How to stop spam traffic in Google Analytics 4

Short answer

Google Analytics 4 does not have the same spam blocking tools as Universal Analytics, instead we have an automatic filter that cannot be disabled. The problem with this filter is that it is inefficient in very specific cases as many users report spam traffic from sites like “urlumbrella.com”, “rida.tokyo”, “info.seders.website” or “news.grets.store”, among many others.

There are several solutions that help mitigate this problem and we will go through them one by one.

Solution

Should I filter Spam traffic using the unwanted referrers list?

Unfortunately this option is not recommended to solve the problem because, although it removes the presence of referral traffic in GA4 reports, the session of these bots will not be deleted. So all you will cause is an increase in direct traffic without blocking or reducing the total number of bots. In other words: your total number of sessions and users will be inaccurate.

Filtering spam domains in GA4 reports

A simple solution is to create a filter in Google Analytics 4 reports that explicitly excludes referrer spam domains. This process can be completed both as a comparison in the general GA4 reports and in the scan reports. The most important thing is to select any and all domains that are considered to be spam traffic.

Filter recognised bot parameters

If the domain filter is not enough, it is possible to apply more complex filters that exclude bots with other suspicious qualities, for example: using an old resolution (800×600) or a very old version of Google Chrome. Here are some recommended parameters to check:

1. Users who are outside your market area (for example, if your website is oriented to the Spanish market and you receive a lot of traffic from the Philippines).
2. Users browsing with an outdated versions of a browser.
3. Users running old operating systems such as Windows 7.
4. Users using old screen resolutions, for example: 800×600.
5. Users whose landing page is a URL that does not even exist on your website.

Creating segments

Another alternative is to use the same filter rules, but generating specific audiences in Google Analytics 4. In this case it is advisable to use exclusionary parameters, for example: “exclude those users whose screen resolution is 800×600”.

Conclusion

Combating spam traffic in Google Analytics 4 requires a combination of filtering and segmentation techniques to ensure the integrity and accuracy of analytics data. While GA4 does not offer the same direct blocking tools as its predecessor, Universal Analytics, it is possible to effectively mitigate the impact of spam by applying custom filters and specific segments. These solutions not only help to exclude spam domains from reporting, but also allow you to identify suspicious behaviour patterns, such as outdated screen resolutions or traffic from regions that are not relevant to your market. Implementing these strategies proactively is crucial to maintaining the quality and usefulness of your GA4 analytics, helping you make informed decisions based on clean, reliable data.