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Where Should I Place the GA4 Code in My Website?

Thomas Symann

• 2 min read

Do you have a website? Great! Do you have a tracking code for Google Analytics 4? No? This is bad news because a tracking code is essential for GA4 to work. So, if you are setting up this next-generation measurement system and don’t know where the code goes, we are sharing the details.

The Right Place for GA4 Code

When setting up the GA4, you’ve to place the tracking code right after the head element in HTML. Honestly, it’s easy, but many people confuse it. According to Google, you can copy and paste the Google tag on every page of the website right after the  element. Keep in mind that you cannot add more than one tag on every page. While placing this code, you have to remember a few things, such as;

  • There is a difference between an HTML tag and an HTML element. The tags are embedded between the < and > symbols. So, if there is a “/” in the tag, you have to avoid it.
  • You must understand that the head element isn’t like the HTML header layout element. The head can have information about the scripts, styling elements, and metadata, but the element won’t be available on the website’s front end. On the other hand, the header has a code that displays the website’s upper section, such as a logo or text.
  • HTML code has the body element right after the head element. It starts with < and ends with >, so don’t mess these up because it can impact the code. In particular, if you mess them up, you won’t be able to receive data.

Finding the Google Analytics 4 Tracking Code

At this point, you must know the ins and outs of adding the tracking code. However, if you don’t know where to find it, we are sharing where you can find the tracking code.

  • Open the Google Analytics 4 dashboard and open the Admin section. From this section, open the data streams.
  • Click anywhere in the field, especially the one with a globe icon. That’s because it’s a web stream, and you’ve to scroll down to the “Google Tag” page.
  • From this page, tap on “view tag instructions,” and you will be taken to the next screen. On this screen, click on “install manually,” and you will be able to find the tracking code. In case you’ve to copy it, tap on the copy/paste button right above the field.

The Bottom Line

Implementing the code is important because if it’s messed up, it can have an adverse impact on data collection. In addition, data collection will be impacted if there is an error in the code. So, if you have a dynamic website, we recommend that you copy the code, paste it into a file, and upload it to the web server. After this, you can add it to the website code without any errors.

Last but not least, always click on the link that begins with google tag manager because it will help you access the original JavaScript tracking code that’s behind simple lines.