GA4 telling us Tag not placed correctly

  • Resolved Sean Conklin

    (@seanconklin)


    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Hello,

    Google Analytics is telling us “Tag not placed correctly. Your tag may be installed too low in the page, which can impact performance.”. This is located in GA4 under Settings > Data streams > [Site] > Configure tag settings.

    We checked the source code and see that the tag configuration is placed in the HEAD section but the loading of GTM JS is in the footer and utilizing an async strategy.

    So it seems that Google’s tag scanner is correct about it loading low on the page using this Google Analytics for WooCommerce plugin.

    We recognize that there’s a competing interest between WooCommerce caring about page speed (lazy loading) and Google caring mostly about prominence. We’re unsure which side would be more correct in this equation.

    Can you check to see if it makes sense to load the tag earlier, versus letting Google know that their tag scanner is unrealistic? We’d like to resolve the conflict if possible.

    Thanks,

    The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)
  • Plugin Support Frank Remmy (woo-hc)

    (@frankremmy)

    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Hi Sean!

    Thank you for providing detailed information about the Google Analytics tag placement and the related warning you’re seeing in GA4. It’s great that you’ve already inspected the source code and identified that the tag configuration is in the HEAD section while the GTM JS loads asynchronously in the footer.

    You are correct that Google’s tag scanner flags this as “Tag not placed correctly” because the GTM JavaScript is loaded low on the page, which could potentially delay firing of your analytics tags. However, balancing performance and accurate tag firing is a common challenge.

    Here are a few points to consider:

    • Loading GTM asynchronously in the footer helps improve page speed by deferring script loading. This is often a best practice to optimize user experience, especially on e-commerce stores, like yours, where speed is critical.
    • While delayed loading might slightly postpone the firing of some events, as long as the tag ultimately loads and fires on user interactions, your tracking is typically effective for most reporting purposes.
    • Google’s scanner is somewhat rigid. It prefers tags in the HEAD for prominence, but this isn’t always the best for page speed or necessary for accurate tracking. So, the warning can sometimes be safely ignored if it aligns with your performance goals.
    • Monitor your GA4 reports to see if you’re missing any critical events or if tracking seems incomplete.

    I hope that helps. Let us know if you need anything else.

    Thread Starter Sean Conklin

    (@seanconklin)

    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Thanks @frankremmy that sounds like good advice.

    We will be on the lookout for any missing critical events and await Google modernizing their tag scanner.

    Thanks,

    LovingBro (woo-hc)

    (@lovingbro)

    5 months, 4 weeks ago

    Hi @seanconklin, it is great to hear back from you and I appreciate the thoughtful follow up. I am glad everything now makes sense on your end and that you have marked the thread as resolved, it is always encouraging to know the guidance provided was helpful.

    If you have a moment, it would mean a lot to our team if you could share a quick review of the Google Analytics for WooCommerce plugin at https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/woocommerce-google-analytics-integration/reviews/#new-post. Your feedback helps us continue improving the experience for you and other store owners.

    Wishing you smooth tracking and continued success with your store.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.