As someone who has helped dozens of small businesses set up their analytics, I can tell you that most owners install Google Analytics and never look at it. Others drown in data without extracting insights. I have seen both extremes, and neither helps anyone. Here is the minimum setup that actually helps you make decisions without consuming your life.
GA4 Basics
Google Analytics 4 replaced Universal Analytics in 2023. If you are still running UA, you are collecting nothing. I still encounter businesses who think their analytics are working because no one told them about the switch. Check your property type in the admin panel.
Installation takes two minutes with Google Tag Manager. Add the GTM container code to your site header, then create a GA4 tag within GTM. Most WordPress themes have GTM integration built in. If you can copy and paste, you can do this.
Goals That Matter
Track conversions, not just pageviews. This is where I see people go wrong repeatedly. Set up events for form submissions, phone clicks, and downloads. What actions indicate a potential customer?
Contact form submissions matter more than time on page. Define 3-5 conversion events that indicate real business interest. I usually tell clients: if a visitor does this action, would you want to know about it? If yes, track it.
The Numbers to Watch
Traffic sources show where visitors come from. Organic search, direct, referral, social – understand your mix before spending on marketing. I have talked clients out of expensive social media campaigns when their analytics showed 95% of their leads came from Google.
Bounce rate by landing page reveals problem pages. High bounce on your services page? The content is not matching visitor intent. Something is driving people away, and this metric helps you find it.
Conversion rate by source shows which traffic actually converts. 1000 visitors from Instagram who never buy matter less than 100 from Google who do. This single insight has shifted many marketing budgets in the right direction.
Monthly Review Habit
Schedule 30 minutes monthly to review reports. Put it in your calendar. Make it recurring. Compare to previous periods. Look for trends, not single data points.
Ask simple questions: What is working? What is broken? Where should we focus next month? You do not need an analytics degree to understand whether things are getting better or worse. The numbers will tell you if you actually look at them.
