Everything You Need to Know About Google Analytics 4 (GA4) in 2025

Introduction

As businesses navigate the ever-changing digital landscape, having the right tools to understand user behavior and refine strategies is essential. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) stands at the forefront of this evolution, offering advanced insights to help businesses stay competitive while aligning with strict privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

This blog highlights the importance of GA4, its key features, and how it simplifies tracking and analytics in a privacy-first world. We’ll guide you through the setup process, explore its latest updates, and share practical tips for maximizing its capabilities to drive success in this new era of digital competition.

 

What is GA4?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics and the successor to Universal Analytics. It helps businesses track and analyze user behavior across websites and apps. While Universal Analytics used a session-based model to group interactions within a set time frame, GA4 uses an event-based model. This approach focuses on user-centric insights, providing businesses with a more flexible and detailed way to make data-driven decisions.

Importance of GA4 for Businesses:

GA4 is becoming essential for businesses as it aligns with privacy-focused digital ecosystems. Its event-driven tracking and machine learning-based insights offer a more robust way to understand user behavior.

• GA4 enables data collection during integration with other Google tools, as third-party cookies are disabled. 
• The ability to integrate web and app data provides a comprehensive view of the customer journey, allowing businesses to optimize user experience, adjust business strategies, and drive data decision-making. 
• By focusing on user-centric metrics, predictive analytics, advanced audience segmentation, and compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA, GA4 helps businesses navigate evolving customer needs, regulatory requirements, and technology to succeed in a competitive digital marketing landscape.

Setting Up Google Analytics 4

 

Creating a GA4 Property:

The essential and first step to use GA4 is to create properties. 

• Go to Google Analytics, select “Admin,” and then click “Create Product.” 
• Enter the required details, which includes property name, time zone, industry and currency. 

GA4’s easy setup makes it easy to start collecting data.

Installing GA4 Tracking Code:

To track user interactions, install the GA4 tracking code on your website.

You can use Google Tag Manager for efficient deployment or add the code snippet directly to your website’s header. For apps, integrate the Firebase SDK to ensure consistent data collection across platforms.

Setting Up Data Streams:

GA4 allows you to create data streams for websites, iOS, and Android apps. 

Navigate to “Data Streams” in the Admin section, select the desired platform, and follow the instructions to connect your digital properties. Configuring data streams correctly is essential for accurate reporting and analysis in GA4.

 

Creating Sub-Properties:

Sub Properties are a subset of data from the main property created under conditions we provide and can be created for 360 properties only. Sub-properties enable granular tracking for specific user groups or regions. We can use them to separate data for web and app platforms or segment by business units or full page URL etc. ensuring focused insights without compromising data integrity.

 

Data Collection and Configuration

 

Event-Based Data Collection Model:

GA4 comes with an event-centric data collection model, offering a more granular approach compared to the traditional session-based data collection model of Universal Analytics. This model tracks each user interaction such as page views, CTA_Clicks, and transactions and makes it easier to track detailed journeys of Users across web or app.

Auto Collected Events:

GA4 automatically collects some events based on basic interactions on apps or websites such as session_start, page_view, first_visit or first_open and many more. For these events there is no requirement of additional code or implementation. We can send custom parameters along with auto collected events.

Enhanced Measurement Features:

Enhanced measurement automatically tracks following events, reducing manual setup and ensuring comprehensive data collection (should be toggled on from admin panel in single click)

These events include:

• Page views: Tracks each page load or page change event.
• Scrolls: Captures when users scroll 90% of the page.
• Outbound clicks: Tracks clicks on links that lead to external domains.
• Site search: Captures search terms entered by users on the website search bar.
• Video engagement: Tracks video starts, progress, and completions.
• File downloads: Monitors click on downloadable file links.

Custom Events and Parameters:

Implementing custom events and parameters allows us to track user interactions with more details, such as product id, article title, navigation clicks, hamburger interactions or form submissions. Use Google Tag Manager to implement and configure these events for tailored insights.

GA4 also recommends some events to capture more interactions on the website, we can choose from the list provided such as sign_up, select_promotion, add_to_cart, purchase, qualify_lead etc. As these events need additional parameters to track, implementing these events uplifts reporting capabilities by tracking more details about interactions.

 

Understanding the GA4 Interface

 

Navigation Overview:

GA4’s interface features simple navigation, focusing on ease of use. 

Key sections include: Home, Reports, Explore, Advertising, & Admin. 

Each section offers different tools and reports to help you understand your data.

Key Sections and Their Functions:

• Home: A customizable dashboard with an overview of key metrics.
• Reports: Predefined default reports covering the complete user journey, starting from acquisition to conversion and further retaining the users for higher CLTV
• Explore: Advanced reporting section for deeper insights.
• Advertising: insights into paid marketing efforts, channels and attribution.
• Admin: Settings for audiences, events, conversions, Product links, Attribution settings and many others.

User-Centric Measurement

 

User ID Tracking:

Implementing User ID tracking benefits us in identifying and analyzing logged in users across devices, ensuring a unified view of their behavior, User ID tracking assigns a unique identifier to each user.

Google Signals:

Activating Google Signals gives enriched insights, such as cross-device tracking and advanced audience segmentation, powered by Google’s logged-in user data. When enabled (by default in new property), Google Signals collects data from users who have opted into ad personalization, providing more comprehensive insights into cross-device behavior.

Note: Demographic data of users i.e. Age, Gender etc. is captured by Google Signal feature.

Cross-Device Tracking:

GA4’s cross-device tracking enables businesses to understand how users interact across platforms, providing a seamless view of the customer journey.

 

Privacy and Compliance

 

Data Privacy Features:

GA4 includes several features to help you comply with data privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). GA4 prioritizes privacy with features like IP anonymization and customizable data retention settings.

Consent Mode:

Consent Mode in GA4 allows you to adjust data collection practices based on user consent preferences. This helps you balance data collection needs with user privacy requirements.

 

Exploring GA4 Default Reports

 

Real-Time Report:

We can monitor user activity as it happens in real time, within the real-time report, which provides immediate insights into user actions, active campaigns, and site performance with the latest update to track which pages/screens on your website or app are currently being viewed and how many users are on each page/screen. 

Life Cycle Reports:

Life cycle reports cover acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention, offering a complete view of the user journey.

User Attribute:

This report helps us in understanding demographic data about users such as Age, Gender, Interests and geographic dimensions.

Search Console Report:

Search Console Report is a pre-defined detail report that displays search queries, associated Search Console metrics for your linked property and landing pages with ranking. You can drill deeper into the data by Search Console dimensions (but not by Analytics dimensions).

Tech Reports:

Tech reports allow us to understand how users interact with your site or app across different devices, operating systems, and browsers along with App Versions, Stability reports.

 

Advanced Analysis Techniques

Explorations:

Explorations in GA4 offer powerful tools for in-depth data analysis. This feature allows you to create custom reports and perform detailed analyses to uncover insights specific to your business needs. Key types of explorations include Free-form (free-form tables, pivot tables), Funnel, Path, and Cohort Analysis.

 

Free-Form Analysis:

Free form reports give flexibility in analyzing detailed data by creating tables, pivot tables, and other charts such as pie, geographic or trend line by importing required dimensions and metrics.

Funnel Analysis:

Funnel Analysis allows us to build custom funnels to visualize user progression through key stages, identifying drop-offs/completion and optimization opportunities for conversions.

Path Analysis:

Path analysis helps us to reveal the sequences users take on your site or app, helping identify trends and potential irregularities in the user journey.

Cohort Analysis:

This exploration is used to analyze user cohorts which give us understanding of user retention and engagement patterns over time.

Segment Overlap Analysis:

This exploration helps us with comparing 3 segments to check how they relate with each other. This helps in redefining audience or segment conditions.

 

Customizing GA4

Custom Dimensions and Metrics:

Custom dimensions and metrics in GA4 allow you to capture additional data specific to your business needs. These customizations enhance your reporting and analysis capabilities by adding more context to your data.

User Properties:

User properties are attributes you can assign to users to track additional details about them. These properties persist across sessions and help you segment your audience more effectively.

Calculated Metrics:

Calculated metrics are the combination of one or more existing metrics and/or custom metrics within a mathematical formula to produce a new and potentially more valuable metric. With calculated metrics, you can set any metric to fit with reporting needs or logic.

 

AI and Machine Learning in GA4

Predictive Metrics:

GA4 leverages machine learning to provide predictive metrics, which help you anticipate user behavior and make data-driven decisions. Utilize predictive metrics, such as purchase probability, churn probability to forecast user actions and tailor marketing strategies.

 

Anomaly Detection:

Anomaly detection in GA4 uses machine learning to identify unusual patterns in your data. This feature helps you quickly spot and investigate irregularities, such as sudden drops in traffic or unexpected spikes in conversions. Leverage anomaly detection to identify unusual trends or issues in your data. Email alerts can be set on anomaly detection, this reduces the necessity of manual metrics check.

Insights and Recommendations:

GA4 provides automated insights and recommendations based on your data. These insights help you uncover trends, optimize performance, and identify growth opportunities.

 

Additional Features

Benchmarking:

Helps in comparing your performance with industry peers using benchmarking reports, available in GA4’s home section.

Data Import:

GA4’s data import feature allows you to upload additional data to enhance your analytics. This includes importing offline data, user data, and product data to create a more comprehensive view of user interactions. Import offline data, such as CRM or POS data, to enrich your GA4 insights.

 

Conversion Tracking in GA4

Setting Up Conversions (Key Events):

Conversion tracking in GA4 is essential for measuring the success of your marketing efforts and understanding how users achieve key objectives on your site or app. 

To set up conversions, you need to mark specific events as conversions. Mark key events as conversions to track critical actions, such as purchases or sign-ups, directly in GA4.

Analyzing Conversion Paths:

Analyzing conversion paths helps you understand the user journey leading to conversions. This analysis provides insights into the effectiveness of your marketing channels and user interactions. Use the attribution reports to analyze conversion paths and identify the most effective marketing channels.

Attribution Models:

Attribution models in GA4 help you determine how credit for conversions is assigned to different touchpoints in the user journey. Currently 3 attribution models are available i.e. Data-driven, Paid and organic last click, Google paid channels last click.

 

Integrations and Linking

Google Ads Integration:

Integrating Google Ads with GA4 allows you to track the performance of your ad campaigns and optimize your marketing efforts. Link GA4 with Google Ads to create targeted campaigns and measure their effectiveness.

Search Console Linking:

The integration with Search Console lets you analyze organic search related to your site. You can, for example, see where your site is ranked in search results, which queries lead to clicks, and how those clicks translate to user behavior, like which landing pages engage users more and how many users interact with key events. Integrate Search Console for a complete view of organic search performance.

BigQuery Linking:

Big Query – a data storage and management system can be integrated with GA4 for storing, retrieving and manipulating GA4 data. Link GA4 to BigQuery for advanced data analysis with raw data stored, leveraging SQL queries for deeper insights.

 

Audiences and Segmentation

Custom Segments:

Custom segments in GA4 enable you to isolate specific groups of users for more detailed analysis. Build custom segments (based on user properties, sessions, and events) for detailed analysis, enabling personalised marketing and deeper insights. Now segments can be saved within property, reducing efforts of recreating segments for each report.

Creating Audiences:

Audiences in GA4 allow you to group users based on specific criteria and analyze their behavior. Define custom audiences based on specific criteria, such as user behavior, demographics, or acquisition sources or events.

Audience Triggers:

Audience triggers in GA4 allow you to activate a specific group of actions when users enter or exit an audience. Set up audience triggers to notify when users meet specific conditions, enabling real-time custom engagement.

 

Advance Reporting and Visualization

Creating Custom Reports:

Reports customization in GA4 enable you to tailor your analytics to specific business questions. By defining the metrics and dimensions most relevant to requirements, you can create highly focused reports.

Using Looker Studio with GA4:

Looker Studio unlocks the power of GA4 data by making it easy to create interactive dashboards and compelling reports from a wide variety of sources, driving smarter business decisions. In looker we can merge different data sources with GA4 data and get a combined view of users and interactions.

Visualization Best Practices:

Effective data visualization is crucial for communicating insights clearly and persuasively. Following best practices such as ensuring correct scope of dimensions, accurate metrics gives us accurate data.

 

Conclusion

 

Google Analytics 4 is an essential tool for businesses, offering advanced insights, flexibility, and compliance features. By implementing GA4, businesses can harness the power of their data, enhance user experiences, and adapt to the demands of a dynamic digital environment. Understanding GA4 allows you to gain actionable insights, improve marketing strategies, and drive sustainable growth. From setting up your GA4 property to exploring in-depth analysis techniques and integrating with other platforms, this guide provides the knowledge needed to make the most of Google Analytics 4.

Start your journey with GA4 today and unlock the future of analytics success!