Tracking Audit: what you're getting

A one-time, read-only review of how your analytics and ad tracking is set up, with a clear plan for what to fix. Here's the whole deal in plain English.

1. The service

The Tracking Audit is a one-time audit of your analytics tracking setup by The Marketing Ref. You pay a flat fee of $249 (USD) up front. There is nothing recurring, nothing auto-renews, and you're under no obligation to buy anything else.

2. The access we ask for

You connect through Google's own sign-in screen, which lists exactly what's requested. You choose which property, container and account to share, and you can skip any of them.

• Google Analytics 4: read-only. Property settings, data streams, key events, custom definitions, product links, and 30-day aggregated event and channel totals.
• Google Tag Manager: read-only. The published version of the container you choose (tags, triggers and variables).
• Google Ads. Conversion actions, conversion settings and 30-day conversion totals. Google only offers this permission as "manage," but our tool performs read-only queries and makes no changes.
• Your email address, to record which login granted access.
• Meta (optional). If you choose to include it, view-only partner access that you grant and remove in your own Business Settings.

We never ask for passwords and are never added as a user. Google access is a short-lived token that is revoked automatically right after the one-time pull, and it expires within an hour even if the pull never happens. You can confirm it's gone any time at myaccount.google.com/permissions. By connecting, you confirm you're authorized to grant this access for your organization.

3. What the audit covers

• GA4 configuration: key events (conversions), data retention, enhanced measurement, custom definitions, Google Ads linking, and whether the events your setup expects are actually arriving.
• Tag Manager container: conversion and marketing tags, triggers and their reliability, consent settings, duplicates, paused or legacy tags, and overall container hygiene.
• Google Ads conversions: primary vs. secondary actions, counting settings, double counting, enhanced conversions and attribution settings.
• Conversion journeys: how your key paths (forms, calls, quotes, purchases, sign-ups) are measured from click to conversion, and where tracking breaks.
• Flags and grade: every issue rated by severity, with a plain-English explanation and the recommended fix, rolled up into an Analytics Health grade.

4. What you get

• An Analytics review of your GA4, Google Tag Manager and Google Ads setup.
• A private online dashboard with your Analytics Health grade, journeys, tag matrix, event dictionary, flags and game plan, available to you for at least 12 months.
• A prioritized game plan: what to fix first, who typically owns it, and the effort involved.
• A tracking map spreadsheet and a recommended event plan your team or developer can work from.
• A 30-minute Tracking Review Call with the Ref to walk through the findings and answer questions, booked at a time that suits you.
• Delivery within 5 business days of a completed connection.

5. What's not included

• Changes of any kind. We don't edit, publish, pause or create anything in your accounts, tags, settings or website. Implementation is available separately if you'd like help.
• A live website and consent scan, and a review of search, paid performance and other channels. Those are part of the Marketing Audit.
• Platforms beyond GA4, Tag Manager and Google Ads, except an optional Meta review if you grant partner access.
• Ongoing monitoring or support after the Tracking Review Call.
• Legal advice. Consent and privacy observations are technical findings, not legal or compliance opinions.

6. Our money-back promise

If we can't complete the review because your accounts can't be connected or don't contain enough to audit, you get a full refund. And if you're not satisfied after your Tracking Review Call, tell us within 7 days and we'll refund you in full. Email hello@themarketingref.com.

7. Credit toward a next step

The full $249 counts as a credit toward a Marketing Audit booked within 60 days of your Game Plan being delivered. A credit is applied to one engagement, can't be exchanged for cash, and doesn't apply after a refund.

8. Your data

What we pull is configuration and aggregated counts, not personal data about your customers. It's used only to produce your audit, kept private, never sold or shared, and deleted on request. Full details are on our privacy & data use page.

9. The fine print

• Recommendations are based on what your accounts show at the time of the pull. Results from making changes aren't guaranteed, because they depend on how the changes are implemented.
• Our total liability for this service is limited to the fee you paid for it.
• Payment is processed securely by Stripe, and The Marketing Ref never sees your card details.
• These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota.

Questions before you start? hello@themarketingref.com, and we're happy to walk you through it.