Editorial Standards
How we verify
every article
Analytics documentation changes when platforms update. We describe a process for keeping content accurate, not just current at launch.
Web analytics platforms change frequently. GA4 has updated its interface, its metric definitions, and its event model multiple times since launch. Content written accurately in one quarter can be misleading by the next. The process described here addresses that problem directly.
Primary source first
Every claim about how a metric is calculated or how a feature works starts with Google's own documentation. The GA4 Help Center, the Google Analytics developer documentation, and the official Looker Studio documentation are the first reference points, not blog posts or forum discussions. Secondary sources are only consulted when the primary documentation is ambiguous or absent.
Platform testing
When documentation leaves room for interpretation, the claim is tested directly in GA4 or Looker Studio using a real property. This means actually configuring events, setting up conversions, and walking through attribution report views to verify that what the documentation describes matches what the interface does. Discrepancies between documentation and observed behavior are noted in the article.
Recency check
Each article carries a "last reviewed" note. When Google announces interface changes or metric definition updates, affected articles are flagged for review before the change takes effect where possible, or within a short period afterward. Articles that cannot be promptly verified after a major platform change are marked with a notice at the top until they're updated.
Reader corrections
Readers who spot inaccuracies can write to us directly at [email protected]. If a correction is valid and sourced, we update the article and note the change at the bottom of the piece. There is no pride-of-authorship barrier here. Getting the information right matters more than appearing infallible.
Content is checked against platform documentation and tested in live GA4 properties before publication.
Writing standards
Beyond accuracy, every article follows a set of writing standards designed to make complex ideas readable for people who aren't analysts by training.
Jargon is defined on first use
Terms like "event parameter," "attribution window," or "key event" are defined the first time they appear in any article, regardless of how often we've used them elsewhere on the site. Readers shouldn't need to have read other articles first.
Concepts build in sequence
Within any single article, concepts are introduced in the order needed to understand the next one. We don't reference something two paragraphs before explaining what it is.
No opinion dressed as fact
When something is a matter of interpretation, for example which attribution model is most appropriate for a particular business type, it's presented as a perspective with reasoning, not as a rule. The distinction between documented behavior and editorial judgment is always clear.
Scope is stated upfront
Each article describes exactly what it covers and what it doesn't. An article about setting up GA4 conversions for form submissions won't attempt to also cover e-commerce purchase events. Narrow scope done well is more useful than broad coverage done vaguely.