Beginner Tutorial for Google Analytics 4 (GA4)- Quick Guide

Introduction

Google Analytics 4 is a fully redesigned platform as compared to earlier iterations. New interface, new Google Tag Manager tag template, new data model, new configuration procedures, etc.

This prompts several queries: Where should we begin? What should the ideal configuration be?

You’ve come to the perfect place if you’re not sure where to begin about GA4 Google Analytics. Here, we’ll walk you through the GA4 exact first steps and provide you with some additional guidance.

What is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

On July 1, 2023, GA4 Google Analytics, tool over the role of Universal Analytics.

The machine learning technique is used in new Analytics 4 to provide sophisticated tracking and reporting functionalities. As a result, website owners can more precisely assess how their site performs on various platforms.

Early migration is crucial for current Universal Analytics users to create their current data collection and organization in the new platform. If not, you might not be able to save your significant data history for later use.

We will delve more into how Google Analytics G4 varies from its predecessor UA in light of the important upgrades it has. We’ll cover a variety of GA 4 topics in this post, including its significant revisions, installation procedures, event and conversion measurement, reporting features and more.

What Has Changed in Google Analytics 4?

Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics differ primarily in four ways:

• Measuring across multiple platforms: You can gather information from your iOS and Android apps, as well as your website, using GA4 analytics.
• Setup for privacy: Google Analytics 4 lets website owners collect user data more responsibly with new privacy features, including measuring without cookies. Also, the platform will no longer store IP addresses.
• Tracking depending on events: Instead of tracking data for specific visits, this helps you keep tabs on actions users take. This way, you can track things like when people make purchases or engage with your site to understand how they interact with your business.
• Forecasting metrics: Predictive analytics enables you to forecast future user behavior, such as the likelihood of a purchase or churn and expected income, using Google’s machine learning algorithm.

How to Set Up Google Analytics 4?

There are a few steps involved in setting up GA4 Google Analytics so that you can begin monitoring and analyzing user behavior on your website or app.

Create a Google Analytics 4 Property:

• Log in to your Google Analytics account (or create one if you don’t have it).
• Navigate to the “Admin” section.
• Under the “Property” column, click on the “+ Create Property” button.
• Choose the “Web” or “App” option depending on your tracking needs.

Provide Property Details:

• Enter a name for your property.
• Choose the appropriate reporting time zone and currency.

Data Streams (For Websites):

• If you’re setting up GA4 for a website, you’ll need to create a data stream.
• Provide the website URL and other relevant information.
• You’ll receive a Measurement ID (similar to UA-XXXXXXX-XX in Universal Analytics) that you’ll need to integrate into your website’s code.

Install Tracking Code:

• Copy the Measurement ID provided for your data stream.
• Integrate the tracking code into your website’s HTML or use Google Tag Manager to manage your tags.

Enable Enhanced Measurement (Optional but Recommended):

• Enhanced Measurement provides additional tracking capabilities without requiring custom code changes.
• In the Admin section, go to your property settings.
• Under “Data Collection,” turn on Enhanced Measurement and select the events you want to track automatically.

Configure Event Tracking:

• GA4 focuses on event-based tracking. Define the events you want to track, such as page views, clicks, form submissions, and custom interactions.
• You can set up custom events based on your specific tracking needs.

Set Up Conversions (Goals):

• Define conversions that represent important actions on your website or app (e.g., completing a purchase, signing up, etc.).
• You can set up event-based conversions or use predefined templates.

Verify Tracking:

• After implementing the tracking code, wait for some data to populate in your GA4 account.
• Use the real-time reports to verify that data is being collected correctly.

Customize Reports and Analysis:

• Explore the reporting interface to analyze user behavior, user engagement, and other relevant metrics.
• Create custom reports, and segments, and explore the different analysis tools GA4 offers.

Set Up Data Enhancements (Optional):

• GA4 allows you to enhance your data with additional information like user demographics, interests, and more.
• This often requires integration with Google Ads and other platforms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this beginner tutorial has provided a comprehensive introduction to Google Analytics 4, equipping readers with a fundamental understanding of its features, functionalities, and benefits. Through this tutorial, we have delved into the process of setting up a Analytics 4 account, integrating it into a website or app, and navigating its user interface.