How to Exclude Referrals in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

If you've been navigating your Google Analytics 4 reports and noticing that there are referrals from websites you don't want, you can exclude these unwanted referrals in your Google Analytics 4 settings. For instance, perhaps you have websites like Stripe or Paypal that are referring traffic to your website and skewing your data, then you can make exclusions to these specific domains. This guide will show you how to exclude referrals in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)!

How to Exclude Referrals in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

1. Login to your Google Analytics 4

2. Navigate to Admin (bottom-left-hand-side)

3. Navigate to Data Streams under the Data collection and modification column

4. Select your Data Stream

5. Scroll down and click on "Configure tag settings"

6. Under Settings, click on "Show all"

7. Select "List unwanted referrals"

8. Fill in the Referral Exclusions and Save

Frequently Asked Questions on Excluding Referrals in Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

What is the maximum number of Unwanted Referrals I can set up in GA4?

• Maximum of 50 unwanted referrals per property

• This limit ensures optimal system performance

• For additional exclusions, consider using custom filters or rules

When should I use Unwanted Referrals in GA4?

Common use cases include:

1. Third-Party Integrations

   • Customer support portals

   • Knowledge bases

   • External service redirects

2. Payment Providers

   • PayPal, Stripe integrations

   • Helps track revenue sources correctly

   • Prevents payment redirects from skewing data

3. Internal Traffic

   • Company network traffic

   • Staging/development environments

   • Prevents internal inflation of metrics

4. Password Recovery Services

   • Email service providers

   • Password reset domains

   • Maintains accurate user journey data

5. Spam Referrals

   • Irrelevant content directories

   • Known spam domains

   • Keeps analytics data clean

Should I use Unwanted Referrals to block bot traffic?

No, because:

• It only masks bot traffic as "Direct"

• Makes it harder to identify traffic issues

• Better solution: Use IP Address Exclusions

Can I exclude referrals for specific events only?

No, because:

• Exclusions apply to the entire property

• Can't target specific events

• Alternative: Use custom filters or segments

Can I exclude referrals for specific pages or sections of my website?

No, because:

• Exclusions apply globally to all data

• Can't target specific pages

• Alternative: Use segments or custom reports