-commerce events

Set up your data layer for key events like view item, add to cart, begin checkout, and purchase. Use GTM to create event tags for these actions.

To test:

Use GTM's Preview mode
Look for events like view_item and purchase in Tag Assistant

Check sales data accuracy

Compare GA4 revenue with your e-commerce platform data. GA4 revenue should equal order total after discounts (no shipping or taxes). E-commerce platform revenue is gross sales minus discounts.

Verify transaction counts match between GA4 and your platform.

Troubleshooting tips:

Missing orders? Check for untracked alternative checkouts (like PayPal)
Overreporting? Make sure the purchase event doesn't fire on repeated visits to the confirmation page

Issue	Cause	Fix
Missing orders	Untracked checkouts	Track all checkout options
Overreporting	Repeated event firing	Trigger event once per transaction

Set realistic goals:

Aim for less than 5% missing transactions
Up to 10% discrepancy is good
GDPR-affected businesses: Even 50% data loss can be normal due to consent issues

6. Look at Real-Time Reports

GA4's real-time reports are your quick health check for data collection. They show user activity from the last 30 minutes, refreshing every minute.

How to Access Real-Time Data

Sign in to Google Analytics
Pick your property
Head to Reports » Real-time

You'll see cards showing:

Active users (last 30 minutes)
User sources
Audience breakdown
Page views
Event counts
Conversions

No visitors? Check your GA4 code or look for tracking blockers.

Real-Time vs. DebugView

Feature	Real-time Reports	DebugView
Time frame	30 minutes	Longer
User view	Random snapshot	Device-filtered
Data delay	Few minutes	Minimal

To compare:

Set up a test event in DebugView
Trigger it on your site
Check both DebugView and real-time reports

Remember: Real-time reports only show data from users with GA cookies or app identifiers.

Pro tip: Use real-time reports to test new event tracking, monitor campaign impacts, and catch issues fast.

Real-time reports are great for quick checks, but they have limits. For a full picture, combine them with standard reports and DebugView data.

7. Review All Data Streams

After checking real-time reports, it's time to look at your data streams. This ensures you're capturing data correctly across all platforms.

Here's how to review your data streams:

Head to the Admin section in GA4
Click "Data Streams" under Property
Check each stream's setup

Look for:

Stream status (active or inactive)
Measurement ID
Enhanced measurement settings

Fix any issues ASAP to avoid data gaps.

GA4 tracks across web, iOS, and Android. Make sure each platform is set up right:

Platform	Key Checks
Web	Correct tagging, cross-domain tracking (if needed)
iOS	SDK implementation, App store linking
Android	SDK implementation, Play Store linking

For web streams, check if you need cross-domain tracking. If so, add domains in "Configure tag settings".

For app streams, make sure the SDK is implemented correctly and app store linking is set up.

Pro Tip: You can have up to 50 data streams per GA4 property, including up to 30 from apps.

Wrap-up

Let's recap how to verify GA4 data collection:

Set up GA4 Debugger Extension
Turn on Debug Mode in GA4
Check Basic Pageview Tracking
Test Custom Event Tracking
Check E-commerce Data Collection
Look at Real-Time Reports
Review All Data Streams

Each step is key to making sure your GA4 setup captures what's really happening on your site.

Why Regular Checks Matter

Checking your GA4 setup often isn't just a good idea - it's a must. Here's why:

It helps you catch and fix problems fast
It keeps your setup in sync with your changing business
It gives you better data to make smarter decisions

How often should you check? Here's a simple plan:

When	What	Look At
Every week	Quick look	Real-time reports, basic pageviews
Every month	Deeper dive	Custom events, e-commerce data
Every 3 months	Full check	All data streams, debug mode tests

These checks aren't just about finding issues. They're about making sure your GA4 setup gives you the insights you need to grow your business.

FAQs

How to check if GA4 is working correctly?

Want to make sure GA4 is doing its job? Here's a quick test:

Log into Google Analytics
Pick your GA4 property
Go to Reports > Realtime
Open your website in a new tab
Check the Real-time report

See your activity? Great! GA4 is working. No data? Try these:

Double-check your tracking code
Look for any filters blocking data
Give it some time (data can be delayed)

"Checking the Real-time report regularly is like taking your GA4's pulse. It's a quick health check."

Check Frequency	Focus Areas
Daily	Pageviews, user count
Weekly	Custom events, conversions
Monthly	E-commerce data, goals

GA4 Data Accuracy: 7 Steps to Verify Collection