How to Set Up GA4 (Google Analytics) for Your Website?

 

Table of Contents:

·        Introduction

·        Why Should You Set Up GA4?

·        Step 1: Create a Google Analytics 4 Property

·        Step 2: Set Up Data Streams

·        Step 3: Install GA4 on Your Website

·        Step 4: Verify That GA4 Is Tracking Data

·        Step 5: Set Up Key Events and Conversions

·        Step 6: Connect GA4 with Google Tools

·        Step 7: Explore GA4 Reports and Insights

 

Key Takeaways:

·        GA4 replaces Universal Analytics with an event-based tracking model.

·        GA4 requires manual setup with a new property and data stream.

·        Installation can be done via Google Tag Manager or manually.

·        Real-time reports help verify if GA4 is tracking correctly.

·        Custom events and conversions improve data accuracy.

·        Integration with Google Ads and Search Console enhances marketing insights.

·        GA4’s custom reports offer deeper analysis for data-driven decisions.

 

 

83% of online users expect that the websites they open will open in 3 seconds or less. Every brand that's online wants to track its website performance to make data-driven decisions and if you aren’t one of them, there are chances that you are missing out on critical opportunities awaiting your brand. But how do you do it? Well, Google has made it simpler for you with Google Analytics 4 (GA4). It is the newest version of Google’s analytics platform that’s designed to adapt to changing user behaviors and new privacy regulations. If you are still using Universal Analytics, it’s time you know about the GA4 setup. However, the question is how you start.

Source: https://clutch.co/resources/top-6-website-features-people-value

 Yes, setting up GA4 might seem daunting from the surface, but with the right steps, you will be tracking essential data in no time. Whether you are a seasoned website owner or a complete beginner, this guide will walk you through the process minute by minute and make GA4 setup easy to follow, and fun!

 

Why you should use GA4?

Before we dive deep into the steps, let’s cover why GA4 is such a big deal. Here’s how it provides several advantages. Besides, SEO agency in India knows that GA4 is a major upgrade from Universal Analytics4 (UA4). How?

• For one, GA4 focuses on users across different devices, instead of just page views.
• GA4 uses an event-based tracking model, whereas UA relies on session-based tracking. So, GA4 tracks user interactions (scrolls, clicks, video plays) more accurately across devices.
• In addition, it also offers better privacy controls and reduces the reliance on cookies, while aligning with new data regulations.
• GA4 includes AI-powered insights for predictive analysis, while UA focuses on historical data.
• Last but not least, GA4 offers cross-platform tracking, which makes it great for websites and mobile apps, unlike UA, which primarily tracks web data.

Overall, we would say that GA4 is more flexible and is future-proof, and user-centric than UA.

 

How to Set Up GA4?

If you want to set up GA4, here are the steps you need to follow:

 

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics 4 Property

Before you can start tracking your website’s data, you need to create a GA4 property. Here’s how:

1.     Sign in to Google Analytics

·         Head over to Google Analytics and log in with your Google account.

2.     Create a New GA4 Property

·         In the Admin section (bottom left), select your Account (or create a new one if needed).

·         Under Property, click Create Property.

·         Give your property a name (e.g., "My Website GA4"), and select your time zone and currency.

·         Click Next and choose your industry category.

·         Click Create to finalize the property setup.

 

Step 2: Set Up Data Streams

Now that your GA4 property is ready, it’s time to create a data stream-this is how GA4 collects data from your website.

1.     Select Your Platform

·         Go to Admin > Data Streams and choose Web (since we’re setting up GA4 for a website).

2.     Enter Website Details

·         Type in your website URL.

·         Provide a stream name (e.g., "MyWebsite Data Stream").

·         Enable Enhanced Measurement to automatically track page views, scrolls, outbound clicks, and more.

3.     Copy the Measurement ID

·         Once your data stream is created, you will see a Measurement ID (something like G-XXXXXXXXXX).

·         Keep this handy- you will need it to install GA4 on your website.

 

Step 3: Install GA4 on Your Website

There are different ways to install GA4 depending on your website platform. Let’s cover the most common methods:

Method 1: Adding GA4 via Google Tag Manager (Recommended)

Google Tag Manager (GTM) makes it easier to manage tracking codes without editing your website’s code.

1.     Sign in to Google Tag Manager.

2.     Select your website’s container or create a new one.

3.     Click Add a new tag and choose Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration.

4.     Paste your Measurement ID from GA4.

5.     Set the trigger to All Pages so GA4 tracks all website activity.

6.     Click Save and then Submit to publish your changes.

This method is great because you can manage all your tracking codes from one place without touching your website’s source code.

Method 2: Adding GA4 Directly to Your Website

If you prefer to add GA4 manually, follow these steps:

1.     Copy your Global Site Tag (gtag.js) from GA4 under Admin > Data Streams > Web.

2.     Paste the script inside the <head> section of your website’s HTML.

3.     Save the changes and publish your website.

If you are using WordPress, you can add the code to your theme's header.php file or use a plugin like Insert Headers and Footers to avoid modifying theme files directly.

 

Step 4: Verify That GA4 Is Tracking Data

Once GA4 is installed, you’ll want to make sure it’s actually collecting data. Here’s how:

1.     Use the Real-Time Report

·         Go to Reports > Real-Time in GA4.

·         Open your website in a new tab and navigate through a few pages.

·         If GA4 is set up correctly, you should see live user activity!

2.     Check Google Tag Assistant

·         Install the Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension.

·         Visit your website and check if the GA4 tag is firing correctly.

 

Step 5: Set Up Key Events and Conversions

GA4 tracks some basic events automatically, but you will want to set up custom events and conversions to track valuable interactions like purchases, form submissions, or video views.

Setting Up Events

1.     Go to Admin > Events and click Create Event.

2.     Define an event name (e.g., "form_submission").

3.     Set conditions for tracking the event (e.g., when a user clicks a "Submit" button).

4.     Click Save and GA4 will start tracking the event.

Marking Conversions

1.     In Events, find the event you want to track as a conversion.

2.     Toggle the switch to mark it as a conversion (e.g., "purchase" or "lead_submission").

GA4 will now track these conversions separately, making it easier to measure business goals.

 

Step 6: Connect GA4 with Google Tools

To maximize insights, link GA4 with other Google services:

• Google Search Console (SEO insights)
• Google Ads (better ad tracking)
• BigQuery (advanced data analysis)

 

Go to Admin > Product Links and connect these services to get a complete view of your website’s performance.

 

Step 7: Explore GA4 Reports and Insights

GA4’s interface is different from Universal Analytics, but it offers powerful custom reports and predictive insights.

1.     Go to Reports and explore sections like:

·         Engagement (how users interact with content)

·         Monetization (if you run an eCommerce site)

·         User Acquisition (where your traffic is coming from)

2.     Use the Explore tab to create custom reports tailored to your business goals.

 

Looking for SEO services that can help you with GA4 setup and ROI tracking? Reach out to the team at SEOTonic today and track how efficiently your campaigns are performing.

 

 

Source: https://www.seotonic.com/how-to-setup-ga4/