Google Analytics 4 Data Issue: Why Your Law Firm Should Be Concerned

If you manage your law firm’s website or digital marketing, you may have noticed something unusual with your analytics data recently. On November 13, 2024, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) users around the world had reported significant discrepancies, with website traffic numbers being underreported by as much as 50%. This issue caused confusion and frustration for many of us who rely on GA4 to make data-driven decisions.

Google has now confirmed the issue has been resolved. In this blog, I’ll break down what happened, why it matters for your firm, and what steps you can take if data disruptions occur again in the future.

What Happened with GA4?

For over a week, GA4 users reported major drops in their traffic data. While real-time analytics appear unaffected, historical traffic data was incomplete, making it difficult to trust standard reporting tools.

On November 18, Google acknowledged the problem on its Google Ads Status Dashboard. The acknowledgment was helpful, but it didn’t solve the immediate problem: historical data in GA4 reports was unreliable. 

How This Could Have Impacted Your Law Firm

As of today, November 20th, the issue has been resolved. But, as we know, accurate analytics are the backbone of a law firm’s digital marketing strategy. Whether you’re tracking your website traffic, evaluating your SEO efforts, or running paid campaigns, GA4’s reporting issue could have created significant challenges.

Here’s how the issue could have affected your firm:

1. Misleading Performance Data: You may use analytics to measure how well your website is performing, which marketing channels drive the most leads, and how users engage with content. If GA4 is underreporting traffic, your data would show a skewed picture of performance.
2. SEO and Paid Campaigns: If you’re running paid search campaigns or optimizing for organic traffic, accurate metrics are critical for determining ROI. GA4’s discrepancies could have led you to pause a campaign that’s actually working or double down on strategies that aren’t effective.
3. Year-End Reporting: As the year draws to a close, you might be preparing annual reports on website performance, client acquisition, and marketing ROI. With GA4’s data issues, those reports might have illustrated an incomplete or inaccurate picture.
4. Client Trust Issues: If you’re sharing analytics with stakeholders, I recommend explaining why the data didn’t look right. Transparency is key, but the lack of accurate numbers can still undermine confidence in your reporting.

Real Examples of the Problem

Many GA4 users documented their struggles online. Here, I’ll provide a few examples that highlighted the scope of the issue:

• One user noted that GA4 showed 4,445 visitors for a specific period, while Google Search Console and other tools confirmed over 13,000 visitors.
• Another user from Taiwan observed a sudden drop in traffic starting November 13, with traffic decreasing by 20-30% compared to the same period last month.
• Across forums, people are reporting that real-time analytics seem fine, but historical data remains incomplete.

For your law firm, this discrepancy could’ve meant underestimating how many potential clients are visiting your site—and which pages or campaigns are attracting them.

Steps To Take If This Happens Again

Good news: Google has resolved the data discrepancies in Google Analytics 4 that were underreporting traffic since November 13, 2024. While it’s a relief to have accurate reporting restored, this situation has shown the importance of preparing for analytics disruptions.

1. Diversify Analytics Tools
I’ve realized how risky it is to rely solely on GA4. Moving forward, I find it important to cross-check data with tools like Google Search Console and HubSpot. These tools serve as valuable backups during this type of issue.

2. Focus on Real-Time Analytics
Real-time data in GA4 was one of the few things I could trust throughout this disruption. I suggest monitoring real-time trends more closely, and making it something to do even now that historical data is back to normal.

3. Be Transparent with Stakeholders
When data issues arise, I’ve found it’s best to be upfront about what’s going on. Explaining the situation to clients, colleagues, or stakeholders, and offering alternative data sources, to help maintain trust while working through the problem.

4. Build a Contingency Plan
I recommend creating a plan for analytics disruptions. This plan will consist of backup tools, training teams on how to use them, and documenting processes to ensure you’re ready for anything.

5. Stay in the Loop
It’s important to be aware of Google’s Status Dashboard and analytics forums for updates. This is a great habit to form moving forward, to ensure you can respond quickly if something like this happens again.

Why This Matters 

In my experience, I know how critical accurate data is for informed decision-making. When something like this happens, it can feel like you’re flying blind—but it’s also a reminder of how important it is to have backup systems in place.

Whether it’s integrating BigQuery, using Google Search Console more actively, or even exploring third-party tools, this situation underscores the value of a diversified analytics approach.

Key Takeaways:

Google has confirmed that the GA4 data issue has been resolved, but it’s still important to be proactive in case similar challenges arise in the future. Moving forward, I suggest ensuring your law firm has backup strategies in place—whether it’s using other analytics tools or keeping an eye on your real-time data. By staying prepared and adaptable, you can continue driving meaningful results, even when tools like GA4 experience hiccups.

If you need help refining your data tracking strategy or ensuring your digital marketing remains on track, don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation with me today.