How to set up Google Analytics 4 for your small business website

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the free tool that shows you who visits your website, how they found you and what they do once they arrive. Without it you are flying blind: every decision about content, keywords and ad spend is a guess. Setting it up takes about twenty minutes and this guide walks you through every step.

Before you start you need a Google account (the same one you use for Gmail or Google Search Console). If you do not have one, create it at https://accounts.google.com before following the steps below.

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics 4 account

Go to https://analytics.google.com and click Start measuring. Sign in with your Google account. Click Start again on the welcome screen.

Give your account a name. Use your business name or website name here; this is the top-level container that can hold multiple properties. Leave the data sharing settings at their defaults unless you have a specific reason to change them, then click Next.

Step 2: Set up a property

A property represents your website. Enter your site name and the full URL including https:// (for example https://victory.digital). Select your industry category and the time zone you want reports in. For a UK business choose United Kingdom. Click Create.

Step 3: Add a data stream

A data stream tells GA4 where the data comes from. For a website the stream type is Web. Enter your website URL and give the stream a name like "Main website". Click Create stream.

Step 4: Get your tracking code

GA4 now shows you a Measurement ID (starts with G-) and a numbered tracking snippet. That snippet is what you need to put on every page of your website. Copy the whole tag that looks like a series of JavaScript functions starting with window.dataLayer.

Step 5: Install the tracking code on your website

How you install the code depends on your platform.

• WordPress: install the Site Kit by Google plugin. Activate it, go to Settings, click Connect Google Analytics and sign in with the same Google account. Site Kit handles the code for you.
• Shopify: go to Online Store > Preferences. Under Google Analytics, paste your Measurement ID (the G- number) into the Google Analytics 4 field and click Save. The theme handles the rest.
• Squarespace or Wix: go to Settings > Analytics and paste your Measurement ID into the GA4 field. These platforms add the code automatically.
• A custom site: paste the entire tracking snippet just before the closing </head> tag on every page. A developer can do this in a template so it applies site-wide.

Step 6: Verify data is arriving

Return to GA4 and go to Reports > Real-Time. If someone visits your site while you watch, a small number should appear in a minute or two. If nothing shows after 24 hours, check that the code is on every page (use your browser's View Page Source and search for G-) and that there are no other analytics scripts conflicting with it.

What to do next

Once data is flowing, spend ten minutes exploring the Reports section. The Life cycle > Acquisition > User acquisition report shows which channels bring visitors. The Life cycle > Engagement > Pages and screens report shows your most popular content.

Victory Digital's client dashboard connects directly to GA4 so you can see your key metrics at a glance without logging into Google every time. If you would like help setting up tracking or interpreting the reports, book a discovery call at https://victory.digital/book/discovery-call or start with a free SEOSEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results pages. report at https://victory.digital/run-a-seo-report.