In October 2020, Google released new generation analytics 4 and GA4. The new GA4 allows the user to access a website, an app, or both simultaneously, in contrast to the outdated universal analytics features.
The advanced machine learning models developed by Google (GA4) work remarkably well in tracking current consumer behaviour and market trends across platforms and devices. With the help of privacy-centric design, you experience an increased ROI, notably for long-term marketing strategies.
This blog will cover everything from creating a new GA4 account to upgrading a new GA4 account to adding a GA4 tag to your website. Keep scrolling for a step-by-step explanation with screenshots.
Let’s Start by Creating a Brand-New Google Analytics Account and GA4 Property! Shall we?
You need to create a new google analytics account if don’t already have one. When we begin the process of creating a new account, google will take google analytics 4 as a new property by default. Nonetheless, it allows you to construct Universal Analytics; see the simple steps below
Step 1: Log in to your Google account and navigate to https://analytics.google.com/analytics/.
Step 2: Press the “Start Measuring” button.
Step 3: Enter the name of your account as it appears here. In most cases, it is a company name.
After entering the company name, click “Next.”
Step 4: Enter a “Property Name” and pick the “Reporting Time Zone” and “Currency” options.
Step 5: As highlighted in the image below, click on the “show advanced option” button to create a universal analytics property in addition to the GA4 analytics property.
Step 6: Turn the toggle from Off to On, and the light will turn vibrant blue.
Select the option to create either a GA4 and Universal Analytics Property or just a Universal Analytics Property after providing a website URL.
After selecting the suitable option, click “Next.”
Step 7: Fill out the “about your business” section with information such as Industry Category, business size, and how you want to use Google Analytics with your business.
After choosing all of the required choices, click “Create” to create GA4 and Universal Analytics Property under the new Google Analytics account.
Step 8: Select the appropriate boxes to accept the Measurement Controller-Controller Data Protection Terms and the Data Processing Terms as required by GDPR.
Now press the “I Accept” box.
Step 9: After accepting the conditions, you will be sent to the “Web Stream Details” screen, where you’ll discover the Measurement ID in the upper right corner.
Great!!! You have managed to create your GA4 and Google Universal analytics property successfully.
Know How to Upgrade Your Existing Universal Analytics Property to a GA4 Property
If you already have a Universal Analytics Property and wish to upgrade it to GA4, follow these instructions.
Step 1: As stated below, click “Admin.”
Step 2: You will be redirected to the admin panel of the Universal Analytics Property. Under the “Property” column, click on “GA4 Setup Assistant.”
Step 3: You are now on the “Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant” page. Tap on “Get Started.”
Note: Double-check that you have the appropriate account chosen in the account column.
Step 4: When you click the “Get Started” button, this pop-up will appear on your screen. Here, you must select “Create Property.”
Step 5: This will bring you to the screen below, where you can see the linked property message with the property ID.
Now you click on “See your GA4 property,” and you will be sent to the “Setup Assistant” page. To access the “Data Streams” panel, click the arrow (>) next to “Tag Installation.”
Step 6: From the “Data Stream” screen, click the arrow (>) beneath “Data Stream,” which will take you to the “Web Stream Details.”
Step 7: In the top right corner of the “Web Stream Details” tab, look for the Measurement ID for the GA4 property.
Kudos!!! You have now successfully upgraded your property to GA4.
How to Insert GA4 Tracking Code Into Your Website Without the help of Google Tag Manager.
There are three alternatives to using Google Tag Manager to install GA4 tracking code to your website.
- Option One: Link the Measurement ID to an existing Universal Analytics property.
- Option two: Insert a new ‘Config’ directive into the website’s current code.
- Option three: Copy the GA4 tracking code script, and then paste it into the <head> section.
1. Link the Measurement ID to an existing UA property in Universal Analytics.
If your website already has a Universal Analytics code and you want to add GA4 Measurement ID, link the GA4 Measurement ID under Universal Analytics Property in the tracking code under “Tracking Info” under the property section in the Google Analytics admin panel.
Step 1: Click the “Admin” button in the bottom left corner.
Step 2: Select “Web” from the “Data Streams” menu. Click the arrow (>) beneath “Data Stream” to get to the “Web Stream Details” page.
Step 3: You will find the GA4 Measurement ID in the upper right corner. Copy this ID.
Step 4: Navigate to your current Universal Analytics Property >> Admin >> Tracking details >> Tracking code.
Step 5: Scroll to the bottom until you find the option “Connected Site Tags.” Select this option.
Step 6: To create a new site tag, insert the Measurement ID that you created and copied in Step 3.
Once you clicked “Connect,” your Universal Analytics property and GA4 property have been successfully linked.
2. Insert a New ‘Config’ Directive into the Website’s Existing Code
If you already have (gtag.js) analytics code on your website and want to add GA4 Measurement ID, you can do so by adding a second “config” directive to the existing analytics code.
- Typically, gtag.js analytics code looks like this on the website’s source page.
- <!– 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>
Add an additional “config” directive with the GA4 Property “Measurement ID” after line 8 of the above-mentioned gtag.js code.
The code will look like this after adding an additional “config” directive with the GA4 Property “Measurement ID”:
- <!– 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-Propert ID’);
- </script>
In the table below, the left column contains a standard gtag.js code. The code after adding a new config directive with GA4 Property ID can be found in the right column.
3. Insert the GA4 tracking code script into the <head> section.
Step 1: In the left bottom corner, click the “Admin” option.
Step 2: Select the “Web” menu from the “Data Streams” menu. To access the “Web Stream Details” page, click the arrow (>) under “Data Stream.”
Step 3: On the “Web Stream Details” screen, locate “Add New On-Page Tag” under the “Tagging Instructions” tab. This is where you’ll find “Global Site Tag (gtag.js).”
Step 4: Copy this code and paste it into the <head> section of each web page you want to track.
How to Use Google Tag Manager to Add GA4 Tracking Code to a Website
Google Tag Manager can support two Google Analytics 4 tags.
- Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration
- Google Analytics: GA4 Event
Follow these steps to implement Google Analytics 4 using Google Tag Manager.
Step 1: Log in to your Google account and navigate to https://tagmanager.google.com/
Step 2: Under “New Tag,” select “Add a new tag.”
Step 3: Select “Tag Configuration.”
Step 4: From the “Choose Tag Type” window, select “Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration.”
Step 5: As shown in the image, enter the GA4 “Measurement ID.”
Step 6: Select the “Triggering” option.
Step 7: From the “Choose a Trigger” window, select “All Pages.”
Step 8: Change this tag’s name from “Untitled Tag” to “GA4 Configuration Tag” or another suitable name.
Step 9: To save this tag, click the “SAVE” button.
Step 10: Click the “Preview” button to see a preview of the changes.
Step 11: Enter the website’s URL and press the “Start” button.
Step 12: Check to see if the “GA4 Configuration Tag” is listed under “Tags Fired.”
Step 13: Now return to the Google Tag Manager tab and click the “Submit” button.
Step 14: Modify the “Version Name” and add a thorough explanation of the changes that were made in this version.
Step 15: Press the “Publish” button.
Conclusion
Setting up Google Analytics 4 is tricky, as it is with all new things. We have done our best with this guide to make the entire process much easier for you to implement. If you have any further questions, please connect with me on LinkedIn and ask us there.
