Before you start11 steps · about 10 minutes
Before you start
- A Google account, ideally a business one you'll keep long term
- Admin access to your website (WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace…) or your web developer's help
- Optional: access to your domain's DNS settings, for the best Search Console setup
- About 30 minutes
Good to know: Set these up on a business account and add colleagues (or your agency) as users. Never share one login: if that person leaves, the data can leave with them.
Part 1Google Analytics 4
Step 1 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
1Create your Analytics account
Go to analytics.google.com and click Start measuring. Name the account after your business.
Step 2 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
2Create a property
Give it a name, then set the reporting time zone to United Kingdom and the currency to British pound.
Step 3 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
3Add your business details
Pick your industry, business size and what you want to use Analytics for. GA4 uses this to tailor its default reports.
Step 4 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
4Add a web data stream
Choose Web, enter your website address and a stream name, and leave enhanced measurement switched on. It tracks things like scrolls, outbound clicks and file downloads for you.
Step 5 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
5Copy your Measurement ID
In Admin → Data streams, open your stream and copy the Measurement ID. It starts with G-.
Step 6 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
6Install the Google tag
WordPress: the free Site Kit by Google plugin connects GA4 (and Search Console) for you. Shopify: connect GA4 through the Google & YouTube app. Wix and Squarespace: paste your Measurement ID into their built-in Google Analytics setting. Anything else: paste the Google tag code straight after the opening <head> tag on every page, or use Google Tag Manager.
Step 7 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
7Check it's working
Open your site in another tab, then look at Reports → Realtime in GA4. Data can take up to 30 minutes to start showing.
Step 8 of 11Part 1 · Google Analytics 4
8Mark your key events
Tell GA4 which actions matter (enquiry forms, calls, bookings, sales) by marking them as key events. This is the bit most setups miss.
Part 2Search Console
Step 9 of 11Part 2 · Search Console
9Add your site to Search Console
Go to search.google.com/search-console and add a property. Domain covers every version of your site (www, non-www, http and https) and is verified with a DNS record at your domain provider. URL prefix covers one exact address and can be verified with an HTML file, an HTML tag, Google Analytics or Tag Manager.
Step 10 of 11Part 2 · Search Console
10Submit your sitemap
In Sitemaps, enter your sitemap address. WordPress usually uses /wp-sitemap.xml, or /sitemap_index.xml with Yoast or Rank Math. Shopify uses /sitemap.xml. Data starts appearing within a few days.
Step 11 of 11Part 2 · Search Console
11Link Search Console to GA4
In GA4, go to Admin → Product links → Search Console links → Link, then choose your property and web stream. You'll need Editor access in GA4 and to be a verified owner in Search Console. The reports appear around 48 hours later.
All 11 steps done
Guide complete. Nice work.
Full house! You're measuring properly. Keep a copy of the whole guide, with every step, tip and source, for next time.
Stuck on anything? Tell us where and we'll pick it up from there.
GA4 or Search Console: which does what?
Search Console covers everything before the click: the searches you appear for, impressions, clicks, average position and any problems Google has indexing your pages. GA4 covers everything after the click: where visitors came from, which pages they view and which key events they complete.
Best-practice tips
- One tag, onceDon't install GA4 through a plugin and by hand. Double tags mean double-counted visits.
- Keep data for longerGA4 keeps detailed data for 2 months by default. Change it to 14 months in Admin → Data retention.
- Filter out yourselfDefine internal traffic so your own visits (and your team's) don't skew the numbers.
- Respect consentIn the UK, analytics cookies need consent. Make sure your cookie banner and Google's Consent Mode are set up properly.
- Track what mattersVisits are nice. Enquiries, calls, bookings and sales pay the bills. Make those your key events.
- Check in monthlyLook at Search Console's Performance report and GA4's traffic and key events once a month, not once a year.
Questions, answered
Are GA4 and Search Console free?
Yes, both are free Google tools.
I had the old Google Analytics. Do I need to do anything?
Yes. Universal Analytics stopped collecting data in 2023, so if you haven't set up a GA4 property, your site isn't being measured.
Domain or URL-prefix property?
Domain if you can add a DNS record: it covers every version of your site. URL prefix is quicker if you already have GA4 or Tag Manager on the site.
How long before I see data?
GA4 can show visits within about 30 minutes. Search Console data usually appears within a few days, depending on how Google has indexed your site.