Google Analytics Audit Test #

22

(not set) Landing Pages

Why It Matters:

Critical to understanding site behavior.

Industries:

All

Checks For:

Utility

How powerful is your current implementation?

Insight Category:

Behavior

Can you tell what visitors are doing?

Google Analytics Audit logo

Background

A GA4 audit is essential for uncovering missing insights—key data points that organizations don't yet know and can act upon. A well-done audit evaluates both behavioral tracking and traffic attribution, ensuring each is accurate and useful. It also assesses whether the data collected truly supports business decisions and reporting.

Test Detail

This test checks for any sessions in GA4 where the landing page is recorded as (not set). The landing page should represent the first page a user visits during a session. When this value is missing or appears as (not set), it typically means:

  • GA4 failed to register a page_view at the session start
  • There’s broken or delayed tracking setup (e.g., tags firing too late)
  • There are redirect chains that interrupt or strip key tracking
  • Some users arrive via unsupported browsers, bots, or ad blockers

This issue can lead to:

  • Poor source/medium alignment
  • Incomplete funnel attribution
  • Broken landing page analysis
  • Underreporting of high-performing entry points

Check This Test for Free! Instantly.

Our free instant audit tool checks for 90 issues in 90 seconds.

Then gives you a prioritized list of items to tackle.

No cost, no sales call... just free goodness.
‍

Run a free instant audit
Google Analytics audit test results.

How to Conduct This Test

Basic Tests

  • In GA4 > Explore, create a Free-form report:
    • Dimensions: Landing page + query string
    • Metrics: Sessions, Conversions, or Revenue
    • Filter for Landing page = (not set)
    • Optionally, break down by Device category or Source/Medium to spot patterns (e.g., mobile, specific traffic sources)

Advanced QA

  • In BigQuery, run the below query:
    SELECT landing_page, COUNT(*) AS sessions
    FROM `your_dataset.events_*`
    WHERE landing_page IS NULL OR landing_page = '(not set)'
    GROUP BY landing_page
  • If you find significant session volume under (not set), your landing page data is unreliable and needs fixing.

Automated, Free Audit

Want help identifying root causes? Run our Instant Audit

Or hire a pro to ensure clean entry point tracking.

How To Fix

  • Confirm that page_view events are:
    • Firing on all pages, especially the first page of a session
    • Not delayed by cookie banners, tag sequencing issues, or async loading problems
  • Use Google Tag Manager to load GA4 tags as high in the page as possible (e.g., in the or via consent mode where applicable)
  • Avoid hard or meta-refresh redirects that prevent GA4 from loading before users are moved to a second page
  • Check for interference from ad blockers, iframe embeds, or SPA route changes not triggering a new page_view
  • Hire a pro to audit your full tagging setup and ensure every session starts with a complete set of context—including the all-important landing page.

Tips from a Google Analytics Consultant

Focus on Insights

Every Google Analytics audit should result in a plan for more insights.

‍

An insight is:

  • something you don't know
  • and can act on to improve performance

The Goal

Identify and remove insight blockers. Don't get tempted to track things you can't act on!

Hire a Google Analytics Consultant
Google Analytics consultant