I’ll be honest, Google Analytics 4 setup isn’t the most exciting part of running a business. But here’s the thing: if you’re not tracking your website visitors, you’re flying blind. Every day, potential customers land on your site, and without proper analytics, you’ve got no idea who they are, what they want, or why they’re leaving.
In my six years building websites for Welsh businesses, I’ve seen too many owners obsess over their site’s design whilst completely ignoring the data that actually tells them what’s working. Let me walk you through setting up Google Analytics 4 properly, so you can make informed decisions about your online presence.
Why Google Analytics 4 Matters for Small Businesses
Universal Analytics died in July 2023. If you’re still using it, you’re looking at dead data. Google Analytics 4 isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a complete rebuild focused on user journeys across devices and platforms.
For small businesses here in Wales, this means better insights into how customers find you, what pages they visit, and crucially, what makes them pick up the phone or fill out your contact form. Understanding visitor behaviour is fundamental to growing any business online.
A mortgage adviser client in Newport came to me recently because their old analytics had stopped working. Within a week of setting up GA4 properly, they discovered that 60% of their visitors were coming from mobile searches for “mortgage advice near me”. That insight completely changed their content strategy.
Setting Up Your Google Analytics 4 Account
First things first: you’ll need a Google account. If you’re using Gmail for your business (please don’t, get proper business email), you can use that. Otherwise, create one specifically for your business analytics.
Head to analytics.google.com and click “Start measuring”. You’ll need to:
- Create an account (use your business name)
- Set up a property (this is your website)
- Choose your reporting time zone (GMT for the UK)
- Select your business category and size
When it asks about your business objectives, be honest. If you want people to contact you, select “Generate leads”. If you’re selling products online, choose “Drive online sales”. Google tailors its reports based on these choices.
Installing the Tracking Code on Your WordPress Site
This is where things get technical, but stick with me. You need to add Google’s tracking code to every page of your website. There are several ways to do this:
Using a Plugin (Recommended for Most)
Install the “Site Kit by Google” plugin. It’s free, official, and handles the technical bits for you. Once installed, connect it to your Google account and select your Analytics property. Job done.
Manual Code Installation
If you’re comfortable with code (or your web designer is), you can add the Global Site Tag directly to your theme’s header.php file. Copy the code from your GA4 property and paste it just before the closing tag.
Honestly though, unless you know what you’re doing, stick with the plugin. I’ve seen too many DIY attempts break websites because someone pasted code in the wrong place.
Essential Settings Every Welsh Business Needs
Out of the box, GA4 misses some crucial settings for UK businesses. Here’s what I always configure for my clients:
Data Retention Settings
By default, GA4 only keeps your detailed data for 2 months. That’s useless for seasonal businesses. Go to Admin > Property Settings > Data Retention and change it to 14 months (the maximum allowed).
IP Exclusion
You don’t want your own visits cluttering up your data. Create a filter to exclude your office IP address. If you work from home, exclude your home IP too. Go to Admin > Data Streams > Configure Tag Settings > Define Internal Traffic.
Enhanced Ecommerce (If Applicable)
If you sell anything online, enable Enhanced Ecommerce tracking. This shows you which products people view, add to cart, and actually buy. Essential data for any online retailer.
Key Metrics Welsh Small Businesses Should Track
Don’t get lost in vanity metrics like total page views. Focus on what actually matters for your business growth.
| Metric | Why It Matters | Where to Find It |
|---|---|---|
| Sessions from Organic Search | Shows if your SEO is working | Reports > Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition |
| Goal Completions | Tracks actual business objectives | Reports > Engagement > Conversions |
| Pages per Session | Indicates content engagement | Reports > Engagement > Pages and Screens |
| Mobile vs Desktop Traffic | Guides responsive design priorities | Reports > Tech > Tech Details |
Remember, everyone’s banging on about AI and fancy new marketing tech, but good old-fashioned data analysis is still fundamental. Understanding how visitors navigate your site will always be more valuable than any AI-generated insight.
Of course, if you’re running a solicitor’s practice, you’ll also need to ensure your tracking setup meets strict data protection requirements outlined in our GDPR compliance guide for UK solicitor websites.
Once you’ve got your analytics properly configured, you’ll want to focus on optimising what you’re actually measuring, which is where these proven website success strategies become invaluable.
This kind of visitor data becomes especially crucial for Welsh cafes and restaurants implementing online ordering systems, where understanding customer behaviour can make the difference between a successful launch and a costly mistake.
Setting Up Goals and Conversions
This is crucial. If you’re not tracking conversions, you’re just counting visitors, not measuring business success.
Common goals for Welsh small businesses include:
- Contact form submissions
- Phone number clicks
- Email address clicks
- Downloads of brochures or price lists
- Time spent on key pages
Set these up in Admin > Events > Create Event. Name them clearly: “contact_form_submit” or “phone_click” work better than generic names you’ll forget in six months.
Common Google Analytics 4 Mistakes to Avoid
I see these mistakes constantly when taking over websites from other agencies or DIY efforts:
Installing multiple tracking codes: This happens when someone “isn’t sure if it’s working” and adds another code. You’ll get duplicate data and confused reports.
Not setting up proper goals means you’re measuring vanity metrics instead of business success. A beauty salon doesn’t need to know their bounce rate, they need to know how many people clicked their booking button.
Ignoring mobile data is another big one. In my experience, most Welsh small businesses get 60-70% mobile traffic, yet they focus all their attention on desktop metrics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Google Analytics 4 take to start showing data?
You’ll see basic data within 24 hours, but wait at least a week before drawing any conclusions. GA4 needs time to establish baseline patterns.
Can I still access my old Universal Analytics data?
No, Google deleted all Universal Analytics data in July 2024. If you didn’t export it before then, it’s gone forever. This is why I always recommend setting up GA4 as soon as possible.
Do I need Google Analytics 4 if I’m using other tracking tools?
Yes. GA4 is free, comprehensive, and integrates with other Google services like Search Console and Google Ads. Even if you use other tools, GA4 provides the foundation.
How often should I check my Google Analytics 4 data?
Weekly is plenty for most small businesses. Daily checking leads to knee-jerk reactions based on normal fluctuations. Monthly trends tell you much more than daily spikes.
Getting the Most from Your Analytics Data
Having Google Analytics 4 setup is just the beginning. The real value comes from regular analysis and action based on what you discover.
Set aside an hour each month to review your data. Look for patterns: which pages get the most traffic? Where do people leave your site? What search terms bring the best visitors?
Most importantly, don’t just collect data, use it. If you discover that mobile visitors leave quickly, that’s a sign your mobile experience needs work. If certain pages convert better than others, figure out why and apply those lessons elsewhere.
We build all our websites with proper analytics integration from day one, because understanding your visitors is essential for any successful online presence. Ready to get your website working harder for your business? Let’s have a chat about how we can help you make sense of your online performance.
