If Google Analytics is not recording visits even after a user clicks Accept on the cookie banner, or if GTM tags appear to be blocked despite consent being given, this article covers the most common causes and how to resolve them.
Step 1: Configure the Complianz wizard correctly
In the Complianz wizard, go to Wizard > Consent > Statistics and confirm you have selected the option that states Google Tag Manager fires the statistics script. This tells Complianz that GTM is responsible for loading analytics, and prevents Complianz from also trying to block or manage the GA script separately.
Step 2: Add GTM via the Complianz plugin — do not add the script manually
Rather than manually placing the GTM snippet in your theme or header, use the built-in integration in Complianz. Enter your GTM Container ID directly in the Complianz Statistics Configuration settings. Complianz will then place and manage the script automatically, ensuring it is loaded at the right time and with the correct consent handling.
Manually added GTM snippets can bypass Complianz's consent checks or cause conflicts with the plugin's own script management.
Step 3: Check your tag triggers inside GTM
Within your GTM environment please ensure that:
-The Complianz Tag Template is triggered by Consent Initilization - All Pages and that under Advanced Settings > Additional Consent Checks you've selected Not set
-The main Google Tags (to insert GA/GAds ID's) are triggerd by All Pages and that under Advanced Settings > Additional Consent Checks you've selected Not set
Step 4: Check for duplicate GTM snippets
Some themes and plugins (such as SEO plugins or marketing tools) may insert their own GTM snippet. If GTM is loaded more than once — once by Complianz and once by another source — this can cause unexpected behavior. Check your theme, header/footer plugins, and any marketing or SEO plugins for duplicate GTM code and remove any manually added instances.
Step 5: Check caching and optimization plugins
If you use a caching or performance optimization plugin such as WP Rocket, Autoptimize, or similar, make sure Complianz scripts are whitelisted and not being delayed or minified by those tools. Script delay features in particular can interfere with how and when Complianz loads consent logic relative to GTM. See: JavaScript Delay in WP Rocket and Other Caching and Optimization Plugins.
Step 6: Test after clearing cache
After making any changes:
- Clear your site cache and browser cache
- Open the site in an incognito window to simulate a fresh visitor
- Accept the cookie banner
- Use Google Tag Assistant or browser developer tools (Network tab) to verify that GTM and your analytics tags are firing correctly
Google Consent Mode v2
If you are using or planning to use Google Consent Mode v2, refer to the full setup guide here: https://complianz.io/simplified-guide-to-google-consent-mode-v2/
This covers how Complianz integrates with Consent Mode v2, including the correct signal mapping and GTM configuration needed for full compliance.
Still not working?
If analytics are still not firing after following the steps above, share the following details so we can investigate further:
- A screenshot of your GTM tag's Consent Settings (Advanced Settings tab)
- Whether any caching or optimization plugins are active
- Whether the issue affects all users or only specific browsers or devices