Why this is almost always the first fix
Every other score on the dashboard is downstream of tracking quality. Fixing tracking first doesn't just improve the tracking score; it makes every other score more trustworthy, which is why it consistently ranks as the highest-priority recommendation for accounts scoring below 50 here.
1. Server-side conversions API
Browser-side pixels alone increasingly under-report conversions due to ad blockers, ITP and cookie restrictions. A server-side connection (Meta Conversions API, Google Enhanced Conversions) restores visibility that's otherwise silently lost.
2. Consent mode, configured correctly, not just installed
Having a consent banner isn't the same as having consent mode wired into your tag manager correctly. Half-configured consent mode is one of the most common causes of a tracking discipline score stuck in the 40s despite the banner being present.
3. Deduplication between client and server events
Once both client and server-side events are firing, deduplication is what prevents double-counted conversions from inflating your numbers in the other direction. Skipping this step trades one measurement problem for another.