When you’re switching from GA4 and Google Tag Manager to Piwik PRO, it may take a while before you set up your new account and get familiar with all available features. Most features in Piwik PRO are similar to Google’s tools, but some are different. In this article, we want to explain similarities and differences.
Contents
Quick start
If you want to quickly start with Piwik PRO, follow these steps:
- Install our container (with a tracking code) (Manual method, WordPress plugin, Wix site, other methods).
- Set up goals.
- Integrate with Google Search Console.
- Integrate with Google Ads.
- Create custom events and custom dimensions.
- Use the following settings to set things up:
- Review your setup using the debug mode and tracker debugger
This is the setup that we recommend but you can skip some of these steps. Now, if you want to dig into the differences between GA4, Google Tag Manager and Piwik PRO, read on.
Tracking code vs. container
In Piwik PRO, Analytics and Tag Manager are integrated – they are part of the whole stack. When you install our container’s code on your site or app, it contains a tracking code for Analytics.
GA4 | Google Tag Manager | Piwik PRO |
---|---|---|
Tracking code | Container code | Container code (with a tracking code)* |
* It’s possible to install only a tracking code, but it’s a rare case. Most people want to use Analytics together with Tag Manager and Consent Manager because it gives them more control over their site or app.
For more on how to install Piwik PRO, see these articles:
Property vs. site or app
There’s a difference in the account structure between GA4 and Piwik PRO. You have one account in Piwik PRO under an account address like example.piwik.pro. In each account, you create sites or apps where you collect data. You can also create a meta site or app, that’ll let you combine data and use a meta setup in Tag Manager. A meta site or app is similar to roll-up reporting in Google Analytics.
Property structure and settings
GA4 | Piwik PRO | Read more | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Property overview | Admin > Property | Site overview | Administration > Site or App | Read more |
Data stream (Default URL) | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams | Site or app address | Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Site or app address | Read more |
Search Console links | Admin > Product links > Search Console links | Site or app address | Analytics > Settings > Integrations > Google Search Console | Read more |
Google Ads links | Admin > Product links > Google Ads links | Google Search Console | Analytics > Settings > Integrations > Google Ads | Read more |
Property access management | Admin > Property > Property access management | Google Ads | Administration > Sites & apps > Permissions | Read more |
Account access management | Admin > Property > Account access management | Permissions | Administration > Users > Invite a user Administration > Users > Owner access |
Read more |
Tracking code | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams > Click on Data Stream > Google tag > View tag instructions > Install Manually Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams > Configure tag settings > Installation instructions > Install manually |
Installation | Administration > Sites & apps > Installation Note: In Piwik PRO, you install a container with a tracking code. This lets you use Tag Manager, Analytics, Consent Manager and Customer Data Platform. *Customer Data Platform will be available soon on all accounts. |
Read more |
User ID | Set the user ID in GTM by either creating a custom code tag to update the user ID value or configuring it in Google Tag > Configuration settings > Configuration Parameter. | Set a user ID | Tag Manager > Tags > Piwik PRO (tracking code) > Set a user ID | Read more |
List unwanted referrals | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams |
–– Note: Referral exclusion is usually used to exclude payment gateways. In Piwik PRO by default, if a visitor returns to the site within the session window (30 minutes), the session will be continued under the original referrer.You can also choose to start a new session when the referrer or campaign changes: Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Start a new session when the campaign changes Administration > Global sites & apps > Data collection > Start a new session when the campaign changes Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Start a new session when the referrer changesAdministration > Global sites & apps > Data collection > Start a new session when the referrer changes Note: Global settings override per-site or app settings. |
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Account change history | Admin > Account > Account Change History | Audit log | Administration > Account > Audit log | Read more |
Data filters/comparisons/segments | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data filters (filters out the data on the tracker level) Admin > Data Display > Comparisons (filters out the data in the reports) Explore > Create a new exploration > Build a new segment (applied to focus on specific details of data) |
Segments/Data filtering methods | Analytics > Settings > Segments Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Don’t collect data from these IP addresses The setRequestProcessing method can be used to exclude some type of data from the tracker level. |
Read more |
DebugView | Admin > Data display > DebugView | Tracker debugger | Analytics > Settings > Tracker debugger | Read more |
Trash | Admin > Account > Trash | –– | ||
Analytics intelligence search history | Admin > Property settings > Analytics Intelligence search history | –– | ||
Measurement protocol API secrets | Admin > Data collection > Data streams > Data stream > Measurement Protocol API secrets | API keys | Menu > Profile (example@piwik.pro) > API keys | Read more |
Property settings vs. site or app settings
GA4 | Piwik PRO | Read more | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Add a data stream | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams > Add stream | Add a site or app | Administration > Add a site or app | –– |
Adjust session timeout | Admin > Data collection and modification > Data streams > Click on Data Stream > Configure tag settings > Adjust session timeout The default duration of a session is 30 minutes, but it can be adjusted to last longer. |
Adjust session cookie | Tag Manager > Piwik PRO > Privacy > Remove the session cookie at custom time Note: Unlike in GA4, you cannot change the default session duration in Piwik PRO. The 30-minute inactivity timeout is hardcoded and cannot be adjusted. |
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Reporting time zone | Admin > Property > Property details > Reporting time zone | Time zone | Administration > Site or app > Basic info > Time zone Administration > Meta site or app > Basic info > Time zone |
Read more |
Exclude URL query parameters | Admin > Data streams > Data stream > Redact data > URL query parameters Alternatively, you could create a custom JS variable that retrieves the query value and is sent with a custom tag that as a field within the fields to set section. |
Remove parameters from page URLs | Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection tab > Remove parameters from page URLs Administration > Settings > Global site & app settings > Data collection > Remove parameters from page URLs Note: Global settings override individual settings. |
Read more |
Currency displayed as | Admin > Property > Property details > Currency displayed as | Currency | Administration > Site > Basic info > Currency Administration > Meta site or app > Basic info > Currency |
Read more |
Bot filtering | Bot filtering is applied automatically. The bot traffic can be also filtered out in the reports section. | Add crawlers | Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Add crawlers Administration > Settings > Global site & app settings > Add crawlers Note: Global settings override individual settings. |
Read more |
Site search settings | Admin > Data streams > Data stream > Keywords from your internal search engine | Keywords from your internal search engine | Administration > Sites & apps > Data collection > Keywords from your internal search engine Administration > Settings > Global site & app settings > Keywords from your internal search engine Note: Global settings override individual settings. |
Read more |
JavaScript errors | JS errors are not tracked by default and should be set up through GTM by creating a custom event that has all the necessary error message values and has the Javascript error trigger. | Detect JavaScript errors | Tag Manager > Piwik PRO tag > UX issues > Detect JavaScript errors Note: JS errors are tracked by default in Piwik PRO and can be disabled in the Piwik PRO tag. |
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Key events | Admin > Data display > Key events | Goals | Analytics > Goals > Add a goal | Read more |
Content groups | Adding a content group to a report or setting it up in GTM: Google Support | Custom channel grouping | Analytics > Settings > Dimension value grouping | Read more |
Channel groups | Admin > Data display > Channel groups | Custom channel grouping | Analytics > Settings > Custom channel grouping | Read more |
Custom dimensions | Admin > Data display > Definitions > Custom Dimensions | Custom dimensions | Analytics > Settings > Custom dimensions | Read more |
Calculated metrics | Admin > Data display > Definitions > Calculated metrics | Calculated metrics | Analytics > Settings > Calculated metrics | Read more |
Custom metrics | Admin > Data display > Definitions > Custom metrics | –– | ||
Attribution settings | Admin > Data display > Attribution settings | Custom attribution models | Analytics > Settings > Custom attribution models Note: Unlike in GA4, we cannot modify the attribution settings. While custom attribution models can be used to compare data in predefined reports, they do not alter how data is attributed across different channels. |
Read more |
Scheduled reports | Reports > Report > Share this report > Schedule Email | Scheduled reports | Analytics > Settings > Scheduled reports | Read more |
Insights | Reports > Insights | Alerts | Analytics > Settings > Alerts | Read more |
Saved reports | Homepage > Library | Custom report | Analytics > Custom reports | Read more |
Redact data | Admin > Data streams > Data stream > Redact data Note: This can only be achieved through the setRequestProcessing method |
–– Note: This can only be achieved through the setRequestProcessing method |
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Annotations | No such feature for now in GA4 | Notes | Analytics > Report > Note | Read more |
Cross-domain tracking | Admin > Data streams > Data stream > Configure tag settings > Configure your domains | Cross-domain tracking/cross-subdomain tracking | Tag Manager > Piwik PRO tag > Recognize a visitor across domains Tag Manager > Piwik PRO tag > Recognize a visitor across subdomains |
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Reporting identity | Admin > Data display > Reporting identity Note: Select the methods Analytics uses to link events to users. |
Note: When the user ID is set, it takes priority over the visitor ID. | –– | |
Audiences | Admin > Data display > Audiences Note: Audiences segment your data according to different types of users. |
Customer Data Platform* /Segments *Customer Data Platform will be available soon on all accounts. |
Something similar to audiences can be achieved through Customer Data Platform or segments. Customer Data Platform not only allows us to segment visitors but also to activate data on them. |
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