How to Set Up Google Analytics 4 (GA4): A Complete Guide for Business Owners
Jack Amin
Digital Marketing & AI Automation Specialist
Quick Answer
To set up GA4, create a property and web data stream, install the Google tag (or via GTM), verify data collection, then mark your most important events as key events.
To set up GA4, create a property and web data stream, install the Google tag (or via GTM), verify data collection, then mark your most important events as key events.
GA4 (Google Analytics 4) is the default way to measure what’s happening on your website in 2026 — where visitors come from, what they do, and whether your marketing is producing real outcomes like enquiries, bookings, or sales.
If you’ve tried setting it up before and felt like you needed a computer science degree and a stiff drink, you’re not alone. The trick is to keep it simple: get the basics tracking cleanly, verify everything, then layer on the “business outcomes” (key events) that actually matter.
This guide walks you through the full setup in plain English, with two install options: Google tag (direct install) or Google Tag Manager (recommended).
What you’ll need before you start
Gather these first so you don’t have to stop mid-setup and go hunting:
- A Google account with access to your business (and ideally admin access to your website)
- Access to your website platform (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Next.js, etc.)
- If using Google Tag Manager: access to your GTM container (or ability to create one)
- A list of the actions you want to measure (leads, contact form submissions, phone clicks, purchases, bookings)
Also, make a quick note of your website URL (including whether it uses www), because consistency matters when you set up data streams and cross-domain tracking later.
Step 1: Create your GA4 account and property
Start by creating (or selecting) the correct Analytics account, then add a GA4 property for your website.
- Go to Google Analytics and log in.
- In the Admin area, create an Account if you don’t already have one for the business.
- Create a Property (this is where your website data lives).
- Set your reporting time zone (for Australian businesses, pick Australia/Sydney unless you have a reason not to).
A practical tip: name your property something unambiguous like “Codeble – Website (GA4)” instead of “Main Property.” Future-you will appreciate the clarity when you inevitably end up with multiple properties for ads, apps, subdomains, or client sites.
Step 2: Create a Web data stream and find your Measurement ID
Once the property exists, you need a Web data stream. This is GA4’s way of defining where the data comes from (your website vs an app).
- In GA4, go to Admin → Data streams.
- Create a Web stream and enter your website URL.
- GA4 will generate a Measurement ID that looks like
G-XXXXXXXXXX.
That Measurement ID is the “destination address” for your tracking data. You’ll use it whether you install via the Google tag directly or through Tag Manager.
While you’re here, check the stream settings for Enhanced measurement. For many small business sites, it’s useful (scroll tracking, outbound clicks, file downloads), but you should still verify what’s being collected so you don’t end up with noisy reporting.
Step 3: Install GA4 tracking (choose one method)
You have two common ways to install GA4. Both work. One is easier to manage long-term.
Option A: Install the Google tag directly (simplest)
This is the “quickest path” if you don’t want GTM yet.
- If your CMS has a field for a GA4/Google tag ID, paste your Measurement ID (
G-...) into that field. - If you’re adding the script manually, add the Google tag to the
<head>of your website.
Direct install is fine for basic pageview tracking. The downside is that every time you want to add a new event (like form submissions or phone clicks), you may end up editing code again.
Option B: Install via Google Tag Manager (recommended)
If you want cleaner event tracking and easier future changes, use GTM.
High-level steps:
- Create (or open) a GTM container for your site.
- Add a Google tag in GTM and enter your Tag ID / Measurement ID.
- Trigger it on all pages (typically an initialization or pageview trigger).
- Use Preview/Tag Assistant to verify, then Publish.
GTM becomes your control panel for tracking: you can add events, adjust triggers, and keep your setup consistent without repeatedly changing your website theme or codebase.
Step 4: Verify GA4 is actually collecting data
Do not skip verification. “It’s installed” is not the same as “it’s working.”
Here’s the fastest verification flow:
- Open your website in a new tab.
- In GA4, open Realtime reporting.
- You should see at least one active user (you) and page activity.
If you installed via GTM:
- Use Preview / Tag Assistant to confirm the Google tag fires.
- Then check that
page_viewevents and any enhanced measurement events are visible.
If you don’t see data:
- confirm you used the correct property
- confirm the correct Measurement ID
- check for cookie banners blocking analytics until consent is granted
- check ad blockers (test in an incognito window with extensions disabled)
A tiny bit of debugging here saves hours of “why is my reporting empty?” later.
Step 5: Configure the events that matter (Key Events)
GA4 is event-based. That means you don’t just track “page views” — you track user actions: clicks, submissions, purchases, downloads, and so on.
In modern GA4, the actions that matter most to your business are called key events. You can mark any collected event as a key event so it’s surfaced in reporting and performance analysis.
Start with a short list. For most service businesses, these are high-value:
| Business goal | Event idea | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Lead / enquiry | generate_lead or form_submit | Contact form submitted |
| Phone call | click (phone link) | Tap-to-call clicks on mobile |
| Email enquiry | click (mailto link) | Email link clicks |
| Booking | purchase or custom booking event | Completed booking/payment |
| Quote request | custom event | Quote form submitted |
| High intent | view_item / page milestone | Pricing page or contact page views |
If you’re using GTM, you can create these events based on triggers (form submission, click on specific buttons/links). The key is consistency: name events clearly, and only mark the truly important ones as key events, otherwise your reporting turns into a junk drawer.
Step 6: Set up “reporting hygiene” so your data stays clean
Once tracking works, do a few small settings that prevent common GA4 headaches:
- Filter internal traffic (so your own visits don’t pollute reporting)
- Cross-domain tracking if you send users to another domain for checkout, booking, or forms
- Referral exclusions if payment gateways or third-party tools show up as “referrals”
- Consent settings if you’re using a cookie banner (important for accuracy and compliance)
These settings vary by site stack and tools, but the goal is universal: make sure conversions and attribution reflect reality, not weird technical artifacts.
Step 7: Learn the first 3 GA4 reports you actually need
GA4 can be overwhelming because it can do a lot. Most business owners only need a few views at first:
- Acquisition: Where did visitors come from (Google, paid ads, email, social)?
- Engagement: What pages and content are people consuming?
- Key events: Which channels and pages are generating enquiries or sales?
Once you’ve got those three, you can add depth (audiences, funnel exploration, attribution), but don’t start there. Starting too complex is how GA4 becomes a “we installed it but never look at it” situation.
GA4 vs Universal Analytics: what changed?
Universal Analytics (UA) was session-based. GA4 is event-based. That one difference changes how you think about measurement.
| Concept | Universal Analytics | GA4 |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | Sessions and pageviews | Events and parameters |
| Primary goal | Website traffic reporting | Cross-platform behaviour + outcomes |
| “Conversions” | Goals | Key events (and Ads conversions) |
| Tracking | Category/Action/Label | Event name + parameters |
| Reporting | More out-of-box | More flexible, sometimes more setup |
If you’ve migrated from UA, the biggest mindset shift is to define what actions matter (leads, bookings, purchases) and make sure those actions are tracked cleanly as events and marked as key events.
Common GA4 setup mistakes (and how to avoid them)
Mistake 1: Installing GA4 twice This happens when a plugin adds GA4 and GTM also adds GA4. Result: duplicated pageviews and inflated numbers.
Mistake 2: Tracking pageviews but no outcomes If you don’t track leads, bookings, or purchases, GA4 becomes a fancy visitor counter. Define your key events early.
Mistake 3: Marking everything as a key event Key events should be “business-critical actions,” not every click and scroll. Keep the list short.
Mistake 4: Never verifying Always test in Realtime and (if using GTM) Tag Assistant Preview before calling it done.
Mistake 5: Ignoring consent and compliance If your cookie banner blocks analytics until consent, your numbers will look low unless you configure and understand the setup.
Key takeaways
- GA4 setup is easiest when you follow a simple order: property → data stream → install → verify → key events
- Google Tag Manager isn’t required, but it makes tracking and event management much easier
- Realtime reporting and Tag Assistant help you confirm tracking is working immediately
- Key events should reflect real business outcomes like enquiries, calls, bookings, and purchases
- A small amount of setup “hygiene” keeps your data accurate and useful over time
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