Reduce the Impact of (Other) in GA4 Reporting by Removing Unwanted Query Parameters
GA4, unlike Universal Analytics, does not have a built-in feature to exclude specific URL query parameters from reports. Failing to exclude query parameters that do not change the contents of a web page will result in multiple entries for the same page, causing high cardinality dimensions in your GA4 reports. This, in turn, leads to the (Other) category appearing in your reports. Follow these steps to remove URL query parameters in GA4 and optimize your report for the keyword “Other showing in GA4 report”:
Step 1 – Identify Unwanted Query Parameters
Ask your web developer for a list of query parameters used on your website that do not change the contents of a web page. These parameters should be excluded from your GA4 reports.
Step 2 – Determine Additional Parameters to Exclude
Decide on any other query parameters you would like to exclude from your GA4 reports. Ensure that important parameters like search query parameters, gclid, gclsrc, dclid, gclsrc, srsltid, and utm parameters are not excluded.
Step 3 – Determine Parameters to Keep in Reports
Identify the query parameters you want to keep in your GA4 reports. Maintaining these parameters ensures relevant data is captured in your reports.
Step 4 – Import Query Parameter Stripping Utility Template in GTM
Log in to your Google Tag Manager account and import a variable template named “Query Parameter Stripping Utility.”
Step 5 – Create a User-Defined Variable in GTM
Create a new user-defined variable in GTM based on the imported template with the following configurations:
- Enter the query parameters you don’t want to exclude under ‘Exclude All Parameters.’
- Type the variable {{Page URL}} in the text box under ‘Field which needs parameters removed’ and click on the ‘Save’ button.
Step 6 – Edit the GA4 Configuration Tag
Edit the GA4 configuration tag by adding the following new row under ‘Fields to set’:
- ‘Field Name’: page_location
- ‘Value’: {{Exclude query parameters}}
Step 7 – Save, Preview, and Publish Your GTM Container
Save the tag, preview it to ensure it is working correctly, and then publish your GTM container.
By following these steps, you will reduce the impact of (Other) channel attribution in your GA4 reports and optimize your blog post for the keyword “Other showing in GA4 report.” Remember to monitor your reports regularly to identify any new query parameters that may need to be excluded.