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How can I ensure consistent _ga cookie creation between GA4 and UA?
Hey, I’ve been using both GA4 and UA in tandem and I’ve run into a bit of a snag. I use GTM to read user’s _ga cookies and then send them to UA, but I’ve noticed that sometimes a cookie starts with GA1.2… and at other times it’s GA1.1… I believe one is created by GA4 and the other by UA. The issue here is that I can’t create reports on Users with GA1.1… as GA doesn’t show any data for these. Is it possible to resolve this, so that all users only have GA1.2 cookies? I’m wondering if it has anything to do with the priority of tags… I’m a bit stuck on this so any guidance would be appreciated.
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2 Replies
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The difference between GA1.2 and GA1.1 isn’t related to GA4 and UA, but reflects the structure of the _ga cookie used by Google Analytics in general. Generally, GA1.2 or GA1.1 refers to the domain depth, not the version of Google Analytics. This essentially means the number of domains under the main domain where the cookie is active. But if you’re experiencing discrepancies with user tracking, it might be more related to how your GA4 and UA tags are set up rather than the cookies themselves. Make sure that both are tracking the same information correctly. In theory, both the GA4 and UA tags should be generating the same version of the _ga cookie, therefore the differential shouldn’t be a big issue in your analytics tracking. If the problem persists, it’s recommended to consult with a Google Analytics expert or reach out to the Google support team.
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The _ga cookie value, like GA1.2 or GA1.1, doesn’t correspond to different Google Analytics versions like GA4 or UA. Instead, these numbers are labeled as domain-creation flags where “GA1” is a fixed value, the subsequent “.1” or “.2” corresponds to the domain level of your website, not to the version of the Google Analytics. It doesn’t affect the accuracy or type of data collected from your users. However, if you’re experiencing discrepancy in the data, it may potentially be due to an implementation error or issues with your tag configurations in GTM. It’s advisable to review your implementation in order to ensure it aligns correctly with the Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager documentation on setting up and troubleshooting cookies.
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