Nguyễn Chính Ngọc Liên
When you set up Google Analytics 4, your business can track how users find your website, engage with its content, and complete important actions. Get the setup right from the start, and you can use data to assess marketing performance instead of relying only on overall traffic.
This guide walks you through creating an account and data stream, adding tracking code, checking your setup, and reading GA4 reports. The process works for common websites; some interface labels may vary by language or as Google updates its products.
What Is Google Analytics 4, and What Do You Need to Prepare?
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google’s analytics platform, which records activity on websites and apps as events. Page views, scrolling, button clicks, and form submissions, for example, can all be measured as individual actions. This approach helps businesses understand the user journey in more depth than simply looking at session counts.
Before you set up Google Analytics 4, make sure you have administrator or other appropriate permissions for your Google account, editing access to your website, and a clear idea of what you want to track. If your website uses a content management system, tag manager, or ecommerce platform, you’ll also need to know how to access the relevant area for adding code.
First, identify the questions you want data to answer. For example: Which channels generate the most leads? Which service pages attract the most interest? How many visitors complete the contact form? Clear goals help you choose the right events and reports, so you don’t collect data without knowing how to use it.
How to Create a GA4 Account and Data Stream
1. Create an Account and Property
Sign in to Google Analytics, open the Admin area, and create an account if your business doesn’t already have one. Choose a recognizable account name, such as your business name. Next, create a GA4 property and select the appropriate reporting time zone and currency. Matching the time zone to your sales system or internal reports makes it easier to compare data.
During setup, Google may ask for details about your business and how you plan to use Analytics. Choose options that reflect your situation; these selections don’t replace the need to define your own business metrics and events.
2. Create a Website Data Stream
In your property, go to data collection and create a data stream for the Web platform. Enter your website address and give the stream a distinctive name, especially if your business manages multiple websites. After creating it, you’ll see a measurement ID that starts with “G-”. You’ll need this to connect your website to GA4.
GA4 typically offers enhanced measurement for certain interactions, such as page views, scrolls, outbound link clicks, and website searches. You can enable the events that are relevant to your needs, but don’t assume that every custom interaction will be tracked automatically. Check each event after setup.
Three Ways to Add Tracking Code to Your Website
There are several ways to implement tracking. Choose one as your primary installation method to avoid sending duplicate data, then test it carefully after publishing.
Install the Google tag: Copy the code provided by Google and add it to your website as instructed, typically in the head section of the source code so the tag can load on the pages you want to measure. If you’re not comfortable editing code, ask your website administrator to do it and test the changes before publishing them to your live site.
Install through Google Tag Manager (GTM): Create a Google tag, enter your GA4 measurement ID, set the appropriate trigger conditions, and publish the container. GTM is useful when your business wants to manage multiple marketing tags in one place. Make sure GTM is correctly installed on your website, and don’t also add the same Google tag through another method.
Use your website platform’s integration: Some platforms have a field for entering a measurement ID or a tool for connecting GA4. Enter the correct “G-” ID and follow the platform’s instructions. Then check that an older tag or another plugin isn’t sending duplicate events.
If your website uses multiple domains or sends users through a payment gateway, consider configuring cross-domain measurement where appropriate. Otherwise, sessions may be split or referral sources may be recorded inaccurately. LilyTech typically recommends that businesses document their implementation method, tag placement, and the person responsible so future maintenance is straightforward.
Check Your Data and Set Up Key Events
After adding the tag, open your website in a separate browser window and visit GA4. The Realtime report can help you check whether a new visit appears. You can also use Google Tag Assistant or GTM’s preview mode to verify that the tag fired. Standard reports may take time to process data, so don’t assume the tag is broken just because a report hasn’t updated immediately.
Next, check the events that matter to your business. GA4 may collect some basic events automatically, but actions such as form submissions, phone number clicks, consultation requests, and completed orders often require specific configuration. Use consistent, clear event names, and don’t include personally identifiable information such as a user’s name, email address, or phone number.
For each event, define the trigger conditions clearly and test the action on your website to confirm the data is sent exactly once. When an event represents an important outcome, such as a successful consultation request, you can mark it as a key event in GA4. It’s better to measure completed actions than button clicks alone, since a click doesn’t necessarily mean a form was submitted successfully.
Also review your use of cookies, privacy notices, and consent mechanisms in light of the requirements that apply to your business. Adding a tracking tag doesn’t mean you can ignore your data protection obligations. If your business runs ads or shares data between multiple tools, work with your legal and technical teams to configure everything appropriately.
Essential GA4 Reports to Know
Realtime Report
Realtime shows recent activity on your website, such as active users, pages viewed, and some recently triggered events. It’s useful for checking your setup or taking a quick look at a new campaign, but it shouldn’t replace summary reports when you’re assessing long-term trends.
Acquisition Reports
The Acquisition reports show where users or sessions come from, such as organic search, ads, social media, or referral websites. When reviewing the data, distinguish between user and session metrics, and check that your campaigns follow consistent UTM conventions. Inconsistent UTMs can split the same channel across multiple rows.
Engagement and Landing Page Reports
The Engagement reports help you review the pages, screens, and events being recorded. For a service website, compare landing pages with form submissions or key events to understand which pages attract leads. A page with many views doesn’t necessarily drive business results; consider the data in the context of your goals and lead quality.
Key Event Reports
In GA4, key events can be used to evaluate valuable actions. Compare trends over time, traffic sources, and devices, and verify your configuration before making budget decisions. A single number isn’t conclusive evidence of performance unless you also consider lead quality, revenue, and factors beyond your website.
Google Analytics 4 Setup Checklist
The account and property have clear names, with the right time zone and currency.
The data stream points to the correct website, and the measurement ID is implemented consistently.
Multiple tools aren’t sending the same page view or event and creating duplicate data.
Realtime or a tag testing tool confirms that data is sent during a test visit.
Important events are defined as completed actions and tested in practice.
UTM conventions, account access permissions, and data handling procedures are documented.
If your reports don’t show data, check the “G-” ID, GTM publication status, trigger conditions, browser filters, and cookie consent mechanism. For websites with multiple domains or complex integrations, review the data stream and events with your technical team before using reports to allocate budget.
Conclusion: Set Up Correctly to Get More from Your Data
Setting up Google Analytics 4 involves more than adding a piece of code to your website. Your business needs to create the right property and data stream, choose a suitable tagging method, test events, and identify reports that align with business goals. When your data is organized consistently, your marketing team can better understand user behavior and make decisions based on reliable evidence.
If you need help setting up GA4 or Google Tag Manager, or building a measurement system that fits your website and marketing activities, contact LilyTech for advice tailored to your business needs.
