Google Analytics 4 is entirely different from Universal Analytics, starting from the measurement model and finishing with free BigQuery integration. Therefore, it’s vital to follow Google Analytics 4 checklist when you set it up.
In other words, you should be completely accurate with the setup and follow best practices. The best way to do it is to use a free google analytics 4 setup checklist. You can copy my Google Sheet and use it online or download and print it. Your GA4 property will be way better than before you visited this page.
If you are interested in what areas are included in this checklist, you can learn more about them below.
Google Analytics 4 Checklist Step #1: GA4 property creation and the first steps
So, the document’s first section includes the basics you need to set up using the GA4 interface before adding the code to your website. Adding the code to your website using Google Tag Manager is fast. However, it’s not what I recommend. This section includes the following:
- Create GA4 property and create Web Stream
- Adjust Property Settings (Industry, Reporting Time, Currency)
- Activate all events in Enhanced Measurement
- Set up Site Search in Enhanced Measurement
- Configure domains in Data Stream Details (Cross-Domain Tracking)
- Define Internal Traffic and create a filter to exclude it
- Create a Developer Traffic filter
- List Unwanted Referral | Referral Exclusion List
- Adjust session timeout (optional)
- Override cookie settings (optional)
- Activate Data Collections
- Adjust Data Retention to 14 months
- Adjust Attribution Settings (optional)
- Add Your Team members to GA4
When you make all of the above, you are good to proceed with the second step.
The second part of the document consists of placing GA4 codes on your website. The step includes:
- Add Google Analytics 4 Pageview Tag to your website
- Implement necessary GA4 Events
- Set up Advanced Scroll Depth Tracking
- Implement User Properties for GA4
- Set up necessary Custom Dimensions and Metrics
- Implement GA4 Enhanced Ecommerce Tracking
- Set up Content Grouping in Google Analytics 4
- Set up Conversions in Google Analytics 4
Before implementing GA4 events, I recommend you look at the GA4 Specification I created to structure and enhance your GA4 setup, It will help you organise and measure user actions that matter for your business.
Step #3: Product links: integrate GA4 with other products
After you add all necessary Google Analytics 4 events through Google Tag Manager or another way. You can integrate other products with Google Analytics 4. Such as:
- Integrate GA4 and Google Search Console
- Integrate GA4 and Google Ads
- Integrate GA4 and Google Optimise
- Integrate GA4 and BigQuery
- Integrate GA4 and Ad Manager (optional)
- Integrate GA4 and Display & Video 360 Links (optional)
- Integrate GA4 and Merchant Center (optional)
- Integrate GA4 and Google Play Links (optional)
- Integrate GA4 and Search Ads 360 Links (optional)
These integrations will help you to enhance other tools with the correct data or go beyond the 14-month data retention period in GA4 (using BigQuery).
Step #4: Advance setup | Improve your analytics
Moving on, there is only one step left to get your GA4 property to the moon! This step is about polishing your GA4 account, setting up dashboards, and audiences and merging your external data with GA4 data.
- Activate Reporting Libraries
- Set up Custom Insights
- Create Audiences
- Create Predictive Audiences
- Create audience-trigger events
- Enable Remarketing for Audiences
- Upload data from .CSV or SFTP (Facebook Ads, Bing Ads, Cost Data)
- Set up Google Sheets to keep annotations (or Chrome Extension)
- Set up Reports in GA4 Explorations
- Set up Dashboards in Google Data Studio
GA4 checklist can look easy, but when you implement it step by step, you will see the first lucrative benefits of using it in a month or two once your GA4 data is reliable and is not skewed.
Need help with Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 is a genuinely new analytics tool different from Universal Analytics. If you need help setting it up for SaaS, Ecommerce, Marketplace or another business, you can send me a message or schedule a meeting with me today. I also provide a 6-month guarantee service after every successful implementation. Let’s get in touch!
Frequently Asked Questions
The best way to set up Google Analytics 4 right for the first time is to use a GA4 checklist. You can download a free checklist on my website. You don’t need to provide the email address.
