Google Analytics says they’re in Chicago.

Google Analytics says they're in Chicago.

That doesn't mean they're actually in Chicago.

Location data in GA4 can be useful for dealerships, but it isn't perfect. A shopper in the suburbs can appear in the city. Someone in one state can even show up somewhere completely different.

And with bot traffic becoming more common, strange spikes deserve an even closer look.

If direct traffic suddenly jumps 2,000% and 80% of it is coming from outside the country, don't start celebrating your new audience.

Start investigating your data.

GA4 gives dealerships clues. It's still your job to figure out what those clues actually mean.