Google Analytics (GA-4) A Detail Guide

8 min readSep 25, 2024

If you’ve ever questioned how organizations track everything customers do, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Google Analytics. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the most recent and improved version that has been released. So what exactly is it?

GA4 is a fantastic tool for analyzing user navigation on your web page or app. It goes beyond merely counting visitors to show how users interact, such as the sites they visit, the duration they stay, and which items they click.

In addition to collecting user actions, GA4 uses modern technology like artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver more specific information. According to standards such as GDPR to secure user data, it is also designed to be confidential.

Whether you’re an organization owner, a marketing professional, or simply curious, Google Analytics (GA-4) is a detailed guide that will help you learn about your clients and improve your online exposure.

What Is Google Analytics (GA4)?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the most recent version of Google’s tool for following website information. It allows businesses to understand more than simply how several individuals visit their websites. GA4 enables you to monitor how clients communicate with your mobile application or website across several platforms.

GA4 uses smart technology, such as AI, to deliver more detail on what visitors do on your company’s website. It also appreciates consumer secrecy and complies with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. GA4’s privacy-first approach and comprehensive data analysis provide valuable insights for increasing your company’s productivity.

What Is GA4 Used For?

GA4 allows you to analyze how visitors interact with your website, what they select to click on, and how they explore your site. You might use this data to improve your content and marketing tactics and develop enhanced customer acquisition approaches.

Whether you manage a business, deal with data, do SEO, or plan promotions, GA4 provides the tools to comprehend and help your visitors. Here are several ways to implement GA 4:

See how users behave on different devices and platforms
Boost your SEO efforts
Make your marketing campaigns stronger
Build accurate customer profiles
Check how your online store is doing
Make the user experience better

Google Analytics (GA-4) a Detail Guide: How to Get Started?

If you already have a Universal Analytics account, you might have a GA4 property ready. But don’t worry — there’s still some setup to do. To begin, make sure you have access to:

The Google Marketing Platform website
Your website’s backend

And you’re ready to get started!

How to Set Up Google Analytics 4: Step-by-Step Guide

Never used Google Analytics before? Here’s how you can begin.

Step 1: Make an Account

Go to the Google Marketing Platform and click “Sign in to Google Marketing Platform.”
Next, press the “Set up” button under Analytics.
Then, on the resulting screen, click “Start measuring.”
You will be led to a website where you might establish an account.

Step 2: Add Your Account Name and Adjust Settings

In the “Account Name” field, enter your name, which is typically the name of your company or website.
Select the data you wish to provide with Google by checking the boxes.
After that, click “Next.”

Step 3: Set Up Your Property

In the “Property name” box, type the name of your website URL.
Then, set the “Reporting time zone” and “Currency” based on what works best for your business.
Click “Next,” and you’ll be asked simple business-related questions.
After that, choose your main goal for using Google Analytics.
Pick one that fits your needs.
Finally, we agree with the Google Analytics 4 terms of service.

Step 4: Set Up a Data Stream

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) collects data from your web page or app using a “data stream.” You will need to add a single for any platform you use. Here’s how:

How to Add a Web Data Stream

Click the “Web” button to add your website.
Enter your URL and give your website a name for the “Stream name” box.
We suggest leaving the “Enhanced measurement” option turned on.
Click “Create stream.”
This allows GA4 to automatically track video plays, link clicks, downloads, and more.
After you hit “Create stream,” you’ll see your web stream details. Click “View tag instructions” to learn how to install the GA4 code on your website or CMS, like WordPress or Shopify.

Step 5: Add the GA4 Tracking Code to Your Website

To link your web page to GA4 (Google Analytics 4), you must provide a unique tracking code that allows GA4 to collect data. There are three simple methods to do this:

Add the code manually
Use a CMS (like WordPress or Shopify) or a website builder
Use Google Tag Manager

In this guide, we’ll focus on the manual method. After clicking “View tag instructions” in the last step, you’ll see clear directions for adding the GA4 code. Whether you use a conventional website with a CMS like WordPress or Shopify, here’s what you need to do:

Click “Install manually” to get the JavaScript code.
Copy the code.
Add this code to the “<head>” portion of each page on your website.

The method you use will vary depending on the platform.

For example, you can utilize the “Insert Headers and Footers” plugin on WordPress or customize the theme’s header.
You could paste the code into Shopify’s Google Analytics area of the admin dashboards.

This will set up GA4 tracking on your site!

How to Know If GA4 Is Working

Here’s a simple technique to see if Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is functioning correctly:

Click on “Reports” > “Real-time” in Google Analytics.
Open your website in another browser window.
Go back to the real-time report in GA4.
If everything is set up right, you should see details like your location and the page you’re on in the report.

If it’s not working, try the following fixes:

Check Google Tag Assistant to determine if the following code is correctly installed on your website.
Use GA4’s DebugView to find any mistakes with event tracking.
If you’re using Google Tag Manager, ensure your GA4 configuration tag is set up correctly.

Connecting GA4 With Other Google Products

Connecting GA4 to Google resources such as Google Ads and Google Search Console can significantly improve your marketing results. It lets you see how users find and utilize your website, improving your approach.

Do you want to get this process started? Let us help you through it!

In this example, we will link GA4 to Google Search Console. Connecting to other Google tools works the same way.
Go to the “Admin” menu (at the bottom left) and click on “Product links.”
You’ll see a list of tools to connect to GA4.
Click on “Search Console links.”
In the next window, click “Link.”
Click “Choose accounts.”
A new window will show Google Search Console accounts linked to your email. Check the box next to the property you want to connect and click “Confirm.”
You’ll be taken to the “Link setup” window. Click “Next.”
Click “Select” to pick the right web stream.
Pick the correct data stream in the “Choose a data stream” window.
You’ll return to the link setup window. Click “Next” to keep going.
Review the details to make sure everything is matched up correctly.
To finish, click “Submit.”

And that’s it! You’re all set.

Universal Analytics (UA) vs. GA4

Switching from Universal Analytics to GA4 was a massive transition for many people, which is sensible. This transition is more than simply a quick fix; it is a new way of doing things that may feel unfamiliar. We’re here to assist you in making this transition easier.

Let’s integrate the features you are familiar with in Universal Analytics with the new capabilities in GA4 so that you feel safe when using the new platform.

Data Models

Universal Analytics (UA) and GA4 use different data collection methods.
UA focused on tracking user sessions and page views.
GA4 tracks user interactions, like clicks, purchases, and form submissions.
So, what does this mean? UA could tell you a user visited a product page. GA4 can do that, too — and even more.
GA4 gives more details, like:
What images do users click on?
If they added items to their shopping cart.
How far they scrolled down the page.

This level of detail wasn’t possible in UA, but with GA4, you can dive much deeper into understanding your users’ actions.

Metrics and Measurement

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) retains specific traditional indicators, such as “sessions,” “pageviews,” “bounce rate,” and “conversion rate,” that proved critical in Universal Analytics. However, GA4 focuses more on tracking events.

That’s why the GA4 interface looks different from the old version. You’ll notice less importance placed on things like “bounce rate.” Instead, there is a greater emphasis on indicators such as “engagement time,” “scroll depth,” and “engagement rate,” which assist in recognizing how people utilize a site.

Device Tracking Capabilities

Tracking Universal Analytics (UA) devices had some issues, especially when following a user’s journey across different devices. However, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) handles this much better.

Here’s why it matters:

In UA, if someone starts browsing on their laptop and later buys something on their phone, the system might count them as two separate users. In GA4, that same person gets a unique anonymous ID that links all their actions together, no matter their device. So, GA4 sees their journey from laptop to smartphone as one smooth experience.

Privacy and User Data Control

UA relied on tracking with cookies. GA4 is built for a future without cookies. Although it still uses cookies for now, this feature will be phased out soon.

Customer Journey Analysis

We used sessions and pageviews in UA instead of following the user’s journey. You had to assemble different sessions to understand how a user moved through your site. However, with GA4, you can track the user’s journey more completely. This gives you a smooth and clear view of how users interact with your website.

Conversion Tracking

In Universal Analytics (UA), you needed to set specific goals and funnels, which could be tricky and detailed. But with GA4, it’s much more manageable. It automatically tracks standard events for you. This means less work on your end and smoother tracking. GA4’s advanced ecommerce tracking helps you easily see user transactions, revenue, and how products are performing.

Data Setup and Integration

GA4 makes things more accessible compared to UA, where you must set up separate properties for different platforms like desktop and mobile. With GA4, you create separate data streams for each platform with a few clicks. After that, GA4 automatically gathers and organizes all the data for you.

Reporting and Customization

One of the best things about GA4 is that you can easily customize its reports. Sure, it comes with ready-made reports when you start. But the real magic is in how you can change them to show just the information you want.

The “Exploration” feature allows you to mix, group, and study data to make custom reports. This wasn’t possible in the same way with UA. You could customize it with custom dimensions and metrics, but the options were more limited.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Google Analytics (GA-4) is a detailed guide that helps you understand how people interact with your website and app. It offers advanced features like smart tracking, privacy-focused data collection, and easy setup across different platforms.

Whether you’re new to analytics or from Universal Analytics, GA4 makes it easy to track user behavior, develop advertising strategies, and make sensible choices. With its customizable reporting and seamless interaction with other Google tools, GA4 is a must-have resource for a company trying to improve its online image.