How to Set Up Google Analytics 4
To set up Google Analytics 4, create a GA4 property, install the tag on your site, configure your data stream and mark the actions that matter as key events. Done correctly, it shows you who visits, what they do and which pages earn their keep.
- Updated Oct 2026 first published April 2023
What is Google Analytics 4?
GA4 is Google’s free analytics platform, and since it replaced Universal Analytics in 2023 it has been the only version.
It tracks what people do on your site across phones, tablets and computers, and it works differently from the older analytics many owners learned first.
How GA4 differs
- Events (things people do), not just page views.
- Better tracking across devices and platforms.
- Stronger privacy controls and consent handling.
- Trends and unusual changes flagged for you.
Why set it up properly
- More accurate measurement of what visitors actually do.
- Tight integration with Google Ads and Search Console.
- Better privacy compliance for UK and EU traffic.
- Reports you can base real decisions on.
How to set up Google Analytics 4, step by step
Four steps take you from nothing to useful data.
- Create a GA4 property. Sign in to Google Analytics, click “Create property”, enter your website name and time zone, then choose your data stream settings.
- Install the tracking code. There are three routes to install Google Analytics: add the tag manually to your site, manage it through Google Tag Manager (easiest to maintain), or use a GA4-compatible WordPress plugin.
- Configure your data streams. Set up a web stream for your website (and an app stream if you have one), and review the enhanced measurement settings, which track scrolls, outbound clicks and downloads automatically.
- Mark your key events. Mark the actions that matter as key events: purchases, contact form submissions, lead generation and video views. GA4 called these conversions until 2024, so older guides still use that word. Without them, GA4 counts traffic but not results.
Serving UK or EEA visitors? Pair GA4 with Consent Mode v2 so your tags respect each visitor’s cookie choice. Our Consent Mode v2 guide covers it.
Sharing links in emails, social posts or ads on other platforms? Tag them so GA4 shows which one brought each visitor. Our free UTM link builder makes the tagged link for you.
GA4 features worth using
Once the basics are in, these three areas repay the setup time.
Events and parameters
GA4 tracks events rather than pageviews. You can add your own events, with extra details, to measure the actions and visitors that matter to your business.
Machine learning insights
GA4 flags sudden changes for you, suggests improvements and, on busy shops, can predict how likely a visitor is to buy. These are signals you would otherwise have to dig for.
Privacy controls
You choose how long data is kept, and consent settings let you measure what you need while respecting each visitor’s cookie choice.
Best practices for your GA4 setup
A good setup starts before you touch the tool and continues after launch.
- Plan your tracking first. Write down your key business objectives, the user actions that matter and the conversion funnels you want to see, then build the setup around them.
- Test the implementation. Open GA4’s real-time report and check that your own visit shows up. Then check that each event arrives with the details you expect.
- Extend data retention. GA4 keeps detailed event data for 2 months by default. In Admin, under Data retention, change it to 14 months, the longest a free property allows, so your explorations can compare this year with last.
- Link Google Ads and Search Console. Link both in Admin, so ad clicks and the searches people use to find you show up next to your site data.
- Review and maintain. Look at the reports regularly, update tracking when your site or goals change, and keep an eye on GA4’s own updates, because the platform moves quickly.
Common setup problems
Two issues to check first if the data looks wrong.
Tracking not working
Check the tag is installed on every page, verify the data stream settings and use GA4’s DebugView to watch events arrive in real time while you test.
Numbers that don’t match
GA4 counts in its own way, so its numbers won’t match older analytics or your ad platforms exactly. Learn how its reports count, and trust your conversion tracking for the numbers that matter.
GA4 setup questions
Want the bigger picture first? See all our website guides.
Is Google Analytics 4 free?
Yes. GA4 is free for the volumes any small business will see, and it is the standard way to measure website traffic. The costs, if any, come from setup time and from tools you connect to it, not from GA4 itself.
What is the easiest way to set up Google Analytics 4 on WordPress?
A GA4-compatible plugin is the quickest route, and Google Tag Manager is the most flexible: install GTM once, then manage GA4 and any other tags from one place without touching the site again. Manual installation works too, if you are comfortable editing your theme.
How do I know my GA4 tracking is working?
Open the real-time report and visit your own site: you should see yourself appear within seconds. For a deeper check, use DebugView to watch individual events arrive while you click around, and confirm your key events fire when you submit a test enquiry.
What should I track as conversions?
The actions that lead to revenue: purchases, contact form submissions, phone clicks, quote requests and any lead generation steps in between. Mark them as key events, GA4’s name for conversion events since 2024. If everything is a conversion, nothing is, so start with the handful of actions you would genuinely celebrate. Once they’re tracked, our guide on how to improve your website conversion rate shows how to raise them.
How long does it take to set up Google Analytics 4?
A basic setup takes about an hour: create the property, add the tag and check the real-time report. Marking key events, linking Google Ads and Search Console and testing every form usually takes a few hours more, and it is the part that makes the data useful.
Do I need Google Tag Manager to use GA4?
No, but it helps. You can install GA4 on WordPress with a plugin, or add the tag directly. GTM earns its place when you add more tracking later, such as Google Ads conversion tags or Consent Mode, because everything is managed and tested in one container.
Want your tracking set up properly?
We set up GA4, Google Tag Manager and conversion tracking so you can see exactly what your website brings in, at a flat £30 an hour.
Analytics and tracking services
We install GA4, set up and test your conversions, and build reports around the numbers your business uses.
The next step: consent
If you serve UK or EEA visitors, GA4 needs Consent Mode v2 to stay compliant and keep your conversion data. Our guide explains it.
Free quote
Tell us what you want to measure. We send a written quote in hours at £30 an hour, within 2 working days.