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Troubleshooting Google Analytics 4 Cross-Domain Measurement Cookie Transfer
Hey there, tech wizards and fellow coders!
You know, I’ve got this cool Squarespace site that’s all jazzed up with a Booqable checkout embedded via JavaScript. Smooth, right? But here’s the thing; I’m trying to get Google Analytics 4 to throw me a bone and keep the same cookie for a user throughout their journey from Squarespace to Booqable.
I’ve read a ton about cross-domain measurement (found this gem of an article- https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10071811?hl=en) and it seemed like it perfectly fits the bill. But my luck seems to have hit a snag.
The standard Google analytics works like a charm for the Squarespace site, but the cross-domain tracking? Nada. When navigating from Squarespace to Booqable, my URL stubbornly refuses to show any _gl or _ga (cookie) values, as the article suggested it should.
Now here’s the twist:
- A trip from Booqable to Squarespace and voila- there are the _gl & _ga values.
- Also, if the journey’s reversed again, from Squarespace back to Booqable, the _gl and _ga values keep up with the trip.
I know, I know, I’m aware that the article mentioned how Javascript can play spoilsport with cross-domain measurement. But hey, a solution’s gotta be out there somewhere.
In my quest, I took a few routes:
- Shuttled back and forth from site to site
- Stashed a button on the Squarespace website, thinking it might work better than the embedded Javascript. It did cough up the _gl component in the URL, but that’s not really what I’m after.
- Even tried my hand at the manual setup per this guide: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10071811?hl=en#zippy=%2Cmanual-setup. Not so sure I hit the nail on the head with this one, though. I mean, where are those good, clear tutorials when you need them, right?
So, has anyone out there nailed a setup like this? Or have any brainwaves or pointers to help me out here? Please do share, mighty wizards of code!
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2 Replies
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The issue you’re facing with GA cross-domain tracking seems to be a common hurdle when dealing with multiple website setups. Considering the nature of cookies and how they attach themselves to a specific domain, when a user is journeying from your Squarespace site over to the Booqable checkout, it’s likely that the cookie from the originating site is not being carried over to the Booqable session, hence the absence of any trailing _ga or _gl parameters in your URL.
The baffling part is that when the user’s journey is reversed from Booqable back to Squarespace, the cookies seem to keep up with this transition. This behavior could be due to the way Booqable is handling or forwarding these cookie values back to Squarespace.
You’ve already explored a couple of options from shuttling back and forth between sites to manual setups. It seems that the only component that’s showing up in the URL when you use a button on your Squarespace website is the _gl, but it’s not quite what you’re looking for.
Your manual setup approach could be the right direction – ensuring both your Squarespace and Booqable platforms are correctly configured to handle these cookies. It’s unfortunately not always as straightforward as the guides suggest. Clear tutorials on this specific issue can be hard to find, especially considering the nuances of individual website setups and CMS choices.
Broadly, it certainly seems like a JavaScript-related issue or something amiss in the handoff between Squarespace and Booqable. Since you’ve tried many things already, perhaps considering a consultation with an independent developer or an specialist might provide more insightful troubleshooting or solutions.
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It seems you’re experiencing difficulties with cross-domain tracking from your Squarespace site to Booqable via Google Analytics 4. The issue of the _gl or _ga values not showing up when navigating from Squarespace to Booqable but appearing when reversing the journey suggests the tracking setup might not have been effectively configured on the Squarespace site.
The manual setup you tried per Google’s guide is a great move. If it’s not working as expected, you might need to recheck each step to ensure nothing was missed or wrongly implemented. Take care to check the implementation of the code in your Squarespace website. The Google Analytics code should be added to every webpage you want to track.
You mentioned having added a button on the Squarespace website–although it produced the _gl value, this may not be the efficient solution since it could miss all other elements that may lead a user to Booqable website.
Cross-domain measurement requires in-depth understanding and fine-tuning, plus some trial and error. Both domains need to be correctly configured in Google Analytics and the right code installed on the website. If followed correctly, this should enable Google Analytics to track user cookies from Squarespace to Booqable and vice versa.
A good idea might be to reach out to a developer or a Google Certified Partner who can help with the setup of cross-domain tracking. They would have the expertise to help resolve any tracking issues you are facing. Until then, keep going and keep experimenting, it can take some time to perfect.
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