What you can see in GA4
- Acquisition: which channels bring visitors, such as organic search, paid search, social media and email.
- Engagement: which pages are viewed, for how long, and which events happen.
- Key events: the conversions that matter, such as purchases, form submissions, calls and sign-ups.
- Users: countries, devices and, where available, interests.
- Explorations: custom reports such as funnels and paths.
How GA4 works
A tracking code, added directly or through Google Tag Manager, sends events to Google whenever something happens on your site. Everything in GA4 is an event, from page views to purchases. In the EU and UK, analytics cookies need the visitor’s consent, so GA4 is usually set up with Consent Mode.
Tip
Link GA4 with Google Search Console and Google Ads, and mark your most important actions as key events, so you can see which channels actually bring customers.
Google Analytics vs Search Console
Analytics tells you what people do on your site. Search Console tells you how your pages appear in Google before the click. Use both, and link them so you can see search data next to behavior.
How to set up GA4
- Create a GA4 property and a data stream for your website.
- Add the tag to your site, directly, through a plugin or through Google Tag Manager.
- Mark your most important events as key events: form submissions, calls, purchases.
- Link Search Console and Google Ads.
- Check consent settings for visitors in the EU and UK, and set data retention to the period you need.
Key GA4 metrics
- Users and sessions: how many people visit and how many visits.
- Engagement rate: the share of engaged sessions. See bounce rate.
- Key events and conversion rate: how many visits do what you want. See conversion rate.
- Traffic acquisition: which channels bring visits. See UTM tracking codes.
Common mistakes
- Tracking only visits and not conversions.
- No UTM tags on campaign links, so traffic shows as direct.
- Counting your own visits. Filter internal traffic.
- Collecting data without the consent your country requires.
- Leaving event data retention at the short default when you need longer reports.
Google Analytics FAQs
Is Google Analytics free?
The standard version is free. A paid version, Analytics 360, is for large organizations.
Is Google Analytics legal in the EU?
It can be used with proper consent and settings, but the rules are strict and change. Check your country’s guidance and consider a privacy-focused alternative if needed.