Google Analytics 4 Quickstart
Set up GA4 properly: events, conversions, audiences, and meaningful dashboards.
What You'll Learn
- Create a GA4 property and install the tracking code
- Design a meaningful event taxonomy before going live
- Mark high-value actions as conversions
- Build audiences for remarketing in Google Ads
- Create an Exploration report to analyze user funnels
Prerequisites
- A Google account
- Access to your website's HTML or CMS
- A Google Ads account (optional, for audiences)
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1
1. Create a GA4 Property
In Google Analytics, click Admin → Create Property → select GA4. Add a Web Data Stream with your site URL. Copy the Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX). Install via Google Tag Manager (recommended) or paste the gtag snippet directly into your <head>. Verify installation in GA4's Realtime report — visit your site and confirm an active user appears.
Step 2
2. Plan Your Event Taxonomy
GA4 auto-collects page_view, scroll, click, and session_start. Before adding custom events, map your business goals to events. Example for an academy: tutorial_started, tutorial_completed, internship_applied, newsletter_subscribed. Use snake_case names, keep parameters under 25 per event, and document everything in a tracking plan spreadsheet before implementing.
Step 3
3. Implement Custom Events
Fire custom events with gtag('event', 'tutorial_completed', { tutorial_id: 'react-hooks', domain: 'web' }) or via GTM's Custom Event trigger. For link clicks, use GTM's Click trigger with a Variable that captures the destination URL. Test every event in GA4 DebugView (enable with ?gtm_debug=1 in your URL) before marking the implementation as done.
Step 4
4. Mark Conversions & Build Audiences
In GA4 → Admin → Events, toggle key events (e.g., internship_applied) to 'Mark as conversion'. In Audiences, create segments like 'Viewed 3+ tutorials but not applied' — these are warm leads. Export audiences to Google Ads for remarketing campaigns. GA4 audiences update daily and apply to future sessions, not historical data.
Step 5
5. Build a Funnel Exploration
Go to Explore → Funnel Exploration. Define steps: 1. page_view (tutorials page) → 2. tutorial_started → 3. tutorial_completed → 4. internship_applied. GA4 shows drop-off at each step. Segment by device, source, or user property to find where mobile users drop more than desktop. Use this data to prioritize UX fixes.
Further Reading & Resources
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