As a small business owner, your website is essential. Naturally, you want more visitors, and Google Analytics is the tool you turn to for understanding your website traffic.

But with the roll-out of GA4, there are so many more metrics and dimensions to keep track of. It’s hard to know which are the most important to use regularly.

Take Users, for example. GA4 has four different types of users. So what is a user in Google Analytics, and how can you use this info to make data-driven decisions about your business? 

In this guide, I’ll break down GA4’s four user metrics: Active, New, Total, and Returning, in plain English. You’ll learn exactly what they measure, when to use them, and more importantly, how they can help you grow your business.

What Are The Different Types of Users in GA4?

Before diving into the details, here’s a brief look at the four types of users in GA4:

• Total Users: Everyone who visited your website during your chosen time period.
• Active Users: People who visited your site in the last 28 days.
• New Users: First-time visitors to your website.
• Returning Users: People who have visited your site before and came back.

These metrics work together to give you different views of your website traffic. Let’s look at each one in detail to understand how they can help your business.

Total Users in Google Analytics

Total Users includes everyone who lands on your site—even if they leave after a few seconds. Think of it as your website’s total foot traffic, including both the serious shoppers and the window browsers.

This data helps you see if your website is growing over time. You might use it to see if this month’s growth was better than last month’s, or to check if your new marketing efforts are working.

You can find detailed Total Users data in your Events report (Reports » Engagement » Events). This shows you exactly how people interact with your site.

For instance, you might learn that while 7,000 people visited your site, only 400 watched your video—giving you clear insight into where you could improve engagement.

Think of it this way: If 1,000 people visit your site, but nobody buys anything, that might be worse than having 100 visitors who all make purchases. Quality can be far more important than quantity.

Active Users in Google Analytics

Google Analytics considers Active Users so important, they made it their default metric. Whenever you see ‘users’ listed without any qualifier, GA4 is showing you ‘active users’.

In GA4, active users are either new visitors or users with engaged sessions. An engaged session means the visitor either:

• Stayed on your page for over ten seconds
• Viewed more than one page
• Made at least one conversion

It’s a lot like a gym membership – you care more about who worked out this month than who signed up three years ago and never came back. The 28-day window helps you spot patterns and identify who’s genuinely interested in what you offer.

This metric is especially helpful if you run a blog or sell products that people don’t buy right away. It shows you who keeps coming back to learn more before making a decision.

Pro Tip: While Universal Analytics (pre-July 2023) had a dedicated Active Users report, GA4 integrates this metric throughout its interface. You can find detailed active user data in the ‘Engagement report’.

New Users in Google Analytics

New Users shows you how many people are visiting your website for the first time. In GA4, this is tracked as a ‘first_visit’ or ‘first_open’ event, making it easy to spot fresh faces in your analytics.

Think of New Users like first-time customers walking into a store. They’re exploring and getting to know what you offer, so it’s important to make a good first impression so they’ll want to come back.

You can find your new user data by going to Reports » Acquisition, where you’ll get a quick overview of how many fresh visitors your site is attracting.

You’ll see spikes in New Users when something drives extra traffic to your site – maybe you ran a Facebook ad, got mentioned on social media, or one of your blog posts started ranking well in Google.

But New Users alone doesn’t tell the whole story. If you have many new visitors, but they don’t come back, you might need to work on making your site more engaging.

Returning Users in Google Analytics

While new visitors are great, returning users are even better. Not only does retaining users cost less than acquiring new ones, but returning visitors also signal that your content or products are hitting the mark.

In GA4, anyone who has visited your site before counts as a returning user, even if their previous visit was brief. You can find these loyal visitors by going to Reports » Retention, where you can compare new vs. returning user patterns over time.

Think of Returning Users like regular customers at a coffee shop – they know what they like and keep coming back for more. A healthy website usually has a good mix of new and returning visitors, but too few returning visitors might mean people don’t find your site useful enough.

You can increase your Returning Users by creating helpful content, offering good products, or sending out regular newsletters. The key is to give people a reason to come back.

Research shows that returning customers spend 67% more than first-time buyers, making this metric particularly important for e-commerce sites.

Now that we’ve defined each metric, let’s clearly see the key differences between them all.

Active Users vs. New Users vs. Total Users vs. Returning Users

Now, all of these user metrics can feel confusing, especially when you’re trying to figure out which ones matter most for your business. Here’s a breakdown of how they compare and when to use each one:

Let’s look at a real example to show how these numbers work together.

Imagine your website had these metrics last month:

• Total Users: 1,000
• Active Users: 800
• New Users: 300
• Returning Users: 700

This tells an interesting story: while you had 1,000 total visitors, 800 were active recently. Most of your traffic (700) came from people coming back, with 300 new people discovering your site.

Pro Tip: If you find these metrics overwhelming to track all at once, focus on the ones that match your current goals. For a new website, New Users might matter most. For an established site, you might care more about Returning Users.

Using OnePageGA for Simpler User Data

Now, GA4’s layout often changes with updates, and finding user metrics across different reports is not only time-consuming, but also a headache. It’s actually something I used to dread because try as I might, my brain simply doesn’t like numbers.

That’s why I always use OnePageGA to view and interpret my GA4 data.

It’s a straightforward, single-page dashboard that simplifies your Google Analytics data. It shows an easy-to-understand overview of the metrics that are most important to your business.

When using OnePageGA, you can easily:

• Get insights without needing to learn the complex GA4 interface.
• See ready-made reports for traffic sources, top pages, user locations, and more.
• Choose exactly which metrics to see in your reports, like Active & New Users.
• Track revenue and sales if you sell online, linked to user metrics.
• Identify where users drop off in your customer journey.
• Monitor all your websites in one dashboard and track changes over time.

To find user data in OnePageGA, first, visit the OnePageGA website and sign up for a free account.

Simply click the “Sign up with your Google Account” button and follow the on-screen instructions to authorize OnePageGA to access your GA4 data.

Once connected, you’ll see a pre-built dashboard with essential metrics.

To customize the dashboard to include more User info, click on the “Edit Metrics” button and select the data you want to see.

You’ll then see a chart of this data allowing you to see trends and compare different time periods.

Below that, you can see further information with pre-built reports. For example, you can quickly view user data in relation to traffic sources, landing page, location, device, and much more.

Making Data-Driven Decisions with User Metrics

Now that you can easily find your user metrics in both GA4 and OnePageGA, let’s look at how to use this data to grow your business.

Here are some common scenarios and which metrics to watch:

When Launching a Marketing Campaign:

• Track New Users to measure campaign reach
• Watch Active Users to see if people stay engaged
• Monitor Returning Users to check if the campaign brings quality traffic

When Creating Content:

• Low Returning Users might mean your content needs work
• High New Users but low Return Users suggests engagement problems
• Steady Active Users shows your content keeps people interested

When Running an Online Store:

• Compare Total Users to sales numbers
• Track Returning Users to measure customer loyalty
• Watch Active Users to spot shopping patterns

For example, if you notice your New Users are high, but Returning Users are low, try:

• Improving your website’s first impression
• Creating more engaging content
• Starting an email newsletter

Pro Tip: Don’t try to track everything at once. Pick the metrics that match your current business goals and focus on those first.

Common User Metric Problems and Solutions

Even when you understand what these metrics mean, you might run into some common challenges. Here’s how to handle them:

Remember: Numbers dropping isn’t always bad, and spikes aren’t always good. What matters is understanding why changes happen and taking appropriate action.

Understanding your website’s user metrics doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you’re looking at Total Users for the big picture or Active Users for current engagement, each metric tells part of your website’s story.

By using tools like OnePageGA to simplify your analytics, you can focus less on finding the data and more on using it to grow your business.

Try OnePageGA free for 14 days and see how easy tracking users can be.

If you’re looking for even more help using Google Analytics, you may also find the following resources useful:

• 5 Types of Website Analytics Every Website Owner Should Know
• How to Track Website Visitors the Easy Way
• How to Add Google Analytics to Your Website
• Is Google Analytics 4 Worth It: The Pros and Cons
• Easy Google Analytics 4: A Simple Guide on How It Works

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X and Facebook.

When I was new to marketing, Google Analytics was an alien concept to me.

I’d heard it was crucial for understanding my visitors, but honestly, just looking at it made my head spin. All those charts, tables, and numbers, it felt like trying to decipher a code I didn’t have the key to.

I just wanted the basics: Who was visiting? What were they looking at? And were they finding what they needed? It was, to say the least, incredibly frustrating.

If that sounds familiar, you’re definitely not alone. Many website owners and marketers find Google Analytics overwhelming. We all need clear, actionable insights, but getting them shouldn’t be such a headache.

That’s why I’m writing this guide: to show you how to create simple Google Analytics reports that actually make sense and help you achieve your goals.

What Are Reports In Google Analytics?

Google Analytics reports are your website’s story told through numbers. They’re organized summaries showing exactly what’s happening on your site, from who’s visiting to what they’re doing.

Google Analytics organizes these reports into five main categories:

1. Audience Reports: Who’s visiting your site
2. Acquisition Reports: How they found you
3. Behavior Reports: What they do on your site
4. Conversion Reports: Whether they take desired actions
5. Real-Time Reports: What’s happening right now

Each of these categories answers specific questions about your visitors and their actions.

But here’s the catch: while these reports are powerful, they’re also overwhelming. GA4’s complexity often stands between you and the information you need.

Let’s look at why that happens.

Why Is Google Analytics 4 So Complicated?

Google’s move to GA4 in 2023 significantly changed how we analyze website data, and it’s been a difficult transition for many. Even experienced marketers sometimes struggle with the new terminology and layout.

While terms like “bounce rate,” “sessions,” and “pageviews” might seem simple at first glance, understanding how they all interact requires a lot of learning.

Also, standard reports don’t always have the information you need. You’re forced to use custom reports if you want to track unique customer journeys or combine metrics in a meaningful way.

And creating custom reports in GA4 is quite complex. You need to know about dimensions, metrics, filters, and different report types.

This kind of customization can quickly become overwhelming.

Because of these challenges, many users find themselves spending less time on their marketing efforts and more time figuring out their website data.

So how do you create simple Google Analytics reports that give you the information you need quickly?

Let’s find out.

The Easy Way to Create Simple Google Analytics Reports

Several web analytics tools have popped up on the market attempting to solve the complexity of Google Analytics 4. But in my opinion, many of them pose the same problems. Learning to use them often feels just as hard as using GA4 itself, requiring you to learn a whole new system and interface.

If you’re looking for a solution that doesn’t require learning a whole new platform, then OnePageGA is the answer. It’s designed to be intuitive and straightforward, without the learning curve of GA4 or other alternatives.

OnePageGA is a one-page Google Analytics 4 dashboard that gives you simple, easy-to-understand reports about your website’s performance. Instead of GA4s complexity, you get all the essential insights you need in one place.

Here’s what makes OnePageGA different:

• You won’t need training or tutorials to understand how to use it. It’s designed to be intuitive.
• All your core metrics are available on a single page, removing the need to click through endless menus.
• Get key reports like website visitors, popular pages, and traffic sources automatically.
• You don’t need to be a technical expert to set it up or understand it.
• If you need something different, you can easily create custom reports.

To get started with OnePageGA’s simpler reporting, follow these easy steps.

Step 1. Sign Up With Your Google Account

First, go to the OnePageGA website and click the button titled “Try for 14 days free”.

This will prompt you to connect to the platform using your existing Google account.

On the next screen, confirm your data sharing settings and click “Continue”.

Finally, you’ll head to your OnePageGA dashboard, where you can select a website to track.

Step 2. Add Your Website to OnePageGA

To add a new website to your account, click the “Add Site” button.

Then, go ahead and select your Google Analytics property from the dropdown menu and click “Next”.

That’s all there is to it. OnePageGA will now take you to your single-page Google Analytics dashboard, where you can see your simplified reports.

Step 3. View Your Simple Google Analytics Reports

When you open your OnePageGA dashboard, you’ll immediately see a graph of your site’s performance. This includes key metrics like page views, sessions, how long people stay on your site, and your bounce rate.

All of this is in one simple view, so you can quickly see what is and isn’t working on your website.

Under this graph, you’ll see several other simple GA4 reports which tell you even more about your site’s performance, including:

• Where your traffic comes from, so you know which channels are working best.
• Which pages are most popular, helping you to optimize your content strategy.
• Which locations and devices people are using, providing valuable insights into your audience.

For example, in the pages report, you might see that your blog posts on a specific topic are attracting a lot of visitors. This means you can create more content around that topic to engage your readers.

Customizing your reports is just as simple. Unlike the overly complex report builder in GA4, OnePageGA allows you to easily add custom filters, and change which metrics you see on your reports.

Let’s say I want to know which AI engines are sending traffic to my website. In that case, I’d use OnePageGA’s OR logic to filter by specific traffic source like chatgpt.com, google.gemini.com, and so on.

Similarly, you can choose which metrics to track by clicking the settings icon. Here, you can select up to 7 metrics to display that best fit your needs, including:

• eCommerce purchases
• Sessions per user
• Engagement rate
• And much more

With simple Google Analytics reports like these, you can spend less time on learning new platforms, and more on understanding your website data and how it affects your business.

For a head-start, see the types of web analytics you need to know about.

Get Started with Simpler GA Reporting

As you can see from this guide, understanding your website data doesn’t have to be a headache.

With a simpler GA4 dashboard like OnePageGA, you can easily find the information you need, without the unnecessary complexity. You’ll be able to see what is and isn’t working and make smart decisions without feeling overwhelmed.

Start using OnePageGA today and finally feel confident in your analytics

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X and Facebook.

When I launched my first website, I was completely lost. It honestly felt like I was throwing spaghetti at the wall, hoping something would stick.

Turns out, I wasn’t alone. Around 68% of businesses lack a clear strategy for getting people to take action on their site. Without knowing how visitors actually use your website, you’re essentially flying blind.

That’s precisely why web analytics is so crucial. It’s the process of gathering data about how people interact with your website, helping you understand what’s really going on and where you can improve.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through the various types of web analytics, which will ultimately help you make smarter, more informed decisions for your site.

What Is Web Analytics?

Web analytics is about tracking and learning from your website’s data to see how people use your site. It helps you measure things like how many people visit, what they click on, and if they buy anything. This helps you improve your website and reach your goals.

The data you use for web analytics comes in three main types:

First, there’s quantitative data. This is all about the numbers, like how many visitors you have, which pages they look at, and how many sales you make.

Second, there’s qualitative data, which helps you understand why those numbers happen. This shows you how people move around your site, what they click on most, and what feedback they give. You get qualitative data from surveys, talking to users, getting their direct feedback, and from special tools that track their actions.

It’s also important to know about conversions. These are the actions you want people to take on your site, like buying something, filling out a form, or signing up for your email list.

When you use quantitative data and qualitative data together, you get a full picture of what’s happening on your website and, most importantly, why.

Why Do You Need Web Analytics for Your Business?

Without web analytics, you’re running your website blindfolded, like how I was at the very beginning. You won’t know if your marketing efforts are paying off, if visitors can find what they need, or why they might be leaving without making a purchase. Web analytics solves these problems by providing clear insights into your site’s performance.

Let me share a quick example from my own website. Although I don’t get a lot of traffic, through web analytics, I discovered that most of it was coming from direct sources.

This helped me understand that many visitors were typing my website address directly into their browser or using a bookmark. Without this data, I might have focused on other marketing efforts that weren’t as effective.

Web analytics helps you:

• Track return on investment (ROI) from your marketing campaigns
• Understand which content resonates with your audience
• Identify and fix technical issues that frustrate visitors
• Make data-backed decisions about website improvements
• Measure progress toward your business goals

5 Types of Web Analytics

Every business will use web analytics differently. Many tools have similar measurements, like Google Analytics for traffic and conversions, and Hotjar for recordings and heatmaps.

To get the most out of web analytics, you need to understand the main types. So, let’s look at them to see how they compare.

1. Traditional Web Analytics

Traditional web analytics focuses on the numbers, like how many people visit your site, what they do there, and whether they take action.

These are the foundational analytics metrics that were among the first to be tracked on websites. They provide a basic understanding of your website’s performance.

The basic metrics you can track include:

For example, if your website gets 100 visitors in a day and 5 of them buy something, your conversion rate is 5%. This measurement helps you track if your site is getting better at converting visitors into customers.

Traditional Web Analytics Tools

The most popular tool is Google Analytics, and it’s totally free.

While it offers detailed tracking, many find it overwhelming at first, particularly the newest version, GA4, which has a steep learning curve.

For website owners who want simple, clear data, OnePageGA offers an easy way to track these metrics.

It’s aimed at website owners who want clear insights without the complexity. You get important metrics in a simple way, which is especially helpful for smaller websites and businesses.

2. Behavioral Web Analytics

Behavioral analytics looks at how people actually use your website – where they click, how they move around, and what actions they take. It helps you understand your visitors’ journey through your site.

Here’s what behavioral analytics tracks:

For example, if you notice most people leave your checkout page at the shipping form, you might need to simplify your shipping options or make the form easier to fill out.

Behavior Analytics Tools

Hotjar is a popular choice that shows heatmaps and records visitor sessions. It’s easy to use and gives you visual insights into how people use your site.

CrazyEgg focuses on click tracking and scroll maps. It’s good for testing different layouts and seeing which elements get the most attention.

Microsoft Clarity is free and offers basic behavioral tracking. While it’s newer than other tools, it provides helpful insights for beginners.

3. Customer Journey Web Analytics

Customer journey web analytics looks at how people move through your website, from their first visit to completing a purchase or goal. It helps you understand what works, fix issues, and improve the user experience.

A journey analytics tool measures:

Imagine seeing that most customers read three blog posts before signing up for your service. This insight could help you create more relevant content to guide people toward conversion.

Customer Journey Analytics Tools

Google Analytics offers powerful journey tracking features. While it’s free and detailed, setting up proper journey tracking requires some technical knowledge.

Mixpanel is popular for its user-friendly interface and detailed path analysis. It works well for both websites and apps but comes with a monthly fee.

Amplitude provides advanced journey mapping and prediction features. Though expensive, it’s particularly good for large businesses tracking complex customer paths.

4. Content Analysis

Content analysis helps you understand what content works best and where to focus your efforts. It combines search data with performance metrics to guide your content strategy.

Key content metrics include:

Take a blog post that gets many comments and shares but few conversions. This might mean you need a stronger call-to-action or better connection to your products.

Content Analysis Tools

LowFruits helps find easy-to-rank keywords and content opportunities. It’s affordable and particularly useful for new websites building their content strategy.

SEMrush provides detailed content and keyword analysis. While it’s more expensive, it offers comprehensive tools for content research, tracking, and optimization.

Ahrefs shows content performance in search results and competitor analysis. It’s a premium tool that helps track rankings and find content opportunities.

5. SEO Analytics

SEO analytics measures how well your site performs in search engines. It tracks your rankings, shows which keywords bring traffic, and helps identify ways to improve your search visibility.

With SEO analytics tools, you can typically track:

For instance, if your click-through rate is low despite high rankings, you might need to improve your page titles and descriptions to attract more clicks.

SEO Analytics Tools

Google Search Console provides direct data from Google about your site’s search performance. It’s free and shows exactly how Google sees your site, including technical issues and search queries.

All in One SEO helps optimize your WordPress site directly. While primarily a WordPress plugin, it includes helpful analytics features for tracking SEO performance and making improvements.

Moz combines rank tracking with site auditing features. It’s particularly good for beginners due to its user-friendly interface and educational resources.

Choosing the Right Web Analytics Tools

Not every business needs every type of web analytics tool. Your choice should depend on your goals, budget, and how you’ll use the data.

Consider these factors:

• Business Size – How big is your business? Bigger companies usually need more complex tools.
• Goals – What do you want to track? Make sure your tools can measure what matters to you.
• Skills – How comfortable are you with data? Choose tools that match your experience level.
• Budget – How much can you spend? Free tools work for some, but paid ones often offer more features.
• Time – How much time can you spend learning new tools? Complex tools need more time to master.
• Integrations – What other tools do you use? Make sure everything works together.

It’s important to remember that one tool rarely provides a complete picture. Most businesses use a combination of tools to get a complete picture.

For example, you might use Google Analytics to track visitor numbers while using heatmaps to see how people interact with your pages. This combination helps you understand both what users do and why they do it.

Setting Up Web Analytics

Google Analytics is considered the industry standard and a popular place for website owners to begin. Setting it up is straightforward:

• Create a Google Analytics account
• Add your website
• Install the tracking code on your site
• Set up basic goals like contact form submissions
• Configure conversion tracking

For a more detailed walkthrough, see our guide on how to add Google Analytics to your website.

If Google Analytics is too much to start with, there are many options to get started, such as OnePageGA. It’s a single page dashboard that works alongside Google Analytics, giving you clear, actionable insights about your website.

Instead of digging through multiple Google Analytics reports and complex menus, you’ll see all your key metrics in one place – traffic, top content, conversion rates, and more. This makes it easier to spot trends and make decisions without getting lost in the data.

Get Started With Easy Web Analytics

Web analytics is essential for making smart decisions about your website, and is something all website owners should do. Choose the tools that best fit your needs and focus on the metrics that matter to your business.

Start simple, learn what works, and add more features as you grow. No matter what tool you use, getting started is the most important thing.

With OnePageGA, you can get started with a free 14-day trial today, and see how easy understanding your website’s performance can be.

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X and Facebook.

Are you wondering if your website is actually working? Do you know who’s visiting and what they’re doing?

Tracking website visitors lets you see what’s performing well and what’s not, giving you the power to make smart decisions that grow your business.

According to a recent report by HubSpot, 61% of marketers say generating traffic and leads is their biggest challenge.

Let’s be real, though, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can be a lot. It’s powerful, sure, but all that data can be overwhelming and leave you feeling lost.

This guide makes it easier. I’ll show you how to track website visitors with simple, actionable steps you can take right away.

Can I Track Visitors to My Website?

Tracking visitors to your website is possible and easier than you might think. You don’t need to be an expert to understand what’s happening on your site.

The most common method is using a web analytics tool, like Google Analytics. This involves adding a small piece of code to your website, which then collects data about your visitors. You’ll get valuable insights into where people are coming from, what pages they visit, and how long they stay.

Beyond Google Analytics, there are other tools that offer simpler ways to track your visitors. Many focus on specific aspects of website analytics or provide a more user-friendly interface (more on these options later).

Why Track Website Visitors?

So, now you know you can track visitors, but why should you? Simply put, tracking your website visitors allows you to understand how people are interacting with your online presence. As a result, you get insights that can help you improve your website and your overall strategy.

Here’s why it’s so important:

• Understand User Behavior: By tracking visitors, you can see how they navigate through your site. Which pages are they landing on? Where are they clicking? How long are they staying on each page? This data shows how people are actually using your website.
• Improve Website Performance: With this data, you can see what’s working and what’s not. If you notice people are leaving a specific page, it might need attention. You can spot areas for improvement and make your website more user-friendly.
• Enhance Marketing Efforts: You can also see where your visitors are coming from, like social media, search engines, or other sites. This helps you see which marketing channels drive the most traffic and engagement. If a campaign isn’t working, you can adjust your strategy based on real data.

Ultimately, tracking your visitors provides the data you need to make informed decisions. This allows you to improve your website’s design, content, and marketing for a bigger impact on your business goals.

This isn’t just theoretical; a study by McKinsey found that companies that leverage customer behavioral insights outperform peers by 85% in sales growth.

How to Track Website Visitors With Google Analytics

For this guide, I’ll focus on using Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the latest version of Google’s web analytics platform. While there are other options, GA4 is the most popular and widely used method for tracking website data. It’s also completely free.

GA4 helps you get insights into your website’s traffic and user behavior. You can see how people find your site, what pages they visit, how long they stay, and a lot more.

In fact, GA4’s popularity is undeniable. With a staggering 88.7% market share, it’s the go-to analytics solution for most website owners. It’s also used by over 32 million live websites on the internet.

While GA4 is powerful, it’s not without its quirks. To get a more in-depth understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, you can check out my article on the pros and cons of Google Analytics.

Step 1. Set Up a Google Analytics Account and Property

To begin tracking your website with GA4, you’ll need to set up a Google Analytics account and create a property. It’s pretty straightforward.

Start by making sure you have a Google account, then go to the Google Analytics website to sign up. The setup process will guide you through creating a property—this is where your website’s data will be stored.

Next, select “web” as your platform and set up a data stream using your website’s URL.

For a more in-depth walkthrough, take a look at my guide on how Google Analytics works.

Step 2. Add the Google Analytics Tracking Code to Your Website

Now it’s time to connect Google Analytics to your website by adding the tracking code. This code is a small snippet of JavaScript the platform uses to collect data about your visitors.

The method for adding this code will vary depending on how your website is built. If you’re using a platform like WordPress, Shopify, or Squarespace, the process is generally straightforward.

Most of these platforms offer a specific place in their settings where you can paste the code. However, if you have a custom-built website, you may need to add the code directly to your site’s HTML.

Don’t worry; no matter what platform you’re using, I have you covered. I’ve put together a detailed guide on how to add Google Analytics to your website, which covers all the major platforms.

Once you’ve added the tracking code, GA4 will start collecting data about your website visitors. This is where things start to get exciting because you’ll be able to see how people are actually using your website.

Step 3. Understand Key Metrics While GA4 Collects Data

Now that you’ve added the tracking code, allow Google Analytics some time to gather data. It might take a few hours or even a day before you see everything, so patience is key here.

While GA4 is collecting information, let’s look at some of the main metrics you’ll be tracking. Understanding these will help you make sense of your data:

• Users: This is the number of unique individuals who visited your site. GA4 uses identifiers to determine new and returning users.
• Sessions: A session is a single visit to your site. It starts when someone arrives and ends after a period of inactivity. If they leave and come back, that’s a new session.
• Pageviews: This is how many times a page on your site has been viewed. If you have an app, it’s the number of screen views. This metric shows which content is most popular.
• Engagement Rate: This is the percentage of sessions where people engaged with your content. It’s based on how long they stay, how many pages they visit, and if they interact with things on the page. A higher rate means your content resonates with your visitors.
• Events & Conversions: Events are specific actions on your site, like clicking a button or watching a video. When these events help your business goals, they’re called conversions.
• Traffic Sources: Acquisition reports show you where your visitors are coming from – search engines, social media, etc. This helps you see what marketing is working.

For a deeper dive into these terms, take a look at my guide on what is a metric in Google Analytics.

Step 4. Analyze Your Website Traffic with Google Analytics

Now that GA4 is set up and collecting data, let’s look at the reports and see what’s happening on your website. Navigating GA4 can be a little tricky, but I’ll show you the important areas.

To see your reports, log into Google Analytics. On the left side, click “Reports.”

You’ll see categories like “Acquisition,” “Engagement,” and “Monetization.” These reports help you understand how your website is doing.

If you want to create custom reports, GA4 offers “Explorations.”

Click “Explore” on the left side and use the drag-and-drop tool to build your own reports.

When you analyze your traffic, look for trends. For example:

• Is your social media traffic going up or down?
• Which pages are getting the most attention?
• Are people leaving certain pages quickly?

Based on this data, you can make changes. For example, you might:

• Update content: If a page isn’t getting many views, you could update it or make it more interesting.
• Improve mobile: If lots of mobile users are leaving, you need to make your site more mobile-friendly.
• Change marketing: If a marketing campaign isn’t working, you can adjust it.

The main goal is to use this data to make your website better for your visitors, so you can reach your business goals.

How to Simplify Your GA4 Data

Let’s be honest: GA4 can be complicated. It’s easy to feel lost in all that data, and it can be hard to find the information you need.

Analyzing data in GA4 can also take a lot of time. You often have to make custom reports to find the metrics you want. And even then, understanding the data can be difficult.

That’s why we created OnePageGA. It gives you a simple, easy-to-use view of your GA4 data, without all the confusion.

OnePageGA connects to your GA4 account with a few clicks, so you don’t need to add any extra code to your website. It just uses the data GA4 is already collecting.

With OnePageGA you can:

• View important metrics on one easy-to-understand page. You don’t have to click through different reports.
• See those metrics presented in a way that’s easy to understand and use to improve your business.
• Discover insights much faster so you can focus on other areas of your business.
• Get started quickly, even if you’ve never used GA4 before.

Setting up OnePageGA is also easy. Just connect your GA4 account, and OnePageGA will show your data on a single page.

How to Track Website Visitors in OnePageGA

When you open your OnePageGA dashboard, you’ll see a graph of your site’s performance. This includes page views, sessions, how long people stay, and your bounce rate.

All of this is in one simple view, so you can quickly understand what is and isn’t working.

Below the graph, you’ll find simple Google Analytics reports for:

• Where your traffic comes from.
• Which pages are most popular.
• Which locations and devices people are using

It’s designed to give you the information that matters, right when you need it. And if you need more details, you can easily drill down and filter by different data points.

Want to see how your website performs over time? Just click ‘Compare’ in the date picker, and you can see a visual comparison.

OnePageGA also lets you design your own custom reports.

You can choose which metrics to track, including:

• New users.
• How engaged your users are.
• How much revenue you’re making.

If you run an online store, it’s just as easy to track your eCommerce data, including revenue and transactions.

You can also set up custom sales funnels to track visitors from when they land on your site until they become subscribers or customers.

Besides this, OnePageGA also lets you:

• Track multiple websites from one dashboard.
• Add notes to your reports to see how specific actions affect your traffic.
• Track unlimited pageviews without extra fees.
• Toggle on dark mode to browse comfortably at night.

With OnePageGA, you can easily see your website’s performance, quickly find areas to improve, and make informed decisions to grow your business.

Turn Visitor Data into Real Results

Ultimately, learning how to track website visitors is the best way to understand how they use your site, so you can improve it. GA4 is great for collecting the data, but it’s complex. That’s where OnePageGA shines. It takes your GA4 data and puts it on one simple page, so you can understand what’s happening without the headache.

Think of it this way: GA4 gives you the raw numbers, and OnePageGA helps you quickly make sense of them. Using both is the most effective approach.

Ready to make things easier? Start a 14-day free trial of OnePageGA today and see your website data in a whole new way.

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X and Facebook.

A metric in Google Analytics is a quantitative measurement of data that shows how your website is performing. It gives you clear numbers you can use to judge what’s working and what needs attention.

In this guide, I’ll show you what Google Analytics metrics are and how you can use them to make smarter decisions for your site.

For more details, see our take on the pros and cons of Google Analytics.

For instance:

• Metric: Number of sessions (visits to your site)
• Dimension: Source (where those visits came from, like Google or Facebook)

Understanding both metrics and dimensions helps you dig deeper into your data. For example, knowing your overall bounce rate isn’t as useful as knowing the bounce rate for specific landing pages. This information helps you focus on improving the right parts of your website.

Key Metric Categories in Google Analytics

Google Analytics offers many metrics to help you understand your website. To make sense of this data, it’s helpful to group them into categories. Let’s look at the main types of metrics you’ll see and how they can help you improve your site.

User Metrics

User metrics help you understand who’s visiting your site and how they’re interacting with it. These numbers give you a clearer picture of your audience and how well your site is performing.

Here are the key user metrics to watch:

By keeping an eye on these metrics, you can track your site’s growth, see how engaging your content is, and spot areas that might need improvement.

Acquisition Metrics

Acquisition metrics reveal which of your marketing efforts are paying off and where you might want to focus more attention.

Let’s break down the main ways people arrive at your site:

These metrics paint a picture of your most effective traffic sources, helping you fine-tune your marketing strategy.

Behavior Metrics

Once visitors land on your site, what do they do? Behavior metrics shed light on how people interact with your content and navigate your pages.

Here are the key indicators to keep an eye on:

By understanding these metrics, you can identify your top-performing content and spot areas that might need a boost.

Conversion Metrics

Conversion metrics are all about results. They show you when visitors take the actions you want them to, like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

Here’s a look at the key conversion metrics:

Understanding these metrics helps you see how well your site turns visitors into customers or leads. By improving your conversion metrics, you can boost your website’s impact on your bottom line.

How to Use Metrics in Google Analytics

Now that you know what metrics to look for, let’s see how to find and use them in Google Analytics.

Start by logging in to your Google Analytics account.

Once you’re in, look on the left side of the screen. You’ll see a sidebar with different options. Click on “Reports”.

Next, you’ll see several report categories. These include things like “Acquisition”, “Engagement”, and “Monetization”.

To see more detailed information, click on any of these categories. Inside each report, you’ll find various metrics. These are usually shown as charts and tables.

Let’s say you want to find out where your website visitors are coming from.  To do this, look at the left sidebar and click on “Acquisition”.

In the dropdown menu, select “Traffic acquisition”. Now, in the main part of the screen, you’ll see a breakdown of your traffic sources.

If you ever need to find something quickly, remember there’s a search bar at the top of the page. You can use this to find specific metrics or reports.

Setting Up Custom Reports in GA4

Sometimes, the standard reports in Google Analytics don’t show exactly what you need. That’s where custom reports are helpful. They let you pick the metrics you want to see together.

To create a custom report in Google Analytics, click on “Explore” in the left sidebar. It usually looks like a small graph with a magnifying glass or appears in the main navigation menu.

On the Explore page, choose “Free form”. This gives you some initial data to start with, making it easier to build your report.

Next, select the date range for your report. It’s set to the last 30 days by default, but you can change this to any time you want.

Now, start adding different parts to your report:

• Segments: These group your traffic into categories. For example, mobile users or users who made a purchase.
• Dimensions: These are the categories you want to analyze, like “Event name” or “Page location”.
• Metrics: These are the numbers you want to see, such as “Users”, “Pageviews”, or “Revenue”.

With the data sources in place, you can build your report using drag and drop:

1. Drag segments to the “Segment Comparisons” box to compare different groups.
2. Add dimensions to the rows or columns. If you’re new to this, start with rows.
3. Drag metrics to the “Values” section. This is where your numbers will appear.

Remember, creating custom reports takes practice. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations to find what works best for you.

Creating User Segments in GA4

Segments help you look at specific groups of users or sessions. This lets you dig deeper into your data and understand different parts of your audience.

You can create segments based on many factors:

• Demographics: Age, gender, or location.
• Behavior: Pages visited, time spent on site, or purchases made.
• Technology: Device type, browser, or operating system.
• Traffic source: Where users came from (like Google search or social media).

Here’s how to create a user segment in GA4:

To create a segment, first, look at the top of your report and click on the “Add segment” button. This will open up a new window with segment options.

From here, choose “Create a segment” to start building your own custom segment.

Next, give your segment a name that describes the group you’re focusing on. Then, pick the conditions for your segment.

For example, you might select users from a specific country or those who visited a certain page on your site. You can add multiple conditions to narrow down your segment further.

Once you’re happy with your segment setup, click “Apply” to finish. Your new segment is now ready to use in your reports.

Analyzing Segment Data

Once you’ve created segments, you can use them to compare different groups. This helps you understand your audience better. Here are some ways to use segments:

• Compare mobile vs. desktop users: This can show if people use your site differently on phones than on computers. For example, you might find that mobile users spend less time on your site or visit fewer pages.
• Look at new vs. returning visitors: This helps you see how people behave when they first visit your site compared to when they come back. You might find that returning visitors buy more or spend more time on your site.
• Check purchasers vs. non-purchasers: This can help you understand what makes someone more likely to buy from you. You might find that purchasers tend to visit certain pages more or come from specific traffic sources.

To analyze your segment data, apply your segments to any report you’re looking at. You can do this by clicking on the segment at the top of the report.

Next, look at how the metrics are different between your segments. For example, do mobile users have a higher bounce rate than desktop users?

Finally, think about why these differences exist and what they mean for your business. If mobile users aren’t staying on your site as long, maybe your mobile site needs to be easier to use.

A Clearer View of Your Website Metrics

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the data in GA4, you’re not alone. Even I struggled at first, which is why we developed OnePageGA. We needed a way to simplify GA4 data and present it in a way that made sense.

OnePageGA is a simple, yet powerful tool that shows your GA4 information on a single, easy-to-read page. No more clicking through multiple reports – you see all key metrics at a glance, saving time and making it easier to spot important trends.

We’ve cut through the clutter to show only the most critical data points. Whether you’re a beginner or not, you’ll find the dashboard easy to navigate and customizable to fit your needs.

For example, you might quickly notice that your website traffic increased alongside more frequent social media posts, leading you to focus more on your social media strategy.

As you can see, OnePageGA presents your data in a clean, easy-to-understand format with simple Google Analytics reports. At a glance, you can see metrics like visitor numbers, top pages, and traffic sources without switching between screens or reports.

If you’ve been struggling with Google Analytics 4, OnePageGA could be just what you need. It gives you insights without complexity, helping you make data-driven decisions efficiently and take action with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Turn Your Data Into Results

The metrics in Google Analytics offer a powerful way to understand your website by showing you what is and isn’t working. But numbers alone aren’t enough. The real value comes from using them to improve your visitors’ experience and achieve your business goals.

If you’re finding Google Analytics overwhelming, OnePageGA can help. It simplifies your data, allowing you to focus on what matters most – growing your online presence and connecting with your audience.

Start your free 14-day trial of OnePageGA today.

You may also find the following GA4 tutorials helpful:

• 4 Types of Events in Google Analytics
• How to Track File Downloads in Google Analytics 4
• How to Track Form Submissions in Google Analytics 4
• How to Increase Organic Search Traffic to Your Website

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X.

Ever wondered how many people visit your website? Or where they come from? Google Analytics 4, or GA4, gives you clear answers you can use right away.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to add Google Analytics to your website. You’ll see how to set it up, what it helps you track, and how to use the data to improve your site.

Quick Summary

To add Google Analytics to your website, first grab your Measurement ID, shown as G-XXXXXXXXXX, in GA4 under Admin, then Data Streams. For platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Shopify, paste this ID into the built-in analytics settings. For custom websites, paste the full Global Site Tag, called gtag.js, into the <head> of your site’s HTML.

Why Add Google Analytics to Your Website?

If you’re wondering if Google Analytics is worth the effort, trust me, it is. Here’s why:

• Make Smarter Decisions: GA4 gives you real data to guide your choices. No more guesswork.
• Understand Your Visitors: Find out where they’re coming from, what pages they visit, and how long they stay.
• Track What Works: See which marketing campaigns are bringing in visitors and sales. For example, you might discover that Instagram followers are your best customers.
• Improve Your Website: Spot problem areas quickly. If visitors always leave on a certain page, you know it needs work.
• Stay Privacy-Friendly: GA4 is designed with privacy in mind, helping you comply with laws like GDPR.

Let’s imagine you run an online store. GA4 shows you that mobile users make up 70% of your traffic but only 30% of your sales. That’s a clear sign your mobile experience needs improvement.

The best part? Google Analytics is free. It’s like giving your business superpowers without spending a dime.

To dive further into the details, see our take on the Google Analytics pros and cons.

How Do You Use Google Analytics?

Once you’ve set up GA4, you might feel overwhelmed by all the data. Don’t worry – I’ll break it down for you.

Here are some key reports you’ll want to check out:

Realtime Report

This shows you what’s happening on your site right now. It’s great for seeing immediate results from a new post or campaign.

User Attributes / Demographics

This report shows details about the people visiting your site. You’ll see info like their location, device type, and tech details. GA4 groups this under Users and Tech so it’s easier to understand who your audience is.

Acquisition Reports

These tell you how people are finding your site. Are they coming from Google searches, social media, or other websites?

Now, let’s look at how you can use this data:

• See Top Traffic Sources: Find out which sites or platforms are sending you the most visitors. Maybe you’ll discover that Instagram is driving more traffic than you thought!
• Understand User Behavior: See which pages people visit most and how long they stay. This can help you focus on your most popular content.
• Track Conversions: Set up goals to track important actions on your site, like newsletter sign-ups or product purchases.
• Measure Campaign Success: See how well your marketing efforts are paying off. You can track specific campaigns to see which ones bring in the most visitors or sales.

Remember, GA4 is powerful but can be complex. If you want to dive deeper, see our Easy Google Analytics 4 guide for a more detailed walkthrough.

And if you’re looking for a simpler way to see your key metrics at a glance, stay tuned – I’ve got a great solution coming up later in this article.

How to Add Google Analytics to Your Website

Now that you know why Google Analytics is so valuable, let’s get it set up on your website. Don’t worry – it’s easier than you might think.

Getting Your GA4 Tracking Information

Before we dive into adding the code to your site, you need to get two important pieces of information from Google Analytics:

• Your Measurement ID: This is a unique identifier for your GA4 property. It always starts with “G-” followed by a series of numbers and letters (like G-XXXXXXXXXX).
• The global site tag (gtag.js) code snippet: This is a small piece of JavaScript code that you’ll need to add to your website. It looks like this:

<!-- Google Analytics -->

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>

<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

Remember to replace ‘G-XXXXXXXXXX’ with your actual Measurement ID.

Note: For the platform methods below, like WordPress, Wix, and Shopify, you only need your Measurement ID (the one that starts with G-). You don’t paste the full gtag.js code snippet into those fields.

Now, let’s look at how to find these details.

First, sign in to your Google Analytics account and go to the Admin section (look for the gear icon at the bottom left).

Now, in the Property column, click on “Data Streams” then, go ahead and select your website’s data stream.

Here, you’ll see your Measurement ID at the top of the page.

To get the gtag.js code snippet, click on the “View tag instructions” option.

From there, select “Install Manually”. You’ll see a box with some code, which is what you’ll need to add to your website.

Adding the GA4 Tracking Information to Your Website

Now that you have your GA4 tracking information, it’s time to add it to your website.

The general process involves adding the global site tag (gtag.js) code to the <head> section of your website’s HTML. This ensures that Google Analytics can track all pageviews and events on your site.

The exact method for adding this code can vary depending on the platform you’re using for your website. In the following sections, we’ll walk through how to add Google Analytics to some of the most popular website platforms.

Enhanced Measurement in GA4

Google Analytics 4 offers an “Enhanced Measurement” feature that automatically tracks additional events on your website without requiring any extra code.

This feature includes tracking for:

• Page views
• Scrolling
• Outbound clicks
• Site search
• Video engagement
• File downloads

To verify Enhanced Measurement, go to Admin » Data Streams and select your website. It’s usually turned on by default, but it’s still good to double-check.

Enabling this feature ensures GA4 can track important events on your site automatically, giving you more detailed insights into user behavior.

How to Add GA4 to Popular Website Platforms

As I mentioned earlier, the exact method for adding this code can vary depending on the platform you’re using for your website. Let’s walk through how to add Google Analytics to some of the most popular website platforms:

• WordPress
• Shopify
• Wix
• Squarespace
• Webflow

Adding Google Analytics 4 to WordPress

WordPress powers over 43% of the web. Adding GA4 is simple, and I like using MonsterInsights because it handles the tracking code for you and stops double counting.

With MonsterInsights, you never have to worry about adding your tracking code twice. The plugin automatically prevents double-tracking, which is a common mistake that can mess up your data.

How to Add GA4 Using MonsterInsights

To get started, you’ll need to install MonsterInsights.

Head over to the Plugins section in your WordPress dashboard, click “Add New,” and search for “MonsterInsights.”

Once you find it, just click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”

After activation, you’ll see a welcome message with a “Launch the Wizard!” button. Click it to start the setup process.

The wizard will guide you through choosing your website category and connecting to Google Analytics.

When you reach the connection step, click “Connect MonsterInsights” and select the Google account you use for Analytics.

You’ll then be prompted to choose your GA4 property and the appropriate profile for your website.

As you complete the setup, you’ll have the option to enable recommended settings or customize them to your liking.

Once you’ve finished, MonsterInsights will automatically add the necessary GA4 tracking code to all pages of your WordPress site.

To verify the connection, go to Insights » Settings in your WordPress dashboard. Under the “General” section, you should see your GA4 property listed.

Realtime data shows up right away. Other reports, like Acquisition or Engagement, can take 24 to 48 hours to update, so don’t worry if those sections look empty at first.

Remember, MonsterInsights offers both free and paid versions. The free version is great for getting started, but the paid version offers more advanced features if you need them.

Setting up Google Analytics 4 in Shopify

As an e-commerce powerhouse, Shopify knows the importance of good analytics. That’s why they’ve made adding Google Analytics 4 to your online store a straightforward process.

To get started, log in to your Shopify admin panel. Look for “Online Store” in the left sidebar and click on it, then select “Preferences.”

Scroll down the page until you spot the “Google Analytics” section. Here, click “Set up Google”.

You’ll now need to install the Google app, so go ahead and click the “Install” button.

From there, connect the Google account you used to set up your Google Analytics profile.

After, scroll down to the “Google Analytics” section, and you should see a dropdown box where you can choose your Analytics property. Select the appropriate property and click “Connect”.

There you have it. You’ve successfully set up Google Analytics 4 on your Shopify store.

Adding Google Analytics 4 to Squarespace

Squarespace is known for its sleek designs and user-friendly interface, and their approach to analytics integration is no different. Adding Google Analytics to your Squarespace site is a simple process that doesn’t require any coding.

First, log into your Squarespace account and navigate to the site you want to add GA4 to. Once you’re in, look for the “Settings” menu in the left sidebar.

Click on Settings, then scroll down to Developer Tools. In some dashboard versions, you’ll find it under Website Tools.

At the top of this page, click the “External API Keys” option.

Here’s where you’ll paste your GA4 Measurement ID. Remember, this is the one that starts with “G-”.

Squarespace will now start sending data to your GA4 property.

Once you’ve added your Measurement ID, don’t forget to enable Enhanced Measurement in your GA4 property, as explained earlier. This will ensure you’re getting the most out of your analytics setup.

And there you have it. You’ve successfully added Google Analytics 4 to your Squarespace site. 

Remember, it might take a day or two before you start seeing data in your GA4 reports, so don’t panic if you don’t see immediate results.

Connecting Google Analytics 4 to Wix

Wix allows millions of users to create stunning websites, and you can improve yours with robust analytics. The process of adding Google Analytics Wix is refreshingly simple.

First, log into your Wix account and head to the Dashboard for the site you want to add GA4 to. Look for the “Marketing & SEO” menu in the left sidebar and click on it.

Then, find and the “Google Analytics” option and click on “Connect Google Analytics”.

Wix will ask you to connect your account. So click the “Add Google Analytics ID” button.

Next, you’ll need to enter your GA4 Measurement ID. Paste your Measurement ID into the field and click “Save.”

Wix will now verify the connection with Google Analytics. Once the connection is verified, you’ll see a success message.

And that’s it. Wix will now start sending data to your GA4 property.

Enabling Google Analytics 4 in Webflow

For those who love design flexibility with the convenience of a visual interface, Webflow is a go-to platform. Adding Google Analytics 4 to your Webflow site is as smooth as the platform’s drag-and-drop interface.

First, log into your Webflow account and from your dashboard click the Settings icon on your chosen website project.

Next, click the “Apps & Integrations” option in the left-hand sidebar. On this page, find the Google Analytics heading.

Here, you’ll find a field labeled “Measurement ID.” So, go ahead and paste your Google Analytics Measurement ID into this box.

Once you’ve added your ID, click “Save” at the top of the page. Webflow will now start sending data to your GA4 property.

And there you have it! You’ve successfully added Google Analytics 4 to your Webflow site. 

Testing and Verifying Your GA4 Setup

Great job on setting up Google Analytics 4. But before you pop the champagne, let’s make sure everything’s working as it should.

First, head over to your GA4 property and click on “Reports” in the left sidebar.

Then, select “Realtime Overview” at the top. This report shows you what’s happening on your site right now.

To test it out, open your website in a new tab and navigate around a bit. You should see your activity appear in the Real-time report within a few seconds.

If you do, congratulations. Your basic tracking is up and running.

But what if you’re not seeing any data? Don’t panic! Here are a few things to check:

• Make sure you’re looking at the right property in GA4.
• Double-check that you’ve added the correct Measurement ID to your website.
• If you’re using a caching plugin on WordPress, try clearing the cache.

For more advanced setups, you’ll want to verify that your events and conversions are tracking correctly. You can do this by setting up some test events and checking if they appear in your Google Analytics reports.

If you’re still having trouble, Google’s troubleshooting guide is a great resource.

Using Google Tag Manager (Optional)

If you’re looking to take your analytics game up a notch, Google Tag Manager (GTM) might be just what you need. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for website tracking, and it plays nicely with Google Analytics 4.

You might be wondering, “Why bother with another tool?” Well, GTM has some pretty cool benefits:

• Code Management: Instead of cluttering your site with various tracking codes, GTM lets you manage all your tags in one place. It’s like having a tidy toolbox for all your analytics needs.
• Advanced Tracking: Want to track specific button clicks or form submissions? GTM makes it easy to set up custom events without touching your website’s code.
• Quick Updates: Need to add or change a tracking pixel? With GTM, you can do it in minutes, without waiting for your web developer to make changes.
• Improved Site Speed: GTM is designed to load your tags efficiently, which can help keep your site running smoothly.

To get started, you’ll need to create a GTM account and container.

Think of the container as a bucket for all your tags.

Once you’ve set up your container, you’ll add the GTM code to your website. This code goes on every page, similar to the GA4 tag.

Next, you’ll set up a Google Tag in GTM. Choose the “Google Tag” option and enter your Tag ID, also called your Measurement ID, in the configuration field.

Finally, you’ll create a trigger to fire your GA4 tag on all pages.

Once you’ve got GTM set up, you can start adding more advanced tracking. Want to see how far people scroll down your pages? Or track when people click on your “Contact Us” button? GTM makes all of this possible without needing to edit your website’s code directly.

If you’re interested in learning more about setting up GTM with GA4, Google has some great resources:

• Get started with Google Tag Manager
• Set up Google Analytics 4 with Google Tag Manager

Remember, while GTM can be super powerful, it’s also more complex than a basic GA4 setup. If you’re just getting started with analytics, you might want to stick with the standard GA4 installation for now. You can always add GTM later when you’re ready to dive into more advanced tracking.

A Simpler Way to View Your GA4 Data

Congratulations on setting up Google Analytics 4. You’ve taken a big step towards understanding your website and audience better.

While GA4 is powerful, it can be overwhelming. This is where that solution I mentioned earlier comes in: OnePageGA.

It’s designed to simplify your GA4 data, presenting key metrics like total visitors, top traffic sources, and most popular pages on a single, easy-to-read dashboard.

Remember, the goal of analytics is to help you make smarter decisions about your website. Don’t get lost in complex features – focus on the data that matters most for your goals.

If you’re finding GA4 challenging or just want a more streamlined approach, give OnePageGA a try. It could be the tool you need to make sense of your data without the headache.

Ready to simplify your analytics?

Start your free OnePageGA trial today.

Frequently Asked Questions

You may also find the following GA4 tutorials helpful:

• How to Track File Downloads in Google Analytics 4
• How to Measure Time on Page in Google Analytics
• How to Track Form Submissions in Google Analytics
• How to Find Bounce Rate in Google Analytics

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X and Facebook.

If you’re weighing the google analytics 4 pros and cons, the verdict is clear: the platform offers incredible data depth, but it’s difficult to master.

In fact, many website owners struggle just to find their basic traffic stats inside the new interface.

That’s why I recommend using OnePageGA if you want the insights without the hassle.

It connects to your account and turns that complex stream of data into a simple, one-page dashboard you can understand in seconds.

In this guide, I’ll break down the specific benefits and drawbacks of GA4 to help you decide if it’s worth the learning curve.

What Is Google Analytics 4 (GA4) & Why’s It Different?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an event-based tracking platform that measures user behavior across both websites and mobile apps. It replaces the old Universal Analytics by focusing on customer lifecycles and privacy-compliant data collection rather than just simple pageviews.

Before we look at the specific pros and cons of Google Analytics 4, it’s important to understand why this shift happened.

Google designed this new system to better track users in a world without cookies.

However, this new power comes with a trade-off.

Here is a quick look at how GA4 compares to the version you might remember:

Google Analytics 4 Pros and Cons

To help you decide if this update is right for you, I’ve tested GA4 extensively on my own projects. The main trade-off here is simple: you get much better data, but it takes a lot more effort to access it.

What Are the Pros of Google Analytics 4?

First, I’ll look at the specific benefits of using GA4 for your business.

1. Combined Web and App Tracking

GA4 tracks your website and mobile app data in a single property, which is a massive upgrade for businesses that use both.

Previously, you had to juggle separate properties and try to piece the data together yourself. Now, you can see exactly how people move between platforms.

For example, you might discover that customers who use your app and your website spend 20% more than those who use just one. This insight helps you focus your marketing budget where it actually counts.

2. Deeper Engagement Insights

GA4 replaces the outdated “Bounce Rate” with a smarter metric called “Engagement Rate.”

This change finally gives content creators credit for visitors who actually read their articles.

Technically, an engaged session occurs when a user spends at least 10 seconds on your site, views more than one page, or triggers a conversion event.

This distinction is vital for accurate reporting.

For instance, if someone reads your blog post for five minutes and then leaves, the old system called that a “bounce” (a failure). GA4 correctly identifies that user as an interested reader.

3. AI-Powered Predictions

One of the most futuristic features in GA4 is its ability to use artificial intelligence to predict user behavior.

This is incredibly helpful because privacy laws now block many traditional tracking cookies.

When data is missing, GA4’s AI steps in to fill the gaps, ensuring your reports remain accurate even when users opt out of tracking.

Even better, it can predict future actions.

For example, the Purchase Probability metric estimates which users are likely to buy from you in the next seven days. This allows you to run targeted ads specifically to people who are ready to spend money.

4. Free Enterprise-Grade Tools

Perhaps the biggest advantage is that Google gives away this powerful technology for free.

In the past, features like raw data export and BigQuery integration cost big companies over $150,000 per year. Now, your small business can use the exact same tools as the Fortune 500.

However, keep in mind that “free” only applies to the monthly subscription fee.

The real cost is the time you’ll spend learning how to configure these advanced settings. While you save money, you might pay for it in setup hours.

5. Flexible Event Tracking

GA4 completely changes how we track user actions by treating everything as an “event.”

This means you aren’t limited to just counting how many times a page loads.

Instead, you can measure specific interactions like button clicks, file downloads, or video views without needing complex code.

For example, if you ran a music site, you could track:

• Song plays
• Playlist creations
• Social shares
• Account upgrades

This flexibility allows you to build a tracking strategy that actually fits your specific business model.

6. Advanced Analysis with BigQuery

For those who want to dig deep, GA4 offers a free connection to BigQuery, a tool for analyzing massive datasets.

This allows you to export your raw data and run complex queries that the standard dashboard simply can’t handle.

Here is how this helps your business:

• No Data Sampling: You can look at all your data, not just a random sample that Google selects.
• Longer Retention: BigQuery lets you save your historical data forever, overcoming GA4’s standard retention limits.
• Combined Sources: You can mix your website traffic data with your internal sales data (CRM) to see the full picture.

While this requires technical SQL knowledge, it opens up a world of possibilities for advanced marketers.

7. Direct Marketing Integrations

GA4 connects seamlessly with Google Ads to make your marketing campaigns significantly smarter.

This integration allows you to see exactly which ads are driving actual revenue, rather than just clicks.

One of the most powerful features here is the ability to create “Custom Audiences.”

For instance, you can group users who visited your pricing page but didn’t buy. Then, you can automatically show a targeted ad specifically to that group to win them back.

For a deeper dive into these features, check out our guide on Easy Google Analytics 4: A Simple Guide on How It Works.

What Are the Cons of Google Analytics 4?

While GA4 has many great features, it also has some downsides. Having used it on various websites, I’ve run into some issues that you should know about.

These problems aren’t deal-breakers, but they can be frustrating if you aren’t ready for them.

1. Steeper Learning Curve

One of the biggest challenges with GA4 is that it’s completely different from the old Google Analytics.

Instead of simply counting page views, GA4 focuses on ‘events’ to understand how people really use your site.

While this gives you better data, it forces you to relearn how to find basic information.

However, tools like OnePageGA solve this problem instantly.

Because OnePageGA handles the technical tracking for you, you don’t need to learn the complex event-based model just to see who is visiting your site.

2. Limited Historical Data

Another challenge is that you can’t see your old data from Universal Analytics (UA) inside GA4. This makes it difficult if you want to compare this year’s traffic with last year’s numbers.

Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy fix for this inside Google’s platform.

But there are ways to deal with this:

• Export your old data: If you saved your UA data before it disappeared, you can keep it in a spreadsheet for reference.
• Start fresh: Focus on collecting accurate data in GA4 starting today.
• Look forward: Use your first year of GA4 as a new baseline to compare future growth against.

Losing your history is tough, but as you build up new data, it will matter less.

3. Less Developed Reporting Interface

Many people find GA4’s reports harder to use than the old Google Analytics.

In the past, you could easily find common reports like “Bounce Rate” or “Traffic Sources” right in the sidebar. In GA4, these reports often look different or require you to build them yourself as “custom reports.”

This means you have to dig around more just to find the basic information you want.

That’s why I prefer using OnePageGA for my daily reporting.

Instead of digging through menus to build a custom view, OnePageGA gives you a pre-built dashboard that shows your most important metrics immediately.

While Google is working to improve the interface, OnePageGA is the fastest way to get your data right now.

GA4 and Privacy: A Double-Edged Sword

GA4 takes a strict approach to privacy, which protects your business legally but limits the data you can see. That’s the main trade-off you need to accept.

According to the Google Analytics Data Controls Guide:

Rising consumer expectations and changing industry regulations have set higher standards for user privacy and data protection.

One major shift is that GA4 relies much less on cookies. Instead, it uses machine learning to fill in the gaps when users opt out of tracking.

Here is how this privacy-first approach impacts you:

To work with these limitations, you’ll need to focus on broad trends rather than chasing individual user paths.

Do You Really Need All That Data?

GA4 offers endless data points, but most businesses only need a handful to grow. In reality, you might be drowning in data you’ll never actually use.

Do you really need to track every specific scroll depth? Or do you just need to know traffic sources and conversion rates?

This is where OnePageGA helps.

Its simple analytics dashboard turn complex GA4 data streams into simple, actionable insights.

OnePageGA gives you the power of Google’s tracking engine without the headache:

• No-Code Setup: You can install it in under 2 minutes without touching a line of code.
• Instant Overview: Understand your site’s performance in under 60 seconds.
• Visual Clarity: See all your key metrics on a single screen.

It’s the best way to keep your analytics simple.

Is Google Analytics 4 Worth It for You?

So, is Google Analytics 4 worth the effort? In short: yes, because it’s the industry standard.

If you want to track ROI effectively and future-proof your business, you need to use it. But you don’t have to deal with the clunky interface if you don’t want to.

You can have the best of both worlds.

Use GA4 for the heavy lifting and data collection. Then, use OnePageGA to view that data without the headache. This setup gives you powerful tracking with a simple interface.

To simplify your analytics but still get the benefits of GA4, try OnePageGA free for 14 days to see if it works for you.

Frequently Asked Questions About GA4

You may also find the following GA4 guides helpful:

• OnePageGA vs Google Analytics 4
• How to Track Form Submissions in Google Analytics
• Google Analytics Not Working? Here’s How to Fix
• What Is a User in Google Analytics?

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X.

In this guide, I’ll make easy Google Analytics a reality for you. You will learn exactly how the platform works, how to set it up, and how to quickly get the insights you need to grow your business.

Put simply: Google Analytics 4 works by using a unique tracking ID to record how visitors interact with your site. To set it up, you just need to create a free Google account, generate your “G-” tracking code, and add it to your website’s header.

What Exactly Does Google Analytics Do?

Google Analytics shows you what people are doing on your website. It tells you where they come from (like Google Search, Facebook, or other websites), what device they’re using (computer, phone, or tablet), and where they’re located.

GA4 also tracks what pages they visit, how long they stay on each page, and if they do things like fill out a form or buy something. Basically, it helps you understand how people use your website so you can make it better.

How to Use Google Analytics 4

Many website owners find the amount of data in GA4 overwhelming. The platform has a steep learning curve, and the interface can be complex for beginners.

However, once you know where to look, GA4 is a valuable asset for your business. In this tutorial, I will simplify the setup process and show you exactly what to focus on.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1. Create a Google Analytics Account

First, you’ll need a Google account. If you already use Gmail, Drive, or any other Google service, you’re good to go. If not, head over to accounts.google.com and create one. It’s quick and free.

Next, visit the Google Analytics website and click the “Start measuring” button. From there, follow these steps to configure your account:

1. Account Name: Enter your business or website name. Configure the data-sharing settings and click Next.
2. Property Name: Enter your website name again. Select your reporting time zone and currency.
3. Business Details: Select your industry category and business size.
4. Business Objectives: Choose what you want to achieve (Leads, Sales, Traffic, or User Engagement). This tailors your reports.
5. Platform: Select “Web” to set up tracking for a website.

From there, you’ll need to enter your website’s URL and name. Once you’ve done this, click “Create and Continue”.

Step 1. Create a Google Analytics Account

First, you’ll need a Google account. If you already use Gmail, Drive, or any other Google service, you’re good to go. If not, head over to accounts.google.com and create one. It’s quick and free.

Next, visit the Google Analytics website and click the “Start measuring” button.

You’ll be asked to name your account (usually your website name) and set your account data-sharing settings before clicking next.

Then, enter your property name (such as your site’s name), time zone, and currency.

After this, Analytics will ask for your business industry and size.

The next screen asks you to choose your business objectives. This will help tailor your reports to the metrics that matter most to your business.

Here, you can select any of the following:

• Leads
• Sales
• Traffic
• User engagement & retention
• Other

The last step is to choose a platform to collect data from. Since you’re setting up Google Analytics for a website, click the “Web” option.

From there, you’ll need to enter your website’s URL and name. Once you’ve done this, click “Create and Continue”.

Google will now provide you with a unique tracking ID, a string of characters that starts with “G-.” This ID tells Google which website to track.

You’ll need to add this tracking ID to your website, which I’ll go into in more detail next.

Step 2. Add the Tracking Code to Your Website

Now that you have your GA4 account and tracking ID, it’s time to connect it to your website.

There are a few ways to add the tracking code to your website. If you’re using a website builder like WordPress, the easiest method is with a plugin.

I recommend MonsterInsights, one of the best Google Analytics plugins for WordPress. I use it on my own sites, and it’s super simple.

I recommend using a plugin because manually placed code is often deleted during theme updates. If you paste the code into your theme files and then update your theme, you will lose your tracking data. A plugin prevents this issue.

For a full walkthrough, please see their guide on How to Add Google Analytics to WordPress.

Another popular option is Google Tag Manager. This tool allows you to manage all your website tags (including your GA4 tracking code) in one place. It’s a bit more advanced, but it gives you greater flexibility and control.

If you’re not using WordPress or prefer a more hands-on approach, you can add the tracking code directly to your website’s HTML. Google Analytics provides instructions for this, but it’s generally best for users comfortable editing code.

The tracking code needs to be added to every page you want to track, usually within the <head> section of your HTML. It’s a small snippet of code, but it’s essential for collecting data.

For a full walkthrough of different methods, see this guide on how to add Google Analytics to your website.

Step 3. Enable Key Events (Conversion) Tracking

If you want Google Analytics to tell you how many visitors are taking action on your website (like signing up for your newsletter, filling out a form, or buying a product), you need to set up tracking for key events.

In the past, these were called “conversions.” Google now refers to them as “Key Events.”

GA4 can automatically track some of these things, like file downloads and video views, with its “Enhanced Measurement” feature. But there are a few limitations.

For example, the video tracking works best with embedded YouTube videos, and the form tracking might have issues if you’re also using a Facebook Pixel.

To turn on Enhanced Measurement, click the Admin cog at the bottom left of your GA4 screen, then click the “Data Streams” option.

Here, click on your website’s data stream.

Then, you’ll see the “Enhanced Measurement” section. Make sure it’s switched on. This allows GA4 to automatically track the following interactions:

• File downloads
• Page views
• Scrolls
• Outbound clicks
• Site search
• Video engagement

Now, you can tell GA4 which of these automatically tracked events you want to count as your most important goals.

To do this, go back to the Admin cog and click “Key Events”.

A Quick Guide to GA4 Reports

Once you’ve set up GA4, you can access its reports to understand your website’s performance. When you first log in, you’ll see the home dashboard, which gives you a quick overview of key metrics like users, new users, engagement time, and event count.

On the left-hand side, you’ll find the navigation menu. Click “Reports” to access a deeper dive into your website’s data.

Realtime Report

This report shows you what’s happening on your website right now. How many people are on your site at this very moment? What pages are they looking at?

This report is great for tracking the immediate impact of a new campaign or social media post.

Note: While the Realtime report works instantly, the other reports can take 24-48 hours to start showing data after you first set up Google Analytics.

Acquisition Report

This report tells you where your visitors are coming from (Google Search, social media, other websites, or direct traffic).

This helps you understand the most effective marketing efforts and where to focus your resources. If you drill down into this report, you can see which specific sources drive the most traffic to your site.

Engagement Report

This report shows you what people are doing on your website. A key metric here is the Engagement Rate.

An “engaged session” is defined as a session that lasts longer than 10 seconds, has a conversion event, or has at least 2 pageviews. The Engagement Rate is simply the percentage of sessions that meet these criteria.

The Pages and Screens report is particularly useful here, showing you metrics for each page on your site.

Monetization

If you sell products online, the monetization report tracks sales data, revenue, and other key e-commerce metrics. To use it effectively, you’ll need to set up e-commerce tracking.

Demographics and Tech Reports

The Demographics report provides information about your audience, such as age, location, gender, and interests. 

Similarly, the tech report details the technology they use to access your website, such as the device type, browser, and operating system.

With this information, you can tailor your content and marketing efforts to suit the type of audience interested in your business.

Now, this is a very simplified overview of how reporting works in GA4. You can find more information by digging into individual reports, parameters, and specific audiences.

However, this can quickly become confusing. That’s why, next, I’ll introduce an easier way to find the metrics that matter most to a growing business website.

Get Easy Google Analytics Reports

Many website owners wish there was a simpler way to see the most important metrics about their website’s performance without digging through complex reports and data they don’t understand. They want a clear, concise overview of what’s working and what’s not.

That’s where OnePageGA comes in.

It’s a simple, easy-to-use, one-page dashboard for Google Analytics 4 that brings back the simplicity and clarity of the old Google Analytics.

With OnePageGA, you see all the key metrics on a single page at a glance. No more clicking through endless reports.

You’ll see only the metrics that truly matter for growing your business so you can quickly identify what needs attention.

Setting up OnePageGA is quick and easy. Just connect your GA4 account, and you’re ready to go in minutes. No complicated settings to configure.

You also get pre-built Google Analytics reports designed to give you instant, actionable insights. This saves you valuable time and effort, allowing you to focus on improving your website.

FAQs About Easy Google Analytics

Get Started with Easy Google Analytics

We’ve covered a lot in this guide, from setting up your GA4 account to understanding its various reports. While GA4 can be powerful, it can also be overwhelming.

Remember, the goal is to use your website data to make informed decisions and grow your business. Don’t get bogged down in the complexity of GA4. Focus on the metrics that matter most to you.

If you’re looking for a simpler, more streamlined way to access and understand your Google Analytics data, give OnePageGA a try. It’s designed to make GA4 easy, even for beginners.

Ready to get easy Google Analytics and start seeing real results?

Get started with OnePageGA today.

If you have questions or want to join the conversation, you can also find us on X.