Issue with Google Analytics tracking code

Hi @magicpowers,

I can’t speak for the developers of Analytify, but I do know they’re extremely busy updating their plugins to ensure compliance with GA4 and other Google Analytics changes implemented recently by Google.

So, based on the above, please allow me to help you.

(1) First all, you have your website’s page source blocked. Not recommended for many reasons. If you can disable the block, I can try to identify your issue.

(2) Have you tried to install your Google Analytics code to your website using both methods? (either directly in the Head of your site or via the plugin)

(3) What type of Analytics code did you register with Google? (analytics.js, gtag.js, etc.). We are using gtag.js.

(4) There a tons of solutions available online for the error you’re getting: “The Google Analytics code on your site looks malformed.” Have you checked them out?

(5) A simple search reveals you posted the same issue with Yoast, and it was resolved.

(6) Another search leads to a simple solution which may solve your issue. Give it a spin.

Hope this helps a bit.

Cheerio!

hi @generosus

thanks for your reply.

Are you a part of the developers team?

to answer your questions:

1. As I explained earlier, I block the source code and copying on my site for a reason – and it stays this way. For the same reason I always turn off my modem when I shut my computer for the night – the connection to the Internet is fully cut off. No offense, but I don’t really care about what is “recommended” and what is not ?? If and when someone needs legitimate access to the backend of my website, I give it to them.

2. no, it was installed automatically only by the Analytify plugin.

3. i don’t have a clue. I didn’t register anything, it was all done automatically by the plugin. I have access to my Analytic dashboard, but can’t see the code and don’t know where to look for it.

4. Yes, I googled it. But my first port of call is the plugin developer. I don’t want and don’t have the time to spend hours on troubleshooting something that should be working fine. If I can’t sort it out quickly, I will find another plugin or will simply be checking my stats directly on the Analytics site. This is not my priority and I’m extremely busy with more important things to do.

5. For what purpose are you searching my posts on other forums here? How are they relevant to my question on THIS forum? Secondly, my post with this question on the Yoast forum did not resolve the issue.

6. This article’s solution might be helpful if I was confident enough to mess up with my site codes, which I’m not. I haven’t changed any codes like the article’s author did, so this is most likely not even relevant to me. I don’t have a developer on standby and I can’t risk crashing my website. However, it looks like that these are the Google changes that the plugin developers – as you said – are very busy implementing. Most likely, due to these changes not yet being implemented, the verification on my site has failed.

As I said, when something stops working, I look for the fix. If it can’t be fixed quickly, I leave it and move on to something else. I no longer spend my time on never ending troubleshooting the issues of low priority.

thanks again for your suggestions. At this point, if I don’t hear from the plugin developers with the fix, I will move on.

Hey @magicpowers,

Thanks for responding.

I have worked closely with the developers.

Without access to your Page Source (now blocked), I cannot help you. If you lift the block, I may be able to help you.

Dumb Question: Did you set up your Google Analytics account as noted here?

If you did not set up Google Analytics properly with Google (not Analytify), then you’re bound to have issues with both Google and Analytify (or any other Google Analytics plugin for that matter).

If you’re not comfortable with the above, you can reach out to the developers at support [at] analytify [dot] io.

The plugin works perfectly at our end. No issues.

Best wishes!

hi @generosus

of course I set up my Google Analytics years ago, long before I installed the Analitify plugin. The plugin asked me to enter my property name (which is still UA) to connect with my account.

This forum is the Analytify plugin support forum, so if the developers still offer support here, they should reply to my post. If they don’t – that’s fine. I’m only on the free version.

To clarify – the plugin does work. That’s not an issue. The issue is that the analytics code installed by the plugin is not readable to Google for some reason.

thanks for your offer but I don’t want to unblock my source code.

The developers should be able to give me the solution.

Hey @magicpowers,

Definitely would like to help you until the developers respond.

So, a few more questions (if you don’t mind) and offer your two methods to fix your issue.

Questions:

(1) Is this the first time you use the plugin – or – is it the latest version of the plugin that’s causing your issue?

(2) What did you use before? Did you have the same issue?

(3) Can you share a screenshot of the error you’re getting?

Fix:

Option 1: (Re-Authenticate via GA Tracking ID)

(1) Go to WP Dashboard > Analytify > Settings > Authentication and click Logout.
(2) Purge your site’s cache.
(3) Go the the Authentication tab and re-authenticate using your GA Tracking ID.
(4) Go to the Profile tab and enable “Install Google Analytics traking code.” Afterwards, make sure your website’s UA profile is displayed and selected. Afterwards, click the “Save Changes” button.

Option 2: (Re-Authenticate via Google Authentication)

(1) Go to WP Dashboard > Analytify > Settings > Authentication and click Logout.
(2) Purge your site’s cache.
(3) Enter the Google Analytics code provided below in the Tracking Code section of your website (your theme should have an option to let you do that). It may look like this. Replace GA_TRACKING_ID with your UA tracking ID.
(4) Go the the Authentication tab and re-authenticate using the Google Authentication method. This is what we use.
(5) Go to the Profile tab and disable the “Install Google Analytics tracking code”, select your Google Analytics property, and save your settings as noted here.

One last thing:

Make sure you have selected gtag.js and unchecked “Force Analytics Traffic Over SSL” in the Advanced tab as noted here. Your site is already secured via SSL.

That should do!

Best wishes.

———————

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=GA_TRACKING_ID"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){window.dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());

  gtag('config', 'GA_TRACKING_ID');
</script>

Security Tip:

Blocking your Page Source code is not helpful nor recommended. It can impact your SEO score and create other issues. Not sure you know this, but a Page Source code can be obtained by publicly-available tools. For example, I was able to obtain it as noted here. I used it to analyze your Analytify code. The GA code added by Analytify vs Option 2 above looks different, but no errors found.

Hi @magicpowers,

I have checked Analytify analytics code on your website and it adds some extra data based on options selected in settings perhaps this is creating an issue with verification.
you may try to add your google analytics code directly in your website head tag in this case.

follow this procedure :
in Analytify:
First, go to Analytify settings -> profile and disable the install google analytics tracking code option

now you can manually add the analytics code to your website to get your tracking code from google analytics :

1. Log in to your Google Analytics account
2. On the bottom left-hand side of the page, click Admin
3. From the left column titled Account, select an account from the dropdown menu
4. From the middle column titled Property, select a property from the dropdown menu
5. Under the Property column, click Tracking Info > Tracking Code

just copy that code and place it in your website <head> tag.

Hopefully, this will solve your verification issue with the google search console.

Regards,

hi @jawadwp
are you the plugin developer?

thanks for your reply.

The issue has fixed by itself, somehow. I was now able to verify my site ownership.

I now have a different question:

I have just upgraded my Google tracking to GA4.

How can I change it from UA to GA4 in my Analytify settings? Does it support GA4?

thanks

Hi @magicpowers,

Hey, glad your issue is fixed.

The developers of Analytify are currently working on their plugins to ensure compliance with GA4.

As a courtesy, it would be great if you can close this topic as resolved.

Thank you!

hi @generosus

thanks.

it looks like they have been working on this for months and there is still no timeframe.

So this means that the current plugin version does NOT support GA4 – correct?

As I have already switched to GA4 for tracking I need a plugin that supports it.

Could you please confirm before I close this comment.

thanks

Hi @magicpowers,

You are correct. Here’s the latest from the developer.

Everybody has a schedule, but if you can wait, Analytify GA4 is going to be epic.

We are waiting for it to be released. Until then, our current gtag.js set-up is working great and is keeping us alive and well.

If you can’t wait, what GA plugin did you have in mind?

Cheers!

hi @generosus

yes I have seen this post – but it doesn’t give the timeframe.

I can decide to wait only if I want how long do I need to wait for, and the timeframe is suitable.

that’s fine, I will close this topic.

thanks