Kick Point Playbook gives you the digital marketing skills you need to grow—whether you want to land more clients, level up your career, or make smarter marketing decisions. Get bi-weekly insights on analytics, SEO, and reporting, curated by Dana DiTomaso and her team. Each issue is packed with expert tips, must-read articles, and free resources like templates and checklists—all designed to help you take action and see real results.
Share
🗞️ Why Your Team Needs an Internal Newsletter (and How to Do It Right)
Published about 2 months ago • 7 min read
Your guide to creating an engaging internal newsletter
Internal newsletters usually get a bad rap: they’re often boring, predictable, and honestly, no one reads them. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When done with intention, internal newsletters can foster connection, improve team communication, and—dare we say—even get people excited for their release.
We’re sharing how to go beyond company updates and create a newsletter your team actually looks forward to reading. Learn how we set up our own newsletter, why it works, and how you can do it too.
Spring Refresh For Your GA4: Clear Out Data Clutter
Just like dust bunnies collect under the couch, data issues can pile up in your GA4 properties when left unchecked. Now’s the perfect time for a little spring cleaning!
Join Dana DiTomaso on April 15th for a hands-on session where she’ll walk you through common GA4 issues that tend to stack up over time. Get practical tips on what to check, how to diagnose problems, and ways to tidy up your setup so you can clear out the clutter and get your data working for you.
What is the difference between the Google Tag and Google Tag Manager?
The Google Tag (GT) and Google Tag Manager (GTM) are not the same, even though they sound similar.
The Google Tag (GT) is essentially a configuration tool that can send data to multiple destinations (like GA4 and Google Ads) without using GTM. You can also use your Google Tag ID in place of the GA4 Measurement ID in GTM. The GT ID starts with GT-.
Google Tag Manager (GTM) is a container for managing all your tags in one place, including Google Ads tags. The GTM container ID starts with GTM-.
And of course we have GA4 in this mix as well. The GA4 Measurement ID starts with G-.
What happens if I use the Google Tag on my site?
The GT was intended as an easy way to send data to multiple destinations without having to learn GTM. What actually ends up happening is that people will use both GT and GTM on their site, and can sometimes end up duplicating data as a result.
For example, let’s say that you configure your Google Tag to send data to multiple destinations (e.g., both GA4 and Google Ads) and then use that Google Tag directly on your site. Then, you’ve also set up GTM on your site and perhaps only use the GA4 measurement ID for your GA4 tags in GTM. What will happen in this case is that GA4 will receive two sets of data for every visit—one from the GT directly on your site and the other from the GA4 tag inside GTM.
What happens if GA4 receives data from two IDs at the same time?
There’s two possible scenarios and it depends on a setting buried deep inside GA4. Go to Admin > Data streams > (click your web data stream) > Configure tag settings > Admin > Manage Google tag. If you see the Ignore duplicate instances of on-page configuration slider turned on, then only one set of data will be recorded and the other will be deleted. If it’s off, then both sets of data will be recorded which will result in double-counting!
So if the slider is on I’m okay?
Not quite. It depends on which set of data is sent to GA4 for processing first. There’s a concept called a “race condition”, when two places are sending data (in this case, it’s both the GT ID and the GA4 Measurement ID). You can’t guarantee which one is going to get there first. Sometimes it’ll be the GT ID and sometimes it’ll be the GA4 Measurement ID. If you have more data in your GTM configuration for GA4 then the basics that are sent with the GT ID, you will sometimes see this extra data in GA4 and sometimes not.
How can I tell if I’m receiving data from both the GT ID and somewhere else?
Use a plugin like Omnibug to view the data going from your website to your various analytics destinations. Omnibug will show you the IDs of the properties receiving data. If you see your GA4 listed twice, or a G- ID and a GT- ID, then you likely have an issue that you need to investigate!
How should I fix this?
Wherever possible, stick to one primary method of sending data: either through GTM or directly via the Google Tag. Selecting a single tracking method helps minimize the risk of double counting and makes troubleshooting easier. We always recommend using GTM over GT because it offers more flexibility, better testing capabilities, and can manage non-Google tags.
This is confusing!
We couldn’t agree more. Google has made some poor naming choices when it comes to their tagging system. In trying to make it easy (having a simple tag that can send data to multiple destinations), they’ve confused users who were used to GTM and now have a Google Tag to contend with.
Have more questions? Reply to this email and let me know!
Implementing tests into your SEO workflows can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling time constraints and limited resources. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. No matter where you’re starting from, you can leverage AI tools to simplify testing and analysis.
Recently, Celeste Gonzalez, Director of SEO at RooLabs (RicketyRoo), shared her insights on how to get started, what to prioritize, and the steps to take to move forward. One challenge that many SEOs face when integrating new elements into their workflow is getting client buy-in. Here’s Celeste’s advice for tackling this potential roadblock:
Start with low-impact, easy tests. These types of tests require less time and fewer resources, making it more likely to get a quick “yes” and faster results. Plus, successful small tests can help build momentum and support for more impactful tests down the line, especially when working with clients who are more risk-averse.
🚨 Google to allow double serving ads in different ad locations on same page
Google announced it might allow the same advertiser to serve multiple ads on the same search results page. While it sounds like a big shift, no one really knows what it means yet. The worry? Rising CPCs and big brands dominating ad space, making it even tougher for smaller companies to break through. Google says each ad slot still runs its own auction, but what that actually means isn’t totally clear.
📍 18 Local search developments you need to know about from Q1 2025
Miriam Ellis breaks down the latest local search updates, and there’s a lot to catch up on. Google fixed the map pin attack suspensions, but GBP reinstatement delays are still dragging on—sometimes for up to five weeks. New features include easier menu management, WhatsApp chat integration, and immersive Maps views. Plus, the "Diversity Update" might change how multi-location businesses link their GBPs, which could impact organic rankings.
🧩 Incrementality: the missing piece in your attribution puzzle
Brittani Hunsaker dives into the difference between attribution and incrementality—and why it matters. Attribution tells you who gets credit, but incrementality tells you what actually worked. Sometimes, campaigns with great CPAs don’t move the needle, while new channels can boost the entire funnel even if attribution doesn’t show it.
She also built a custom GPT to test incrementality on time series data, helping you see if campaigns are actually driving results.
Britney Muller dug into Google’s new AI Mode, and there’s a lot going on. Some queries produce long, detailed answers with plenty of citations, while others skip AI Mode altogether and stick to traditional SERPs. Local intent shows up in some pretty unexpected places—like “online courses” or “YouTube login.” Plus, inline citations are highlighting URLs that usually don’t get much visibility, including some page 2 results making a comeback as citations. It’s worth keeping an eye on how this evolves.
🗣️ So you think you understand conversational AI’s impact on search and SEO? Read this first
Dozie Anyaegbunam dives into how conversational AI is shifting search behavior and what it means for marketers. Platforms like ChatGPT are changing how people search, favoring quick answers over traditional SERPs. Google’s move to integrate AI summaries into results might actually be pushing users toward AI-driven platforms. To keep up, marketers need to rethink metrics, explore search psychology, and get comfortable with the messy reality of attribution.
If you’re seeing “(data not available)” in your GA acquisition reports, you’re not alone. Prepare for client emails, because it’s not entirely clear what’s going on. The documentation is vague, but there’s a chance this could be a positive change if Google decides to add more diagnostic tools. For now, it’s a bit of a mystery. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
You’re already part of the team—now help us grow the fan club! Refer your digital marketing and analytics friends to the newsletter and earn exclusive rewards.
Refer 2 people: Get a shout out from Dana DiTomaso on LinkedIn
Refer 6 people: Get access to an exclusive presentation from Dana on Unpacking GA4 Explorations
Full-day hands-on GA4 workshop with Dana DiTomaso at Marketing Analytics Summit
Mark your calendar for June 2nd. Dana is leading a hands-on, full-day workshop on mastering GA4. Whether you're an analytics pro or just starting out with GA4, this session will help you rethink your analytics setup to fully leverage GA4’s powerful, event-based model.
You’ll dive into custom events, audiences, and segments, and learn how to build tailored reports and dashboards that deliver the insights you need. Plus, Dana will guide you through advanced features to help you level up from novice to skilled practitioner.
Today's edition of The Playbook Huddle was brought to you by Jessie Low and Kyra Piper. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here!
PO Box 68171 RPO Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre, Edmonton, Alberta T6C 4N6 Unsubscribe · Preferences
Kick Point Playbook
Insights that fuel action. Learn, apply, and grow your marketing skills.
Kick Point Playbook gives you the digital marketing skills you need to grow—whether you want to land more clients, level up your career, or make smarter marketing decisions. Get bi-weekly insights on analytics, SEO, and reporting, curated by Dana DiTomaso and her team. Each issue is packed with expert tips, must-read articles, and free resources like templates and checklists—all designed to help you take action and see real results.
Hello Reader, Thank you for attending today’s webinar, Making the Move From Search Optimization to Answer Optimization with Wil Reynolds! If you missed the webinar or want to rewatch it, here’s the replay link → We had an incredible discussion about how the future of SEO is evolving beyond rankings—and why marketers should be focusing on where (and how) real answers are being delivered across AI, social, and search. Key takeaways: We’re in the answers business, not just the SEO business....
How to Verify Consent Signals Are Being Received Correctly in GA4 for Modeling Eligibility and GDPR Compliance You put a consent banner on your site. That’s great! But here's the problem... Just because your banner looks nice doesn't mean GA4 is actually respecting what your visitors choose. We see this mistake all the time during analytics audits. The banner is there, sure. But the data? Still flowing in before getting consent. Oops. Here's what you should check right now: Is data being sent...
GA4 Explained: The Essential Guide to Page Path, Page Location, and Other Page Data Page path versus page location versus page path + query string… if you find yourself getting tripped up by these GA4 dimensions and are stuck navigating messy reports, you’re not alone. Knowing which dimension to use can seriously improve your reporting! In our latest guide, Dana DiTomaso breaks down what each dimension actually tracks, when to use them, and how picking the right dimension makes all the...