Why Your Google Analytics Data Doesn’t Match Your CTV Advertising Reports

At Strategus, we strive to make our campaign data reporting as accurate as humanly possible. To this end, we and our technologies employ dozens of behind-the-scenes quality controls and data validation techniques.

These include:

• Scrubbing Invalid Traffic data (clicks, impressions, and even conversions) from our reporting
  
  
• Deduplicating active and passive engagement data from our reporting
  
  
  • Each advertiser has their own click and conversion deduplication windows
    
    
• Using IP intelligence by Digital Element and MaxMind to determine targetable geographies, including the following: Country, Region, City, Postal Code, and Metro Area
  
  
  • In addition, we leverage backup GEO signals when these primary signals are unavailable.

Additionally, our advanced technology often provides reporting data that is unavailable through other 3rd-party technologies due to technical limitations (Campaign Post-View attributions, which are typically not available in Google Analytics, for example).

As a result, when comparing data provided by any other 3rd-party system (such as Google Analytics, DCM, DV 360, Sizmek, etc.) to CTV data, please be aware that various discrepancies are expected.

CTV Campaign Reporting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Clear, transparent reporting is essential to advertising success. This FAQ document answers common questions about analytics discrepancies, specifically between Strategus and Google Analytics tools. We also provide guidance on interpreting data and share helpful insight from our experience executing CTV campaigns.

As your vendor-agnostic CTV partner, Strategus integrates data, inventory, and attribution solutions from a large network of partners. This allows us to provide you with a holistic view of your campaign performance that shines light on every touchpoint of your campaigns. 

Our team is also committed to being hands-on partners — proactively monitoring your campaigns, cleansing the data, and reaching out with recommendations based on performance insight. As such, if you have any additional questions about our reporting dashboard, don’t hesitate to reach out.

How Does Google Analytics Track Sessions?

According to Google, several things need to take place before a session can be tracked:

1. When the click from an ad takes place, the browser is pointed to the advertiser’s landing page.
   
   
2. When the browser starts to download the landing page, there may be a request for several files at the same time, including JavaScript, CSS, images, video, audio, etc., including the Google Analytics tracking code.
   
   
3. The Google Analytics JavaScript file must first be downloaded and interpreted by the user’s browser.
   
   
4. The user’s browser/device and security settings must support: Cookies, JavaScript, and Images
   
   
5. If any of the above are disabled, Google Analytics may not be able to record a session.
   
   
6. Next, the browser sends a separate request to www.google-analytics.com, the Google Analytics servers.
   
   
7. Finally, a session is recorded.

Why is there a discrepancy between clicks and sessions and website attributions?

Several technical factors contribute to differences between click counts, sessions, and website attributions:

• Tracking methodologies: Google UA, Google Ads, GA4, and the Strategus Dashboard track and count interactions differently. A session in GA4 does not have the same definition as a click in Strategus reporting. 
  
  
• Technical interruptions: Users may click but close their browser before the page loads.
  
  
• Timing issues: Clicks and session recording may occur in different time zones or reporting periods.
  
  
• Bot traffic filtering: Our platform may filter out bot-driven activity that GA still records

Google provides detailed explanations of these discrepancies in their support documentation. Do note that GA4 skews performance in favor of Google-owned channels and lacks filtering capabilities for creative audits like The Media Trust.

Why this matters: Perfect alignment between different tracking systems isn’t possible. We offer advanced conversion tracking and reporting at Strategus, which outperforms GA4 in terms of accuracy. That said, we understand the need to use both as sources of insight.

Some other reasons your click reports may not match up to Google Analytics include:

1. A Landing Page May Redirect to a Different Page: Redirects are hard to track and often cause the Google Analytics code from launching properly.
   
   
2. Browser Preferences: A user could have their browser preferences set up in a way that prevents Google from collecting data.
   
   
3. Server Latency: If a user comes to a page by clicking on an ad but leaves the page before the Google Analytics tracking code executes, the click is not associated with a session.
   
   
4. Third Party Images – Certain browsers give the option to disable images. Disabling images can prevent data from being sent to Google Analytics.
   
   
5. Cookies – There is a difference between 1^st party and 3^rd party cookies. 3^rd party cookies are set by a source other than the website being visited and are often blocked by browsers and security software making it difficult for Google Analytics to track.

Acknowledging there will likely always be click discrepancies in ad server reporting vs Google Analytics, it is important to take a more holistic approach to reporting and look at data from all available sources (ad server reports, Google Analytics, Vendor data, etc.) rather than rely on a single source.

What is the difference between Universal Analytics and GA4?

Google Universal Analytics (UA) was built around traditional website interactions, with mobile and app tracking added on separately. It primarily uses cookie-based tracking and operates on a session-based system, where data is populated based on individual and collective browsing sessions.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) takes a more unified approach by integrating web, mobile, and app tracking in one platform. While GA4 still uses cookies, it was designed to operate in a cookieless future and thus emphasizes first-party data collection through Google Signals. Additionally, GA4 focuses on event-based collection rather than session-based. This approach focuses on specific actions users take like clicking a button or watching a video.
While both platforms provide similar reporting information, GA4 offers less detailed information than UA in some areas, largely due to the evolving cookie landscape and privacy regulations.

Why this matters: You might notice some discrepancies between UA and GA4 due to differences in how data is collected and calculated. GA4 also might show less detailed information, largely due to the changing landscape of online privacy.

Why am I seeing a high bounce rate from CTV ads?

Google defines a bounce as a single-page session. While driving engagement is a good goal, high bounce rates aren’t necessarily bad due to several considerations detailed below.

• Research shows that a large percentage of first-time visitors take no meaningful action on their initial visit to a site. True marketing takes time and necessitates multiple touchpoints. Search has altered the expectations of the industry because they are taking pre-existing demand and monetizing this immediacy, while the funnel itself gets pushed back in favor of instant gratification. The true nature of building demand is that it takes time and consistency across multiple touchpoints.
  
  
• The rise of responsive website designs means that many websites today present most of the information on a single, long page. Bounce rates have naturally increased as a result because visitors don’t need to click to other pages to get what they need.
  
  
• Many ecommerce transactions are handled by third-party services, which redirect users away from the main site. This can increase bounce rates while still resulting in conversions.
  
  
• Successful campaigns often require retargeting to bring visitors back for conversion, which is why we work with advertisers to design and execute full-funnel campaigns that drive future results.

Why This Matters:  High bounce rates from CTV-driven traffic doesn’t always indicate poor campaign performance. We recommend evaluating bounce rates alongside other metrics (like return visits, time on site, and conversions) which often occur during later visits to the website.

How can I see organic keyword search volume to better optimize my overall marketing efforts?

Understanding organic search behavior can help you align your CTV campaigns with your broader marketing strategy, making keyword research is essential. 

Below are some valuable resources to this end.

Free Tools:

Google Keyword Planner (requires Google Ads login)

WordStream Keyword Tool

Paid Options for More Comprehensive Research:

Moz Pro Keyword Research

SEMrush

Why is there traffic on my site from states I'm not targeting?

Geographic reporting in analytics platforms isn't always accurate due to several technical factors:

• IP addresses can be assigned to locations different from a user's actual physical location.
  
  
• VPNs and proxy servers can mask a user's true location.
  
  
• Mobile users may connect through cellular networks with IPs registered in different regions.
  
  
• Corporate traffic often routes through centralized servers in specific locations.

Additionally, as mentioned earlier, some traffic may come from industry compliance audits like The Media Trust.

Why this matters: We target audiences based on the most accurate location data available, but analytics platforms may show some variance in reporting. If you notice significant geographic discrepancies, we can work with you to analyze and address them.

Why do I see traffic coming from CTV ads when CTV isn't a "clickable" medium?

While true CTV inventory isn't clickable, you might occasionally see clicks registered from CTV campaigns. This is often due to:

• Initial exchange testing during campaign setup.
  
  
• Misconfigured or miscategorized inventory within exchanges, despite targeting only CTV inventory.

We work with our inventory and technology partners to identify and block any misconfigured sources as soon as they appear. This is an ongoing process across the industry, and despite our best efforts, a small number of stray sources may occasionally appear in reporting.

Why this matters: Our team continuously monitors campaigns to ensure data accuracy, which is an ongoing need in the complex CTV ecosystem.

How do I set up a button pixel fire for more precise conversion tracking?

A "pixel fire" is when a small piece of code is triggered when someone clicks a button on your website. This is used for tracking conversions and other actions. Implementation options include:

• If your website platform allows for "plug and play" pixel implementation, you can do it directly within the platform.
  
  
• Otherwise, you’ll likely need to work with your web developer for custom implementation.
  
  
  • Using Google Tag Manager to fire pixel code on button press:
    
    
    • Guide to Button Click Tracking
      
      
    • Google's Official Documentation

Why this matters: Pixels help ensure that relevant touchpoints are tracked. That’s why we’ll work with you to provide guidance on pixel implementation best practices and interpret the resulting data.

Why can't Google Analytics track all conversions from my CTV campaign?

This is perhaps the most important consideration when evaluating CTV campaign performance. Google Analytics has limitations when it comes to tracking CTV-influenced conversions:

1. View-through limitations: GA4 cannot track view-through conversions from external platforms like Strategus. Since CTV isn't clickable, most conversions happen when someone views your ad and later visits your website through another channel.
   
   
2. Attribution bias: GA4 does track view-through conversions from Google-owned channels (like YouTube and Google Display Network), but not from external channels. This creates a skewed view that may unfairly attribute success to Google properties.
   
   
3. Different definitions: A session in GA4 does not have the same definition as a click or conversion in Strategus reporting.

Why this matters: Our advanced conversion tracking capabilities provide a more comprehensive view of how your CTV campaigns influence consumer behavior across devices and touchpoints. Many conversions that appear as organic searches or direct traffic in GA4 can actually be attributed to your CTV campaign exposure through our attribution methodology. By accurately attributing these conversions, advertisers are better equipped to optimize media buying and prove return on ad spend (ROAS).

Ready for Clearer CTV Attribution? We Can Help

Understanding analytics in the CTV ecosystem requires looking beyond traditional digital metrics and single-platform reporting. As your hands-on partner, the Strategus team proactively monitors campaigns and offers comprehensive data analysis that extends beyond what standard analytics platforms can provide.

Our vendor-agnostic approach integrates data, inventory, and attribution solutions from a large network of partners to deliver customized advertising solutions that drive measurable results. This flexibility allows us to adapt your campaigns based on real-time performance data and evolving marketing objectives.

For complete transparency, we provide 24/7 access to our reporting dashboard, giving you real-time insight and granular analysis of your campaign performance whenever you need it. While this dashboard works in concert with your existing analytics platforms, it offers a more complete picture of how your CTV campaigns influence consumer behavior across devices and touchpoints.

Have questions about your campaign performance or analytics? Our team of CTV experts is always available to help you interpret the data and optimize for better results.