Launched in Oct 2020, google analytics 4 or GA4 is a powerful insight marketing tool that helps you make a better decision for your marketing strategies. The new version of google analytics can be used for a website and an app.
GA4 uses advanced machine learning (ML) models that help track the new and latest marketing trends. It also helps understand the customer’s behaviors over devices and platforms.
You can improve your ROI if you have long-term marketing plans. GA4 holds a lot for businesses, and it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
With privacy-centric design and all-new features like data structure and data collection logic, this is a must-learn marketing tool.
In this guide, we have covered all that you need to know about Google Analytics with screen-shots for better understanding.
Creating a new Google Analytics Account and GA4 Property
Creating a Google analytics might be something new if you don’t have one already. When you create a new Google Analytics account, Google makes GA4 a brand new property by default to your account.
It connects you to the Universal Analytics that is further explained. On the other hand, those who already have an account and are familiar with analytics properties will be unchanged.
Step 1
Log in to Google account and go to https://analytics.google.com/analytics/
Step 2
Click on the “Start Measuring” Button.
Step3
Select a name for your account (use a company name).
Click “Next” after suggesting the name.
Step 4
Put in a “Property Name” here. Then set your “Reporting Time Zone” and “Currency.”
Step 5
For Universal Analytics Property and GA4 analytics property, click on the “Show Advanced Options” shown below in the image.
Step 6
Switch the toggle from Off to On.
Here you need to add a URL and then select the option for creating a GA4 and Universal Analytics Property or a Universal Analytics property.
Press “Next” after when done.
Step 7
Add details of your business in “About Your Business” select the relevant option for your business, such as Industry Category, business size, and how you intend to use Google Analytics with your business.
After filling in all the information, click “Create” and create GA4 and Universal Analytics Property under the new Google Analytics account.
Step 8
Check all the relevant boxes. Accept the Data Processing Terms as required by GDPR and the data’s Measurement Controller–Controller Data Protection Terms.
After “I Accept, “move to the next step.
Step 9
After all the legal steps, you will see a “Web Stream Details” on your screen; here, you will find the Measurement ID in the top right corner.
Voila!!! You have successfully created a GA4 and Google Universal Analytics property account.
Upgrading to GA4 Property Form Existing Universal Analytics Property
If you have a Universal Analytics Property account and want to upgrade to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), here is what you need to do.
Step 1
Select the “Admin” option.
Step 2
You will see the Universal Analytics Property admin panel; click on the “GA4 Setup Assistant” under the “Property” column.
Step 3
You will land on the “Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant”. Select the “Get Started ” option.
Step 4: Clicking on the “Get Started” will show this pop-up on your screen. Here you need to click on the “Create Property” option.
Step 5
The next thing that appears on your screen is shown below; your property messages are connected with property ID.
Select the “See your GA4 property” tab, and you will see a “Setup Assistant” screen. Click the arrow (>) under “Tag Installation” this will take you to the “Data Streams” screen.
Step 6
When you see the “Data Stream” screen, click the arrow (>) under “Data Stream,” which will further take you to “Web Stream Details.”
Step 7
The “Web Stream Details” page is on your screens now; all the Measurement IDs for GA4 property are available here in the top right corner.
Mission accomplished!!! You have successfully upgraded to the GA4 property.
Let us move to the other steps now.
Adding GA4 Tracking Code to Website without Using Google Tag Manager
If you want to add GA4 tracking without using Google Tag Manager, the following are the options that you select.
Option One: Connect the Measurement ID to the existing UA Property in Universal Analytics.
Option Two: you can add a new ‘Config’ directive on the website’s existing code
Option Three: Copy and Paste the GA4 tracking code script into the <head> section.
Let us discuss each of these options now.
1. Connect the Measurement ID to Existing UA Property in Universal Analytics
Suppose you already have a Universal Analytics code on the website, and now you wish to add GA4 Measurement ID on the website.
Then, you need to connect the GA4 Measurement ID with the Universal Analytics Property tracking code in the “Tracking Info” mentioned under the property column in the Google Analytics admin section.
Step 1
Select the “Admin” option on the bottom left corner.
Step 2
Select the “Data Streams” option and click “Web.” You need to select the arrow (>) under “Data Stream,” and the next thing you see on your screen is the “Web Stream Details” page.
Step 3
You can see a GA4 Measurement ID in the top right corner. You need to copy the ID.
Step 4
Once done, you need to go to your existing Universal Analytics Property >> Admin >> Tracking info >>Tracking code.
Step 5
Scroll down to come to the “Connected Site Tags” option. Click this option.
Step 6
You are supposed to paste the Measurement ID created and copied earlier in Step 3. A new site tag will be created.
After selecting “Connect,” the Universal Analytics property and GA4 property will link together.
2. Add a New ‘Config’ Directive in the Existing Code on the website
If you already have a website (gtag.js) analytics code but wish to add GA4 Measurement ID, this is what you need to do if you choose this option. You can add a second “config” directive to the analytics code.
On the website’s source page you will see something like this a gtag.js analytics code
<!– Global site tag (gtag.js) – Google Analytics –>
<script async src=”https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-xxxxxxxxx-1″></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag(‘js’, new Date());
gtag(‘config’, ‘UA-Property ID’);
</script>
You need to add a“config” directive with GA4 Property “Measurement ID” after the above section.
Once done the “config” directive with GA4 Property “Measurement ID” will appear like this
<!– Global site tag (gtag.js) – Google Analytics –>
<script async src=”https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-xxxxxxxxx-1″></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag(‘js’, new Date());
gtag(‘config’, ‘UA-Property ID’);
gtag(‘config’, ‘G-Property ID’);
</script>
You can see the usual gtag.js code in the left column in the table below. After adding a new config directive with GA4 Property ID, you can see the code in the right column.
| Sr. No | gtag.js Code | After adding a new “config” directive to the existing code |
| 1 | <!– Global site tag (gtag.js) – Google Analytics –> | <!– Global site tag (gtag.js) – Google Analytics –> |
| 2 | <script async src=”https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-183804596-1″></script> | <script async src=”https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=UA-183804596-1″></script> |
| 3 | <script> | <script> |
| 4 | window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; | window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; |
| 5 | function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} | function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} |
| 6 | gtag(‘js’, new Date()); | gtag(‘js’, new Date()); |
| 7 | ||
| 8 | gtag(‘config’, ‘UA-Property ID’); | gtag(‘config’, ‘UA-Property ID’); |
| 9 | </script> | gtag(‘config’, ‘G-Property ID’); |
| 10 | </script> |
3. Copy and Paste the GA4 tracking Code Script in the <head> section.
Step 1
Here you need to select the “Admin” option in the bottom left corner.
Step 2
Choose the “Data Streams” option, and then select the “Web” menu. Hit the arrow (>) under “Data Stream” to move to the “Web Stream Details” page.
Step 3
The “Web Stream Details” screen is in front of you now; just below the “Tagging Instructions” tab, you will find “Add New On-Page Tag.” Here is where you will find “Global Site Tag (gtag.js).”
Step 4
Copy and paste the code here <head> for every web page you want to measure.
Adding GA4 Tracking Code to Website Using Google Tag Manager
Now we move forward discussing the steps for those who wish to add GA4 tracking code using Google Tag Manager. Google Tag Manager supports two GA4.
- GA4 Configuration
- GA4 Event
You can implement Google Analytics 4 using Google Tag Manager with these simple steps.
- Log in to your Google account and visit https://tagmanager.google.com/
- Select the “Add a new tag” option below the “New Tag” option.
- The next thing is to click the “Tag Configuration.”
- You have to select the “Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration” from the “Choose Tag Type” section.
- Here you have to put in the GA4 “Measurement ID.”
- Choose the “Triggering” option.
- Choose “All Pages” from the “Choose a trigger” sidebar.
- Add a name of your choice in the “Untitled Tag” to “GA4 Configuration Tag”.
- So far, so good; now click the “SAVE” button to save the tag.
- Now you can check how it would look finally by clicking the “Preview” button
- Enter the website’s URL and click the “Start” option.
- Verify if the “GA4 Configuration Tag” appears below the “Tags Fired.”
- Return to the Google Tag Manager Tab and hit the “Submit” button.
- You can make changes to the “Version Name” and add the description of the changes that have been made.
- Simply hit the “Publish” option.
Wrap up
We need to focus on new marketing strategies to keep up with the new market trends and stay ahead in the competition. Google Analytics 4 of GA4 is a new and advanced marketing tool that is certainly beneficial for businesses in the long run.
For social media marketers, this is a wonderful tool, and also it is very easy to understand. With this complete and easy step-by-step guide, you will learn how to create an account and use it to generate business revenues.