RecipeGoogle Analytics 4
Audit GA4 source and medium hygiene
The source/medium table audited for leaks: unassigned, direct inflation, self-referrals.
IntentWhether traffic lands in the buckets it should, before channel reports are trusted.
- 2
- Steps
- 1
- Tools
- 1
- Rules
- 1
- Failure modes
When to use it
Use it when
- Channel reports disputed.
- After tagging or domain changes.
Do not use it when
- No specific contraindication beyond the preconditions below.
What it needs first
Required
Preconditions
- The account is ticked in the dashboard, confirmed via list_accounts.
Inputs
window- Analysis window.Default: last 30 days.
Procedure
In order. Every tool named is one the gateway ships, and links to its reference.
Run the source/medium report.
Flag unassigned growth, self-referrals and payment-gateway referrers.
Decision rules
The observable condition, what it lets you conclude, and what takes the conclusion back.
When
Payment providers appear as referrers
Conclude
Referral exclusion missing: purchases are being re-attributed to the PSP; fix before judging channels.
Evidence every conclusion must carry
- Every figure carries its account, metric and window.
- Anything below a readable sample size is reported as unjudged, not as zero.
Where the agent stops
- The readout changes nothing. Any change it motivates goes through Safe Writes: preview, human confirmation, then apply.
How it goes wrong quietly
The cases where the analysis is wrong and still looks right. Read them before trusting a number.
- Direct is a bucket of ignorance, not a channel: never present its rise as brand strength without corroboration.
What the answer contains
- 01Readout
- The figures, with windows and accounts named.
- 02Flags
- What deserves a deeper skill or a human decision.