Implementation and configuration of Google Analytics 4

Useful analytics starts with the questions a business needs to answer. Installing a tag is insufficient when events fire twice or a report cannot distinguish a button click from a successfully submitted enquiry.

GA4 after Universal Analytics

Standard UA began stopping data collection on 1 July 2023; the service shut down in July 2024. The task today is to configure GA4 or review existing measurement, rather than prepare for a future UA shutdown.

Documentation: Google Analytics.

Start with an event plan

We agree what constitutes a meaningful action: an accepted form submission, the start of checkout or a purchase. The plan records each trigger, required parameters and maintenance owner. Recommended GA4 events include generate_lead, add_to_cart and purchase.

Documentation: Google Analytics.

Example: forms and purchases

For a form, we separate clicking the button from confirmation that the enquiry was received. For a store, we check that refreshing the page does not send the same purchase again. We also compare values and currencies with the agreed data plan instead of treating a rising chart as proof of a correct setup.

Checks before handover

We prepare successful, failed and repeated scenarios. Tests use isolated data so that fictional results do not enter real reports. We separately check the chosen consent configuration, refusal and a subsequent change of choice.

What the team receives

The scope can include an audit of current measurement, event configuration, organised reports and documentation. Handover includes an event list, check results and known limitations. Later changes to forms, checkout and integrations should include another measurement check.