How to Make the Most of Google Analytics 4?

What is Google Analytics 4?

Let us start at the beginning — what is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)? GA4 is the latest version of Google's popular web analytics tool. It is designed to give you greater insight into both your website and app data, providing a clearer picture of the complete customer journey on your website.

Unlike earlier versions of Google Analytics, which focused primarily on session-based measurements, GA4 focuses on event-based measurements. This means it concentrates on specific actions that users perform on your website or app, such as clicking a button or completing a form.

In addition, GA4 is a cross-platform analytics tool, meaning it can track site visitors and monitor user behaviour across different devices and platforms. This makes it an indispensable tool for businesses looking to improve their online performance using data.

How can you use Google Analytics 4?

To make good use of it, you first need to set up GA4 properly. This may seem a little daunting at first, but it is well worth the effort. Below you will find the steps you need to follow to set up GA4.

Step 1: Create an Analytics account

Do you not yet have a Google Analytics account? Then the first step is to create one.

1. Go to https://analytics.google.com.
2. In "Admin", click "Create" and select "Account".
3. Enter an account name and indicate which data you wish to share with Google.

Step 2: Create a Property

1. In Admin, click "Create" and select "Property".
2. Enter a name for your new property and select the time zone and currency.
3. Click "Next" and choose your industry and business size.
4. Click "Next" again and choose how you intend to use GA4.
5. Finally, click "Create" and accept the Terms of Service and the Data Processing Amendment.

Step 3: Create a Data Stream

1. In "Admin", under "Data collection and modification", click "Data Streams". Choose "Add stream".
2. Choose iOS app, Android app, or Web. As most businesses only have a website and not an app, we will focus here on creating a web stream.
3. Enter your website URL and a name for the stream.
4. You can then toggle "Enhanced measurement" on or off. With "Enhanced measurement" enabled, page views and other events will be collected.
5. Finally, click "Create stream".

Step 4: Add the Google tag ID
You have now created a data stream, but Google is not yet measuring any data. To enable this, you first need to add the Google tag ID to your site. How you do this depends on the CMS system you are using. Via the link below, you can look up your CMS system and find instructions for adding a Google tag ID to your site.

Instructions for adding the Google tag ID

It is important to remember that GA4 is a useful tool, but one that requires time and practice to fully master. There are many video tutorials and beginner's guides available — including on YouTube — to help you get to grips with the basics and get the most out of this tool. You can also set up Google Analytics 4 on the i-Reserve reservation system. Do you need help with this? Please contact us and we will be happy to assist you, so that you can track your reservations accurately too.

Key reports in Google Analytics 4

You have now created an account and started measuring. The next step is to review your data. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers many different reports to help you track and improve your online performance. Here are some of the most important ones:

• User behaviour: GA4 provides comprehensive insights into how users interact with your website or app. It measures various aspects of user behaviour, such as which pages are visited most, how long users spend on each page, and what actions they take.
• Conversion tracking: GA4 makes it possible to track conversions, such as bookings, reservations, or quote requests. This helps you understand which marketing efforts are most effective and where there is room for improvement.
• Segmentation: With GA4, you can create user segments based on various criteria, such as demographic data, behaviour, and technology. These segments can then be used to develop more targeted marketing campaigns.
• Summary reports: GA4 offers summary reports that provide an overview of your overall performance. These reports can be customised to display specific metrics that are relevant to your business.
• Active users: Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 focuses on active users, giving you a better understanding of how many people are actually interacting with your website or app.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) integrations

GA4 is already a powerful tool in its own right, but it also offers many integrations with other tools and platforms, allowing you to get even more from your data. Here are some of the most valuable integrations:

• Google Ad Manager: By linking GA4 to Google Ad Manager, you can obtain detailed information about the impact of your advertisements. This integration allows you to see, for example, how many conversions occur as a result of specific ads.
• Google Tag Manager: This tool makes it easy to add tracking codes to your website without needing to write or modify any code. With an integration between GA4 and Google Tag Manager, you can measure more accurately how users interact with your website.
• Google AdSense: By linking GA4 to Google AdSense, you can see how much revenue you are generating from advertisements on your website. This can help you identify the most profitable ad placements and formats.
• Display & Video 360: An integration with Display & Video 360 can help you manage and optimise your display and video advertisements. You can, for instance, see which types of ads generate the most engagement and how your ads perform across different devices and platforms.
• Floodlight integrations: Floodlight is a Google tool that you can use to track conversions that occur after someone has seen one of your advertisements. By linking GA4 to Floodlight, you can obtain detailed conversion data and gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of your ads.

Discover the power of Google Analytics 4 for yourself

Google Analytics 4 is an indispensable tool for businesses striving for optimisation and growth. It gives you insight into user behaviour, detailed conversion tracking, and valuable segmentation. Moreover, GA4 enables cross-device tracking and integrates seamlessly with Google Ads, helping you optimise your marketing activities. By making data-driven decisions, your business can significantly improve its online performance.