Drupal Google Analytics Integration

Complete guide to setting up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) on your Drupal site for comprehensive user behavior and conversion tracking.

Overview

Google Analytics 4 integration with Drupal provides powerful tracking capabilities for your website. Drupal offers multiple approaches for GA4 implementation, from using dedicated modules to manual code injection. The Google Analytics module is the most popular and feature-rich option, providing seamless integration with Drupal's permission system and user tracking controls.

Key Benefits

• Native Drupal Integration: Leverage Drupal's module ecosystem for easy setup and management
• Privacy Controls: Built-in support for cookie consent and user opt-out
• Role-Based Exclusions: Exclude administrators and specific user roles from tracking
• Performance Optimization: Asynchronous loading and caching support
• Ecommerce Ready: Compatible with Drupal Commerce for transaction tracking

Installation Methods

Method 1: Using the Google Analytics Module (Recommended)

The Google Analytics module is the most comprehensive solution for Drupal sites.

Step 1: Install the Module

composer require drupal/google_analytics
drush en google_analytics

Or install via the Drupal admin interface:

1. Navigate to Extend in the admin menu
2. Click Install new module
3. Upload or enter the module URL
4. Click Install and then Enable

Step 2: Configure the Module

1. Go to Configuration > System > Google Analytics
2. Enter your GA4 Measurement ID (format: G-XXXXXXXXXX)
3. Configure tracking options:
   • Enable page view tracking
   • Set tracking scope (all pages or specific paths)
   • Configure user role exclusions

Step 3: Advanced Settings

Configure additional tracking features:

• Custom Dimensions: Map Drupal user properties to GA4 dimensions
• Event Tracking: Enable automatic link tracking, file downloads, and outbound clicks
• Enhanced Link Attribution: Track multiple links to the same URL
• User ID Tracking: Track authenticated users across devices

Method 2: Manual Implementation

For sites without module support or requiring custom implementation:

1. Navigate to Configuration > Development > Performance
2. Add GA4 tracking code to your theme's html.html.twig file
3. Insert before the closing </head> tag:

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

Configuration Options

Privacy and Consent

Configure cookie consent integration:

1. Install a cookie consent module (e.g., EU Cookie Compliance)
2. In Google Analytics settings, enable Respect Do Not Track
3. Configure consent mode parameters:
   • analytics_storage
   • ad_storage
   • wait_for_update

User Role Exclusions

Exclude specific roles from tracking:

1. Go to Google Analytics settings > User roles
2. Check roles to exclude (typically Administrator, Editor)
3. Save configuration

Custom Tracking

Add custom tracking parameters in the module's Custom Code section:

gtag('set', 'user_properties', {
  'drupal_role': 'authenticated',
  'content_type': 'article'
});

Event Tracking

Automatic Events

The Google Analytics module automatically tracks:

• File Downloads: PDF, DOC, ZIP files
• Outbound Links: External website clicks
• Email Links: mailto: link clicks

Enable in Configuration > Google Analytics > Event Tracking

Custom Event Implementation

For custom events, use the JavaScript API in your theme or custom module:

// Track form submission
jQuery('#contact-form').on('submit', function() {
  gtag('event', 'form_submit', {
    'form_name': 'contact_form',
    'form_destination': '/thank-you'
  });
});

// Track custom interactions
gtag('event', 'video_play', {
  'video_title': 'Product Demo',
  'video_duration': 120
});

Drupal Behaviors for Event Tracking

Use Drupal's JavaScript API for better integration:

(function ($, Drupal) {
  Drupal.behaviors.customGATracking = {
    attach: function (context, settings) {
      $('.cta-button', context).once('ga-tracking').on('click', function() {
        gtag('event', 'cta_click', {
          'button_text': $(this).text(),
          'button_location': 'sidebar'
        });
      });
    }
  };
})(jQuery, Drupal);

Ecommerce Tracking

Drupal Commerce Integration

For Drupal Commerce sites, install the GA4 Ecommerce module:

composer require drupal/ga_ecommerce
drush en ga_ecommerce

Configure Ecommerce Events

1. Navigate to Commerce > Configuration > Google Analytics Ecommerce
2. Enable enhanced ecommerce tracking
3. Map product fields to GA4 parameters:
   • Product ID
   • Product Name
   • Product Category
   • Price
   • Currency

Tracked Events

Automatically tracked ecommerce events:

• view_item - Product page views
• add_to_cart - Add to cart actions
• begin_checkout - Checkout initiation
• purchase - Completed transactions
• refund - Order refunds

Troubleshooting

Tracking Code Not Firing

Issue: GA4 tag not appearing in page source

Solutions:

1. Clear Drupal cache: drush cr
2. Verify module is enabled: drush pml | grep google_analytics
3. Check permission settings for anonymous users
4. Disable caching in development: Configuration > Performance

Duplicate Tracking

Issue: Events tracked multiple times

Solutions:

1. Check for multiple GA4 installations (module + theme)
2. Review custom theme templates for hardcoded tracking
3. Disable GA4 in Google Tag Manager if also using the module

User ID Not Tracking

Issue: Cross-device tracking not working

Solutions:

1. Verify User ID tracking is enabled in module settings
2. Ensure users are authenticated before tracking
3. Check privacy settings don't block user identification
4. Verify GA4 property has User-ID reporting enabled

Ecommerce Data Not Appearing

Issue: Purchase events not showing in GA4

Solutions:

1. Verify GA4 Ecommerce module is properly configured
2. Check currency code matches GA4 property settings
3. Test with GA4 DebugView in real-time
4. Ensure order confirmation page triggers purchase event
5. Verify product data structure matches GA4 requirements

Performance Issues

Issue: Slow page loads after GA4 installation

Solutions:

1. Enable asynchronous loading in module settings
2. Use Google Tag Manager instead for better performance
3. Implement lazy loading for below-fold content
4. Configure Drupal's aggregate JavaScript setting
5. Use a CDN for analytics script delivery

Verification

After installation, verify tracking is working:

1. Real-Time Reports: Check GA4 Real-time reports for active users
2. GA4 DebugView: Enable debug mode with browser extension
3. Browser Console: Look for gtag commands in developer tools
4. Tag Assistant: Use Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension

Enable Debug Mode

Add to your settings:

gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX', {
  'debug_mode': true
});

Related Guides

• GTM Setup
• Meta Pixel Integration
• Drupal Integrations Overview