Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is now the only version of Google Analytics: the old Universal Analytics stopped processing data in 2023. Yet many business websites still run GA4 with the default settings, which means missing conversions, short data history and reports nobody trusts. This checklist covers what to set up so GA4 gives you numbers you can act on.
What Changed With GA4
GA4 is built around events rather than page views and sessions. Every interaction, whether a page view, a scroll, a click, a form submission or a purchase, is recorded as an event with optional details (parameters). It can combine website and app data in one property, and it uses machine learning for insights and predictive metrics such as purchase probability. The flexibility is powerful, but it means GA4 only measures what you set it up to measure.
GA4 Setup Checklist
1. Property and data stream
- Create a GA4 property with the correct time zone and currency (for India, IST and INR).
- Add a web data stream for your domain, and an app stream if you have an app.
- Turn on enhanced measurement to record scrolls, outbound clicks, site search, video engagement and file downloads automatically.
2. Install it properly, ideally with Google Tag Manager
- Install the Google tag once. Installing it twice, for example in the theme and again in Tag Manager, double-counts every visit.
- Using Google Tag Manager lets you add and change tracking without editing the website code each time.
- Confirm data is arriving with the Realtime and DebugView reports.
3. Key events (your conversions)
- Decide what counts as a lead or sale on your site: enquiry form sent, call button tapped, WhatsApp chat started, booking made, purchase completed.
- Track each of these as an event, fired only when the action actually succeeds (for example, after the form is confirmed as sent, not when the button is clicked).
- Mark the important ones as key events (GA4's name for conversions) so they appear in reports and can be imported into Google Ads.
- Never send personal data such as names, emails or phone numbers to GA4. Google's terms forbid it.
4. Consent and privacy
- If you have visitors from regions that require cookie consent, use a consent banner connected to Google Consent Mode, so tags respect each visitor's choice.
- Mention analytics and any session-recording tools in your privacy policy, in line with India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act.
5. Settings most people miss
- Data retention: the default for detailed reports is two months. Change it to 14 months so you can compare year on year.
- Internal traffic: filter out visits from your own office and team.
- Unwanted referrals: exclude payment gateways so purchases are not credited to them.
- Cross-domain tracking: set it up if users move between your own domains, such as a site and a separate booking domain.
6. Connect your other Google tools
- Link Google Search Console to see which searches bring organic visitors.
- Link Google Ads to import key events and measure ad performance. Our PPC team always sets up conversion tracking before launching campaigns.
- Consider the free BigQuery export if you need raw data for advanced analysis.
Reports Worth Checking Every Week
- Traffic acquisition: which channels (organic search, paid, social, referral, AI assistants such as chatgpt.com) bring visitors and key events.
- Landing pages: which pages people arrive on, and which of them lead to enquiries.
- Pages and screens: your most-viewed content and how engaged visitors are with it.
- Key events: the trend in leads and sales, and where they come from.
- Explorations: build a simple funnel, such as landing page, service page, form sent, to see where visitors drop off.
Common GA4 Mistakes
- Installing the tag twice and double-counting visits.
- Counting button clicks instead of successful form submissions as leads.
- Leaving data retention at two months.
- Not marking any key events, so GA4 cannot show what drives results.
- Never checking the data after set-up.
Need Help With GA4?
Accurate tracking is the foundation of every good marketing decision. Our digital marketing team sets up GA4, Tag Manager and conversion tracking as part of every campaign. Get in touch if you want your analytics checked.
