Conversion tracking setup: numbers you can trust
GA4, Google Tag Manager and server-side, set up properly. Plus dashboards you can read without a degree in analytics.
Does this sound familiar?
“Google Ads shows more conversions than GA4. Which number am I supposed to trust?”
“My conversions aren't being tracked. The tracking simply doesn't work.”
“Is Google Analytics even still allowed in Austria?”
I set up your tracking so you can see which campaign brings revenue and which one just burns budget: GA4, conversion tracking for Google and Meta Ads, server-side if you want. Data instead of gut feeling. For that, the foundation has to be right.
Is your tracking broken?
One yes is enough, and your setup is probably measuring wrong.
Do GA4 and Google Ads differ by more than 30 percent on your conversions?
Does a test submission of your form (empty or with an error) still count as a conversion?
Do your tags fire before the cookie banner is answered, or not at all?
Do visitors from newsletters or AI tools like ChatGPT show up under “Unassigned” or “Direct”?
Has your setup gone unchecked for more than a year?
Do you get a monthly report that leads to not a single decision?
Answered yes at least once? Then your setup is a case for a tracking check.
Request a tracking checkWhat I set up for you
GA4 setup or audit
GA4 is quick to install and just as quick to misconfigure. I set up your property properly or audit the existing one: events, conversions, filters, channel groups, links to Google Ads and Search Console. A classic from practice: with default settings, GA4 also counts empty form submissions as a success. Errors like that are exactly what I look for first.
Conversion tracking via Google Tag Manager
Every inquiry, every purchase, every call arrives as a clean signal in Google Ads, Meta and GA4. Built omnichannel: one setup, all channels, no double counting. Afterwards you get documentation of what is measured where.
Server-Side Tracking
Cookie banners, ad blockers and browser protection swallow part of your conversions. Server-side tracking recovers some of them and makes your data more durable. I set up the server container and connect it to your channels. Whether it pays off for you is something I tell you honestly up front.
Dashboards that trigger decisions
Analytics expert Avinash Kaushik calls overloaded reports “data puking”: 40 numbers, no message. My approach is the opposite: few metrics, each with a target value, and next to every number it says why it moved and what to do next. A report that triggers no decision is decoration.
Consent Mode v2 and cookie consent
Since March 2024, Google requires Consent Mode v2 for advertisers in the EU. I check whether your banner and your tags work together and set up Consent Mode correctly, so you can advertise without privacy headaches.
Is Google Analytics allowed in Austria?
In 2022, the Austrian data protection authority ruled the use of Google Analytics unlawful in one specific case. Since summer 2023, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework has provided a recognized legal basis for data transfers again. What remains: you need proper consent (a consent banner plus Consent Mode v2) and an up-to-date privacy policy.
This is no substitute for legal advice, but I build your setup so it covers the technical side of these requirements. And if you want to measure entirely without US providers, we will look at an alternative like Matomo together.
What does a tracking setup cost?
Tracking projects are billed by effort, my hourly rate starts at 120 euros. How many hours it takes depends on the scope: a GA4 check is something different from an omnichannel setup with a server container and Consent Mode.
What your setup needs is what we clarify in the free intro call. After that you get a quote with a fixed scope instead of an open-ended hourly estimate.
How a tracking project works
Audit
I review your existing setup, from tag to report, and verify it myself: real test conversions, no assumptions.
Concept
You get a measurement plan: what is measured, where, and why. In plain language, not in jargon.
Implementation
I set up GTM, GA4, conversions and, if you want, server-side tracking, and test every measurement individually.
Handover
Dashboard, documentation and a walkthrough. No forced subscription.
Barbara Horak
With my comprehensive digital marketing knowledge from years of experience, I have been developing company-specific marketing strategies for over ten years, helping businesses reach their highest potential.
My focus is on combining proven performance marketing with modern AI and automation solutions. You win more customers and save time and resources along the way.
What clients say
Real reviews from happy clients on LinkedIn and Fiverr.
Martyna Gressel
Experienced Marketing Leader
"Barbara is, without doubt, the most experienced and knowledgeable online marketing manager I've met in 12 years of my marketing career. I already know her for 10 years. She motivated me to start my blog and always supported creative thinking. Her technical understanding combined with marketing expertise and hands-on mentality makes Barbara the best choice of online marketing advisor for any company."
Martin Staudinger
Inhaber Schülerhilfe Hartberg, Leopoldstadt und Oberwart
"I have been working with Barbara since 2020, and I can confidently say that she is an absolute Performance Marketing expert. Her dedication, strategic mindset, and in-depth understanding of the field have consistently translated into outstanding results for our projects. What sets Barbara apart is not just her professional prowess, but also her personality."
Thomas Kohler
CEO & Founder pplwise
"I see Barbara as a strong marketing professional with extensive performance marketing experience and knowledge in PPC, SEM, and Analytics. She consults us in professionalizing our performance marketing and educate junior talent. With her support, we established a multi-channel approach to increase new customer growth and customer lifetime value."
Michael Haller
Head of iDWELL Finance
"Super kompetent, hoch professionell und sehr nett in der Zusammenarbeit. Kann ich nur empfehlen!!!"
Frequently asked questions
Why do GA4 and Google Ads show different conversion numbers?
Because they count differently: different attribution model, different time windows, different handling of consent. Some deviation is normal. If it gets large, or you no longer know which number to trust, that is a case for an audit.
What does a tracking setup cost?
Billing is by effort, my hourly rate starts at 120 euros. How many hours it takes depends on your website, your channels and the state of your consent setup: a GA4 check is something different from an omnichannel setup with a server container. After the free intro call you get a quote with a fixed scope.
Is server-side tracking worth it for me?
Server-side tracking recovers part of the conversions that ad blockers and browser protection swallow, but costs setup work and ongoing server operation. Whether that pays off for your account depends on ad budget and order values. I run the numbers for you in the intro call; if a clean GA4-plus-GTM setup is enough, that is exactly what you get.
Is Google Analytics allowed in Austria?
Yes, as of today, with a correct setup: consent via the cookie banner, Consent Mode v2 and an up-to-date privacy policy. The uncertainty stems from a 2022 ruling by the Austrian data protection authority; since the EU-US Data Privacy Framework in 2023, the situation has eased.
What is Consent Mode v2?
Google’s mechanism that lets your tags respect your visitors’ cookie decision while Google can still work with modeled data. Since March 2024 it is a requirement for fully using Google Ads features like remarketing in the EU.
How long does a setup take?
It depends on the scope. A clearly defined GA4-plus-GTM setup is usually live within a few weeks, including tests and handover. You get the concrete timeframe with the quote.
Let’s take a look at your tracking
In a free intro call (15 minutes) we look at where your setup stands and whether an audit is worth it. If it is not, I will tell you that too.
Book an intro call (15 min)