Before you launch digital advertising, there’s one behind-the-scenes step that can make or break your success: cleaning up your website tags. Think of your tags as the wiring that connects your site to the platforms you’ll use to track, measure, and optimize campaigns. If they’re messy, duplicated, or broken, your data will be unreliable—and your ad spend could go to waste. In this blog, we’ll walk you through why a proper tag audit is essential and how to get your site’s foundation in order so your advertising dollars work harder from day one.

How to Identify Google Tags On My Website

Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and Google Ads

Google Tag Assistant is a Chrome extension that enables you to easily view the number of Google Analytics tags and Google Tag Manager containers running on your website. While it doesn’t reveal who owns those scripts or containers, collaborating with your marketing partners and website provider will help you determine which ones are necessary and which should be removed.

Step 1 – Install the Tag Assistant (Legacy) Chrome extension.

Step 2 – Open your website and click the extension icon.

Step 3 – Reload the page, and Tag Assistant will show you all the Google tags firing—including GA4 tags (look for G-XXXXXXXXXX for Google Analytics and GTM-XXXXXXXX for Google Tag Manager).

In addition to identifying Google Analytics Tags and Google Tag Manager Containers, Google Tag Assistant allows you to identify Google Ad tracking scripts on your website. 

How Many Google Ads Tracking Scripts Can I Have on My Website?

It’s essential to have only one Google Ads tracking script on your website, as duplicates can lead to significant issues with your advertising performance and data accuracy. Here’s why:

1. Avoid Double-Counting Conversions – If multiple scripts are firing, the same conversion (such as a form fill or purchase) could be recorded more than once, making your results appear inflated and unreliable.
   
2. Accurate Optimization – Google Ads uses conversion data to optimize bidding strategies and audience targeting. If the data is incorrect, Google’s algorithm will make poor decisions, resulting in wasted ad spend.
   
3. Cleaner Reporting – Having one script ensures your reports are consistent and trustworthy, making it easier to evaluate campaign performance and ROI.
   
4. Faster Website Load Times – Each extra script adds weight to your site, slowing down load speed and potentially hurting user experience.

How to Use Google’s Tag Assistant for Google Ad Scripts:

🔧 Step 1 – Install the Tag Assistant (Legacy) Chrome extension.

🔎 Step 2 – Open your website and click the extension icon.

📊 Step 3 – Reload the page, and Tag Assistant will show you all the Google Ads scripts firing (AW-XXXXXXXX).

Steps To Identify Meta Pixel Scripts (Now Known As Meta Data-Sets)

Similar to the benefits of only having one Google Ads tracking script on your website, the same benefits apply to only having one Meta Pixel script on your website. By having multiple meta pixels on your website (which 9 out of 10 dealers do, dozens!) 

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to use the Meta Pixel Helper Chrome extension

🔧 Step 1: Install the Extension

• Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for Meta Pixel Helper.
• Click Add to Chrome and pin it to your browser toolbar.

🔎 Step 2: Open Your Website

• Navigate to the website where you want to check for a Meta Pixel.
• Ensure you’re on the page you want to test (e.g., homepage, landing page, checkout, etc.).

📊 Step 3: Click the Meta Pixel Helper Icon

• Click the blue Meta Pixel Helper icon in your toolbar.
• A dropdown will show you:
  • How many Meta Pixels are detected
  • Pixel IDs (so you can identify if multiple are installed)
  • Events firing (PageView, Lead, Purchase, etc.)

🚦 Step 4: Look for Warnings or Errors

• The tool highlights issues like duplicate events, missing parameters, or pixels not firing correctly.
• Warnings are color-coded (e.g., red for errors, yellow for warnings) so you can quickly spot what needs fixing.

✅ Step 5: Take Action

• If you see more than one Pixel ID, confirm with your marketing team which one should stay and remove the rest!

Before launching any digital advertising, it’s essential to ensure your website is clean and ready to go. At PCG Digital, we build this step into every dealer’s startup process—guiding you through which scripts should be removed, who to contact for support, and ensuring your site is set up properly so our advertising efforts start strong from day one.