A Digital Analyst’s Guide to Auditing Tracking Implementations (GA4, GTM, Adobe)

Whether you’re launching a new website, scaling a product, or trying to diagnose a sudden drop in conversions, a tracking audit is one of the most valuable things you can do.

But what does a solid analytics audit actually include?

In this post, I’ll share the exact process I follow when auditing digital analytics implementations — especially across tools like Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Tag Manager (GTM), and Adobe Analytics.

Let’s dive in.

Why Audits Are Critical

Even well-designed tracking systems can break silently:

• Developers forget to update tags.

• Product changes aren’t reflected in the event schema.

• Tools are added without thinking about data governance.

  
  

As a result, companies end up with dirty data, missed insights, and poor decisions.

A regular audit ensures your data is clean, complete, and trustworthy.

1. Confirm the Tracking Plan Exists (and Matches Reality)

Before anything else, check if there’s a tracking plan or event dictionary. This is your benchmark. It should answer:

• What events should be tracked?

• Which parameters/dimensions should be passed?

• What tools are capturing each event?

What I look for:

• Updated documentation (GA4 or Adobe event naming, variable mappings)

• Alignment with business goals (Do we actually track purchases, form submits, scrolls, etc.?)

Version control (is the current implementation in sync with the tracking doc?)

2. Audit Google Tag Manager Setup

   
   

GTM is often the engine room of digital tracking — but it can easily get messy.

Checklist:

• Are containers properly published and versioned?

• Any unused or duplicate tags?

• Trigger logic: Is it precise, or firing multiple times?

• Are dataLayer pushes structured consistently?

• Are variables (form fields, click text, etc.) well named and scoped?

Pro tip: Use Preview Mode and Tag Assistant to test in real time.

3. Inspect GA4 Event and Parameter Coverage

GA4’s flexibility is powerful — but risky if not controlled.

What I look for in GA4:

• Key events are tracked (page_view, scroll, add_to_cart, purchase, etc.)

• Events use consistent naming (no camelCase vs. snake_case confusion)

• Parameters are populated (e.g., product_id, value, page_location)

• Enhanced Measurement settings — are they active or custom overridden?

• Conversion events properly marked

• Filters or internal traffic exclusion rules

  
  

I usually export the Events and Parameters reports, then compare with the tracking plan.

4. Check Adobe Analytics Variables and Rules

For Adobe Analytics, I focus on variable mapping and rule accuracy.

Checklist:

• Are eVars, props, and events correctly assigned and scoped?

• Rule-based classifications — are they accurate?

• Launch rules and data elements in Adobe Launch (or DTM) are firing as expected

• Are internal URL filters, bots, or custom dimensions set correctly?

  
  

Since Adobe doesn’t have a live preview like GTM, I often use Adobe Experience Platform Debugger for real-time validation.

5. Validate Cross-Tool Data Consistency

Even when GA4, GTM, and Adobe are all firing, data may not align.

What I compare:

• Traffic volumes between tools (within acceptable variance)

• Event counts (e.g., purchases  GA4 vs. Adobe)

• Attribution data across platforms (meta vs. GA4 vs. MMP tools)

Pro tip: Create a Data QA dashboard that monitors key funnel steps side-by-side across tools.

Bonus: Don’t Forget These Often-Missed Checks

• GDPR/consent handling — Are events suppressed before consent?

• App vs. Web parity (if you're working in cross-platform environments)

• UTM tracking — Are UTMs passed cleanly to tools?

• Funnel integrity — Are there drop-off points due to missing events?

  
  

Final Thoughts

Auditing analytics isn’t just about checking if “tags are firing.” It’s about ensuring the entire data flow — from click to conversion — is accurate, explainable, and actionable.

I’ve worked with dozens of teams where a good audit turned confusion into clarity — and more importantly, enabled faster, better decisions.

If you’d like a second pair of eyes on your tracking setup, I’m happy to help — feel free to connect or message me directly here on LinkedIn.