Cherry Seed

How do I verify my tracking is actually working?

verify tracking working test tracking implementation tracking verification server-side tracking test

Quick Answer

Check GA4's Realtime report first - if your test visit appears within 5 minutes, the basics are working. For deeper debugging, use GA4's DebugView with the Google Analytics Debugger Chrome extension to monitor individual events in real time. Verify event names and parameters match your GA4 property configuration. Note that standard GA4 reports take 24-48 hours to fully populate, so always use Realtime or DebugView for immediate verification.

Full Answer

After implementing server-side tracking, how do you know it actually works? "It's installed" doesn't mean "it's capturing data correctly." You need systematic verification. The Three-Way Comparison Test Compare three numbers: 1. WooCommerce (source of truth):

  • Orders > All Orders
  • Filter: Last 7 days
  • Count: e.g., 143 orders 2. GA4 (should match closely):
  • Reports > Monetization > Ecommerce purchases
  • Last 7 days
  • Transactions count: Should be 130-143 (90-100% of WooCommerce) 3. Facebook/Google Ads (should match within 5-10%):
  • Facebook Ads Manager > Reporting > Purchase conversions
  • Google Ads > Conversions > Summary
  • Should show 130-150 (includes attribution window differences) If GA4 shows 130+ and WooCommerce shows 143, you're capturing 90%+ of conversions—good result. If GA4 shows 85 and WooCommerce shows 143 (59% capture rate), something's broken. Test Purchase Verification Don't trust the numbers alone. Place actual test purchase: Step 1: Create unique test...

Sources

Programmatic Access

GET https://seresa.io/wp-json/cherry-tree-by-seresa/v1/seeds/146

Cite This Answer

Cherry Tree by Seresa - https://seresa.io/seed/getting-started/verify-working