How To Set Up Ga4: A Complete Step-by-step Guide (2025)

What Is GA4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is simply a free instrumentality for hunt visits to websites and apps. It too tracks interactions that hap connected these platforms.

This instrumentality provides insights into postulation numbers, personification demographics, most-visited pages, and more. Google developed GA4 and its predecessor, Universal Analytics (UA).

In this guide, we’ll explicate really GA4 differs from UA, really to group up GA4, and really to usage it to measurement your website’s performance.

How GA4 Tracking Differs from UA

UA was nan earlier type of Google Analytics earlier Google launched GA4 successful October 2020.

GA4 differs from UA successful cardinal ways:

• User interactions: UA called personification interactions “hits,” pinch circumstantial deed types for page views, events, and different interactions. GA4 calls each personification interactions “events.”
• Google Analytics narration structure: UA accounts could incorporated aggregate properties, which could past incorporated aggregate views for filtered accusation segments. GA4 accounts tin still incorporated aggregate properties, but they cannot incorporated views. Unlike UA properties, GA4 properties tin personification aggregate accusation streams from websites and apps. UA properties tracked accusation from only 1 source.

Standard UA accounts stopped processing accusation connected July 1, 2023. If you want to measurement website capacity pinch Google Analytics, you petition to group up GA4.

Further reading: Differences Between GA4 and UA

How to Set up GA4

Setting up GA4 involves 5 main steps:

1. Create a GA4 Account
2. Create a GA4 Property
3. Provide Your Business Details
4. Provide Your Business Objectives
5. Create a Data Stream

1. Create a GA4 Account

You petition a Google Analytics narration to group up GA4. If you don’t already personification one, spell tohttps://analytics.google.com/ and log successful to your Google account.

After logging in, click nan cogwheel icon connected nan adjacent sidebar to entree nan “Admin” settings.

On nan Admin dashboard, click “+ Create” > “Account” to create your Google Analytics account.

Give your narration a punishment successful nan “Account name” field. Use nan “Account Data Sharing Settings” to premier really you want to stock your accusation pinch Google.

Click “Next” erstwhile you’re done.

2. Create a GA4 Property

A GA4 spot is simply a postulation of accusation from a website aliases app. A elemental spot illustration is 1 that has accusation from only a azygous website aliases app. If you personification overmuch precocious reporting needs, group up a spot that gathers information from aggregate sources.

To create a GA4 property, proviso a punishment successful nan “Property name” field. The punishment must incorporated astatine slightest 4 characters. Then, specify your preferred clip area and currency.

Click “Next.”

3. Provide Your Business Details

Fill retired nan “Industry category” and “Business size” fields.

Click “Next.”

4. Provide Your Business Objectives

Select astatine slightest 1 business objective. GA4 uses these choices to tailor its default reports to meet your needs.

If you premier “Get baseline reports,” GA4 will proviso reports covering nan afloat customer life rhythm alternatively of reports focused connected a azygous business objective.

Click “Create.”

Google Analytics’ position of activity connection will appear. Adjust nan authorities mounting if needed.

Review nan agreement. If you accept, click “I Accept.”

5. Create a Data Stream

A data stream sends accusation from your website aliases app to your GA4 property. Creating a accusation watercourse depends connected whether your guidelines is simply a website, iOS app, aliases Android app.

To create a accusation watercourse from a website, click “Web.”

Type your domain successful nan “Website URL” field. Provide a punishment successful nan “Stream name” field.

Then click “Create stream.”

A exemplary will look showing your accusation stream’s measurement ID and different details.

Save nan measurement ID location convenient. You whitethorn petition it later.

After creating your website’s accusation stream, nan adjacent measurement is to instal GA4 connected your website.

Further reading: This guideline covers creating accusation streams for iOS and Android apps.

How to Install GA4 connected Your Website

Watch this video for an overview of nan GA4 installation process connected a website:

Below, we’ll banal nan steps for these 3 GA4 installation methods:

1. Install GA4 pinch Google Tag Manager
2. Install GA4 Using an Integration
3. Install GA4 Manually

Use nan first method if you personification Google Tag Manager (GTM) connected your site. 

Use nan 2nd method if you utilized a website builder for illustration WordPress, Squarespace, aliases Wix and don’t personification GTM. 

If your website doesn’t personification GTM and can’t merge pinch GA4, usage nan 3rd method to instal GA4 manually.

Method 1: Install GA4 pinch Google Tag Manager

GTM is simply a level for adding codification snippets (called “tags”) to a website without nonstop codification edits. This includes tags for GA4.

If you want to usage this method but don’t personification GTM installed, travel these steps to group it up first. You’ll create a “container” that holds tags and different modifications successful GTM.

Then, spell tohttps://tagmanager.google.com/ and log successful to your Google account.

Select your website’s GTM container.

Click “Add a caller tag” connected your container’s workspace overview.

Click “Untitled Tag” to punishment your tag, for illustration “GA4 Setup.”

Click anyplace successful nan “Tag Configuration” panel.

From nan “Choose tag type” window, premier “Google Tag.”

Fill retired nan “Tag ID” conception pinch your GA4 accusation stream’s measurement ID. If you haven’t saved it, study really to find it here.

Adjust nan tag’s configuration, shared event, and precocious settings if needed.

Click anyplace successful nan “Triggering” expanse to specify erstwhile GTM should load nan GA4 tag. That tag sends accusation from your website to GA4.

From nan “Choose a trigger” window, premier “Initialization - All Pages.” This will load nan GA4 tag earlier immoderate different tags.

Click “Save” to prevention your caller tag.

Next, proceedings your GA4 tag by clicking “Preview” connected nan container’s workspace overview.

The Google Tag Assistant will unfastened successful a caller tab. Type your domain into nan “Your website’s URL” conception and click “Connect.”

Your website will unfastened successful a caller window. Leave it unfastened and return to Tag Assistant.

If Tag Assistant connects successfully, a “Connected!” exemplary will appear. Click “Continue.”

In Tag Assistant, cheque nan “Tags Fired” people successful nan “Output of [your measurement ID]” panel. If you spot your GA4 tag there, GTM loaded it successfully.

Close Tag Assistant and your website. Then, click “Submit” successful nan container’s workspace overview to finalize your GTM changes.

A “Submit Changes” exemplary will appear.

Leave “Submission Configuration” arsenic “Publish and Create Version.” Then use:

• The “Version Name” conception to punishment nan caller type of your website (e.g., “GA4 installed”)
• The “Version Description” conception to proviso specifications of your changes

Click “Publish” to activate your GA4 installation.

Method 2: Install GA4 Using an Integration

Some website builders (like Squarespace and Wix) personification autochthonal GA4 integration. They spot built-in features to nexus a tract pinch GA4. You conscionable adhd your GA4 measurement ID.

Follow these guides to instal GA4 utilizing your website builder’s autochthonal integration:

• How to instal GA4 connected a Squarespace website
• How to instal GA4 connected a Wix website

WordPress doesn’t personification autochthonal GA4 integration. Instead, usage a third-party plugin. Many are available, including Google’s Site Kit plugin, which we’ll show here.

Log successful to your WordPress admin dashboard and click “Plugins” > “Add New Plugin.”

On nan “Add Plugins” page, type “site kit” into nan hunt field.

Then, spot “Enter” aliases “return” connected your keyboard to tally nan search.

Look for “Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed.” Click “Install Now" to adhd nan plugin.

Then click “Activate.”

You’ll spot a occurrence relationship confirming Site Kit activation. Click “Start setup.”

On nan setup screen, cheque nan instrumentality that says “Connect Google Analytics arsenic information of your setup,” past click “Sign successful pinch Google.”

Sign successful and assistance Site Kit entree to your Google narration arsenic prompted.

Site Kit will line you done these 3 steps:

1. Verifying ownership of your website
2. Turning connected metrics successful Site Kit
3. Setting up Google Search Console (GSC)

When you finish, you’ll spot a aboveground branded “Set up Google Analytics.” Click “Next” to instal GA4 connected your site.

On nan “Connect Service” screen, usage nan “Account,” “Property,” and “Web accusation stream” drop-downs to premier nan GA4 account, property, and information watercourse you created. 

Then click “Configure Analytics.”

A occurrence relationship will corroborate GA4 is installed connected your website.

Method 3: Install GA4 Manually

To instal GA4 manually, spell to nan “Web watercourse details”window for your website’s accusation watercourse successful GA4. Click “Admin” successful nan adjacent sidebar.

Under “Property settings,” premier “Data postulation and modification” > “Data streams.”

Click your website’s accusation stream.

In nan “Web watercourse details” window, scroll down and premier “View tag instructions.”

Click “Install manually.”

A codification snippet will appear. Copy it utilizing nan clipboard icon.

Paste nan snippet into each page’s HTML, instantly aft nan opening <head> tag.

Save your changes.

How to Track Events pinch GA4

UA treated “events” arsenic circumstantial personification interactions (excluding page loads). GA4 considers all interactions arsenic “events.”

GA4 events examples include:

• Page loads
• First visits
• Form submissions
• Adding items to a shopping cart

To spot events successful GA4, click “Reports” successful nan adjacent sidebar.

Then click “Engagement” > “Events.”

You’ll spot a database of events GA4 detected for a circumstantial time range.

Each arena preamble shows:

• Event count: Total triggers of that event
• Total users: Unique users who triggered nan event
• Event count per user: Average triggers per user
• Total revenue: Total gross nan arena generated

Click nan time scope astatine nan apical to alteration nan arena reporting clip frame.

Click immoderate arena successful nan study to get event-specific metrics like:

• Event count by country
• Event count by gender
• Events per session

For example, here’s nan user_engagement arena report:

You tin too create an “Exploration” (an precocious civilization report) for definite events.

Further reading: How to Create a Custom GA4 Events Exploration

How to Track Conversions pinch GA4

A conversion is an arena that fulfills a business goal. Examples include:

• A merchandise objection booking
• An bid placement
• A grounds download

GA4 doesn’t proviso default conversion events, truthful you must group them up yourself to lucifer your goals. GA4 will past grounds them arsenic they occur.

To position conversions, click “Reports” successful nan adjacent sidebar.

Then click “Engagement” > “Conversions.”

For immoderate fixed time range, you’ll see:

• Conversions: The number of times nan conversion arena occurred
• Total users: How galore unsocial users converted
• Total revenue: Revenue earned from that event

Use nan Conversions metric successful different GA4 reports to measurement conversions by postulation source, page, aliases different attributes. For example, successful nan Pages and screens report, you tin spot really galore conversions occurred connected each page.

Click nan “All events” drop-down nether nan Conversion metric to spot results for circumstantial conversion events.

How to Import Data to GA4

You tin import accusation from different sources (like CRM tools) into GA4. This centralizes your accusation truthful you tin analyse it each successful 1 platform.

Data you tin import includes:

• Ad costs data
• Item data
• User ID data
• Client ID data
• Offline arena data

You tin import accusation manually pinch a CSV file, aliases you tin schedule regular imports from a CSV grounds connected an SFTP server.

To do this, click “Admin” successful nan adjacent sidebar.

Under “Property settings,” premier “Data postulation and modification” > “Data import.”

Click “Create accusation source.”

Give nan accusation guidelines a descriptive punishment and premier nan accusation type you’re importing.

Scroll down and return your import source.

If your import guidelines is simply a CSV file, click “Upload CSV” to upload nan file. If you’re utilizing an SFTP server, move nan import guidelines to “SFTP,” tin retired your server details, and group up nan import schedule.

Click “Next.”

Map nan accusation fields from your guidelines to GA4’s fields.

Click “Import.”

The import will commencement correct away.

If you’re importing from SFTP, click nan pencil icon to rename your import fields to lucifer nan CSV. 

Then click “Create & make key.”

GA4 will nutrient a nationalist cardinal to authorize nan narration to your SFTP server. Copy this cardinal and adhd it to your server settings.

GA4 will import your accusation according to nan schedule you set. Then you tin analyse accusation from GA4 and different sources together.

Types of Analyses successful GA4

GA4 tin thief you analyze:

• Number of users who visited your website. You tin spot trends complete clip by adjusting nan time range.

  

• Demographics of your website visitors. Includes country, city, language, gender, and interests.

• Most celebrated pages. Includes really bully they thrust conversions.

• Events happening connected your website

• Conversions connected your website

• Top postulation sources. Tracks integrated search, email, referrals, and nonstop visits.

• Devices users usage to sojourn your website. Distinguishes desktop vs. mobile and moreover operating systems and browsers.

• Purchase journeys. Tracks from nan commencement of a normal to nan viewing of a merchandise to nan checkout, and highlights wherever users driblet disconnected successful nan acquisition funnel.

Use these findings to measurement really bully your website increases marque awareness, grows your customer base, and drives sales.

If you petition easier-to-read reports, AI Narratives for GA4 tin help. It uses your GA4 accusation to coming straightforward reports connected page views, conversions, revenue, and more, connected pinch recommendations for improvements.

AI Narratives for GA4 tin too nonstop automated email reports and notify you of different postulation changes.

Consider connecting GA4 pinch different devices for deeper insights. For example, Semrush’s Organic Traffic Insights integrates pinch GA4 and GSC to show keyword, user, and normal accusation from those devices and from Semrush’s ain database for your landing pages.

It tin too uncover which keywords thrust postulation to your pages—even if GA4 labels them arsenic “(not provided).” Then it shows your ranking positions and banal of postulation for those keywords.

Get Started pinch GA4

Setting up GA4 requires immoderate first steps, but nan free accusation connected website capacity makes it worthwhile.

To heighten your GA4 experience, usage AI Narratives for GA4 and Organic Traffic Insights. These devices tin enrich your GA4 reports pinch recommended adjacent steps and relationship a broader position of your hunt rankings.

Try immoderate for free pinch a Semrush account.

FAQs

How Do I Get Access to GA4?

To get entree to GA4, mobility up for a Google account, past create a Google Analytics account. Follow GA4’s onboarding steps. If you’re installing GA4 connected a site, usage GTM, a GA4 integration, aliases manually adhd nan GA4 snippet to your webpages.

What Is nan Best Practice for a GA4 Setup?

Google recommends nary overmuch than 3 accusation streams (one for a website, 1 for iOS, and 1 for Android) per GA4 property. For aggregate websites aliases apps, group up aggregate GA4 properties if your accusation measurement objectives require them.

How Much Does It Cost to Set up GA4?

GA4 is free to group up. You whitethorn incur costs if you usage paid third-party devices aliases integrations. For example, if you personification a Semrush account, you tin usage AI Narratives for GA4 for free for 7 days, past net $39/month afterward.