How do you make optimal use of Google Analytics 4?

What is Google Analytics 4?

But let's start at the beginning, what is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)? GA4 is the latest version of Google's popular web analytics tool. It's designed to give you more insight into both your website and app data. This gives you more insight into the entire customer journey on your website.

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

In addition, GA4 is a cross-platform analytics tool, meaning it can track site visitors and track user behavior across devices and platforms. This makes it an indispensable tool for companies that want to improve their online performance using data.

How can you use Google Analytics 4?

To make good use of it, you must first set GA4 correctly. This may seem a bit intimidating at first, but it is well worth the effort. Below you can find the steps you need to take to set up GA4.

Step 1: Create an Analytics account

Don't have a Google Analytics account yet? Then the first step is to create it.

1. Go to https://analytics.google.com.
2. In “Admin” click on “Create” and select “Account”.
3. Provide an account name and indicate what data you want to share with Google.

Step 2: Create property

1. In Administrator, 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 company size.
4. Click “Next” again and choose how you want to use GA4.
5. Finally, click “Create” and accept the Terms of Service and Data Processing Amendment.

Step 3: Create data stream

1. In “Administrator” for “Data Collection and Modification”, click “Data Streams”. Select “Add stream”.
2. Choose iOS app, Android app or Web. Because most companies only have a website and no app, we will discuss how to create a web stream for web here.
3. Enter your website URL and a name for the stream.
4. You can then turn “Improved measurement” on or off. With “Enhanced Measurement” on, page views and other events are collected.
5. Finally, click on “Create Stream”.

Step 4: Add Google tag ID
You have now created a data stream, but Google is not yet measuring any data. For this, you first need to add Google tag ID to the site. How you can add these depends on the CMS system you use. You can use the link below to find your CMS system with instructions for adding a Google tag ID to your site.

Instructions add Google tag ID

It's important to remember that GA4 is a useful tool, but one that takes time and practice to get the hang of. There are many video tutorials and beginner's guides available on YouTube and others to help you learn 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, we will be happy to help you so that you can also measure your reservations.

Key reports Google Analytics 4

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

• User behavior: GA4 provides comprehensive insights into how users interact with your website or app. It measures various aspects of user behavior, such as which pages are visited the most, how long users spend on each page, and what actions they perform.
• Conversion tracking: GA4 makes it possible to track conversions, such as bookings, reservations or requests for quotes. This helps you understand which marketing efforts are most effective and where there is room for improvement.
• Segmentation: GA4 allows you to create user segments based on various criteria, such as demographics, behavior, and technology. These segments can then be used to develop more targeted marketing campaigns.
• Summary Reports: GA4 provides summary reports that provide an overview of your overall performance. These reports can be customized to show specific measurements 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 a powerful tool in itself, but it also offers many links with other tools and platforms, allowing you to get even more out of your data. Here are some of the most valuable integrations:

• Google Ad Manager: By linking GA4 to Google Ad Manager, you can get detailed information about the effect of your ads. With this integration you can, for example, see how many conversions occur as a result of specific advertisements.
• Google Tag Manager: This tool makes it easy to add tracking codes to your website without having to write or change any code. With an integration between GA4 and Google Tag Manager, you can more accurately measure how users interact with your website.
• Google AdSense: By linking GA4 to Google AdSense, you can see how much income you generate from advertisements on your website. This can help you determine the most profitable ad placements and sizes.
• Display & Video 360: Linking with Display & Video 360 can help you manage and optimize your display and video ads. For example, you can see which types of ads get the most engagement and how your ads perform across devices and platforms.
• Floodlight Links: Floodlight is a tool from Google that you can use to track conversions that happen after someone sees one of your ads. By connecting GA4 to Floodlight, you can get detailed conversion data and better understand the effectiveness of your ads.

Discover the power of Google Analytics 4 yourself

Google Analytics 4 is therefore an indispensable tool for companies that strive for optimization and growth. It gives you insight into user behavior, detailed conversion tracking and valuable segmentation. Additionally, GA4 enables cross-device tracking and integrates seamlessly with Google Ads, helping to optimize your marketing efforts. By making data-driven decisions, you as a company can significantly improve your online performance.