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How To Setup Cross Domain Tracking In WordPress

In today’s digital age, keeping track of user activity across various domains has become increasingly complex. This task can be particularly daunting for individuals not well-versed in technology. 

In this article, we will address your concerns and provide the necessary information to display cross site tracking. We will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to set up cross domain tracking in WordPress using Analytify.

We will also explore the process of incorporating additional websites for cross-domain tracking in Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

In this guide, we’ll cover: 

What is Cross Domain Tracking?

Cross-domain tracking is a technique that lets you monitor users’ online activity as they navigate multiple websites. It helps you collect data seamlessly, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of their browsing habits and preferences.

For example, if a user comes to your website through a marketing campaign and then proceeds to another website to make a purchase without cross-domain tracking, the user would be counted as two separate users. However, cross-domain tracking solves this issue by counting the user as a single user, making it easier to understand their journey and behavior.

How to Configure GA4 Cross-Domain Tracking

If you have multiple domains, tracking what users do on all of them is important. Luckily, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) makes this easier with its cross-domain tracking feature. Just follow these steps to enable it:

Step 1: Go to Your Data Stream Settings

Go to your Google Analytics Account. Then go to Admin >> Property (select the relevant GA4 property) >> Data Streams. Choose the data stream for your website.

You’ll be navigated to the next step.

choose your web data stream

Step 2: Configure Your Tag Settings

Scroll down to navigate to the ‘Google Tag’ section. Here, click on ‘Configure tag settings.’

configure tag settings

Step 3: Set Up Your Domains

In settings, there’s an option called Configure your domains. Just click on it to start setting up your domains for GA4 cross domain tracking.

configure your cross domain tracking

Step 3: Configure Domains

Now, just click the ‘Add condition’ button. You’ll see a dropdown menu. Just pick the condition that works for your preferences.

If you choose ‘Contains’ and type ‘yourawesomesite’ in the Domain box. This setting will apply to all URLs with ‘yourawesomesite’.

  • www.yourawesomesite.com
  • yourawesomesite.com
  • blog.yourawesomesite.com
  • Yourawesomesite.net
save cross domain conditions

Step 4: Save your Setting

After you’ve added all your conditions, remember to click the ‘Save’ button in the top-right corner of the page.

Step 5: Test Your GA4 Cross-Domain Tracking

Now, let’s check if cross-domain tracking is working. Open your main website in a private or incognito window. Make sure to turn off any adblockers, and don’t log in as an admin or editor.

Go to a page with a link to one of the sites you’ve made for cross domain tracking. Click the link and look at the URL in the browser’s address bar. If cross-domain tracking is working, you’ll see a “gl” parameter in the URL.

https://www.yourawesomesite.com/?_gl=1*1ej46ag*_ga*NjgwOT

If you don’t see the “_gl” parameter, check these things:

  • There aren’t any redirect rules that remove query parameters.
  • Check if the JavaScript code is adding event listeners to your links.

How to Avoid Common Mistakes in Cross Domain Tracking Setup

One common mistake with GA4 cross domain tracking is when people put the URL of the site where the tracking code is installed as a cross domain site. If your site is ‘yourawesomesite.com’ where you placed the tracking code and you put ‘yourawesomesite.com’ in the cross domain tracking area, it might mess up the tracking. Make sure to check this first if you have any problems with different domains.

That’s how you can set up cross domain tracking for your WordPress websites using GA4. It helps you track user behavior across your online platforms smoothly.

If you have any further queries, please contact the Analytify support team. We can provide additional information on site data, share buttons, and the collection of social media data to enhance your online tracking capabilities.

Meanwhile, you may also like to read, How To Add Google Analytics 4 to WordPress to further improve your web browsing analytics and target advertising efforts.