Why Google Listings & Ads Might Break Your Analytics Tracking (And How to Fix It)

Many WooCommerce store owners have reported a concerning issue: after installing and activating the Google Listings & Ads plugin, their Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager tracking suddenly stops working. This can be alarming, as losing visibility into customer behavior and conversion data directly impacts business decisions.

Based on community reports and troubleshooting discussions, this problem typically manifests in one of several ways:

• GA4 stops registering data entirely
• Google Tag Manager triggers stop working
• Live analytics data drops to zero when the plugin is active
• Tracking works normally again when the plugin is deactivated

Why Does This Happen?

There are several common causes for this tracking conflict:

1. Data Layer Conflicts

The Google Listings & Ads plugin creates its own data layer for tracking e-commerce events. If you're already using another plugin like GTM4WP or have manually implemented Google Tag Manager, these multiple data layers can conflict with each other, causing events to duplicate or tracking to fail completely.

2. Consent Mode v2 Requirements

In March 2024, Google introduced Consent Mode v2 to comply with privacy laws in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland. The Google Listings & Ads team implemented this requirement in version 2.6.1. This means visitors from these regions must now explicitly grant consent for cookies before any analytics tracking occurs. Without proper consent management, Google Analytics and Google Ads won't capture user data from these locations.

3. Plugin Interference

In some cases, the plugin's tracking scripts may interfere with existing tracking implementations, particularly when multiple plugins are trying to manage the same tracking functions simultaneously.

How to Fix the Tracking Issues

Solution 1: Disable the Plugin's Built-in Tracking

If you prefer to use your existing tracking setup (like GTM4WP or manual Tag Manager implementation), you can disable the Google Listings & Ads plugin's tracking functionality. Add this code snippet to your theme's functions.php file or a custom plugin:

add_filter( 'woocommerce_gla_disable_gtag_tracking', '__return_true' );

This will prevent the plugin from adding its tracking scripts while maintaining the core product listing and ads functionality.

Solution 2: Implement Proper Consent Management

If you need tracking for visitors in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland regions, you must implement a consent management solution. Popular options include:

• Complianz
• CookieYes
• Other GDPR-compliant consent plugins

These tools will ensure proper consent collection before any tracking occurs, complying with the new Consent Mode v2 requirements.

Solution 3: Verify Your Setup with Google Tag Assistant

Use Google's free Tag Assistant tool to verify that your Google Analytics and Google Ads tags are functioning properly. This can help identify whether the issue is with tag implementation or consent requirements.

Solution 4: Check for Regional Settings

If you're only experiencing tracking issues with visitors from specific regions, this is likely related to the Consent Mode v2 requirements. Ensure your consent management is properly configured for EEA, UK, and Switzerland visitors.

Important Clarification

It's worth noting that the Google Listings & Ads plugin itself does not provide full analytics functionality. Its primary purpose is to sync your WooCommerce products with Google Merchant Center and manage Google Ads campaigns. For comprehensive analytics, you'll still need a separate analytics solution.

By understanding these common conflicts and implementing the appropriate solution, you can maintain both your product listings and your crucial analytics tracking without compromise.