Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Guide: Understand, Track, and Optimise Your Website Performance

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) helps you track website visitors, see how they interact with your site, and measure key actions like sales or sign-ups. Whether you run a small blog or a large e-commerce store, GA4 gives you insights to make smarter decisions.

This guide simplifies GA4 setup, key metrics, user behaviour analysis, custom explorations, and conversion tracking.

1. Setting Up Google Analytics 4

GA4 setup is different from older versions, but it’s still easy to get started.

How to Set Up GA4

• Create an Account: Go to the GA4 website and sign in with your Google account.
• Set Up a Property: This is where GA4 collects data. Enter your website’s name and URL.
• Get Your Measurement ID: GA4 gives you a unique ID that tracks visitors on your site.
• Install the ID on Your Website: Add this ID to your website’s code. If you use WordPress, plugins like MonsterInsights or Site Kit by Google make it easy.

Key Settings to Configure

• Exclude Internal Traffic: Stop GA4 from tracking visits from you and your team.
• Enable Search Tracking: Let GA4 track searches visitors make on your site.
• Connect with Google Ads: See how your paid ads are performing.

2. Understanding GA4 Metrics

GA4 tracks visitor behaviour differently than older versions, focusing on event-based data.

Key GA4 Metrics

• Users: The number of unique visitors to your site.
• Sessions: A visitor’s time on your site (resets after 30 minutes of inactivity).
• Engaged Sessions: Sessions that last over 10 seconds, involve multiple pages, or include an action.
• Engagement Rate: The percentage of engaged sessions (replaces bounce rate).
• Events: Actions like clicks, page views, or video plays.
• Conversions: Important actions you want to track, like form submissions or purchases.

What These Metrics Tell You

• Low Engagement Rate? Your content may not be engaging enough—try adding interactive elements.
• More Active Users? See where they come from and double down on those channels.
• High Engaged Sessions? Find out which content works best and create more of it.

3. Tracking User Behaviour

GA4 helps you see how visitors navigate and interact with your site.

Useful Behaviour Reports

• Engagement Overview: See how visitors interact, including engagement time and sessions per user.
• Path Exploration: Shows how visitors move through your site and where they drop off.
• Events Report: Lists tracked actions like clicks and scrolls.
• Page Report: Shows which pages perform best and which need improvement.

How to Use Behaviour Data

• Fix Navigation Issues: Identify and improve pages where visitors leave quickly.
• Optimise High-Engagement Pages: Enhance popular content to increase conversions.
• Speed Up Slow Pages: A slow site can hurt engagement—optimise load times.

4. Creating Custom Reports and Events

GA4’s Explorations feature lets you dive deeper into your data.

How to Create a Custom Report

• Go to “Explore” in GA4.
• Use a Template or Start Fresh. Choose a preset template or create your own.
• Select Your Data. Pick dimensions (e.g., location, device type) and metrics (e.g., sessions, conversions).
• Apply Segments and Filters. Focus on specific users, like mobile visitors or people from a certain country.

Tracking Custom Events

• Mark Important Actions as Conversions. Flag actions like purchases or sign-ups for better tracking.
• Create Custom Events. If a built-in event doesn’t track what you need, create your own, like tracking users who scroll 75% down a page.

5. Conversion Tracking in GA4

GA4 helps you measure key actions that impact your business.

How to Track Conversions

• Define Conversions. Choose key actions like purchases or form submissions.
• Use UTM Codes. Track marketing campaigns by adding UTM tags to your links.
• Connect Google Ads. See how ads contribute to conversions.

Using Data to Boost Conversions

• Find Your Best Traffic Sources. Identify and invest in top-performing channels.
• Improve Landing Pages. Optimise pages with low engagement to encourage conversions.
• Retarget Interested Users. Use GA4 data to remarket to visitors who didn’t complete a purchase.

Get Expert GA4 Help with JB at Belmore Digital

I am JB of Belmore Digital—an expert in SEO, digital marketing, and analytics. I help businesses set up GA4 correctly, track meaningful data, and turn insights into revenue.

Need help? Book a free strategy call today and let’s make your GA4 data work for you!

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