Why GA4 is such a big deal

GA4 is basically Googles latest take on helping people understand user behaviour, whether thats on a website or a mobile app. One of the main differences from the old Universal Analytics is how it focuses on events rather than sessions. In plain English, that means you can measure specific actions visitors take—like clicking a button or submitting a form—instead of just counting pageviews. This event-based setup can give you a better overall picture of where your users thrive and where they might drop off, which can lead to smarter improvements.

Getting started with GA4

If youve never used GA4, the interface might look alien compared to older versions of Google Analytics. Typically, you begin by creating a GA4 property in your Google Analytics account, and then add the tracking tag to your site or app. Many devs rely on Google Tag Manager, so they dont have to tweak the code every time they want to track a new event. GA4 also uses Data Streams to gather info from multiple sources, such as your site and any mobile apps. This way, you can see all your traffic in one place, which is especially useful if users switch between your app and website.

How to define events

Defining events in GA4 might feel complex at first, but once you plan what actions you care about—maybe clicks on your sign-up button or video plays—it becomes more intuitive. Youll assign event names and can add parameters for extra detail, like which plan was chosen when someone clicked “sign up.” That detail makes it much easier later to see which parts of your site are truly engaging users or pushing them toward a conversion. See our free event builder tool to plan your dataLayer schema naming conventions.

Analysing the data

Once GA4 starts collecting data, youll notice it organises reports differently. Theres still a section for Acquisition, but GA4 also has Explorations, which let you customise reports with the metrics and dimensions you need. You can slice the data in creative ways—for instance, figuring out if new users from social media are more likely to purchase. Theres also a dose of machine learning that can flag sudden spikes in conversions or traffic, letting you react sooner rather than later.

Why many people choose GA4 over Matomo

Matomo is an alternative that many folks like, especially if they prefer a self-hosted solution for total data control. However, hosting it yourself means you have to maintain your own servers and handle updates. GA4 is cloud-based and integrates nicely with Google Ads, Tag Manager, and other Google tools. Its also free for most everyday usage, which is a major selling point if youre budget-conscious. Matomo can require extra time to install updates or fix things if they break, so GA4 often comes off as lower-maintenance.

Tips for better tracking

Before you start collecting random events, take time to plan. Ask yourself which actions on your site truly matter: signups, purchases, form fills, or anything else tied to your goals. Create consistent event names—like “signup_click” or “purchase_complete”—so you dont end up with duplicate or confusing labels. Consider adding parameters to capture more info, like which product was purchased. That extra layer of detail can be a goldmine when you start digging into your data.

GA4 and privacy

GA4 is also designed to handle new privacy rules like GDPR and CCPA. It relies less on cookies and more on machine learning to fill tracking gaps, which might feel odd if youre used to seeing every data point. But with privacy concerns growing, these changes are inevitable. GA4 offers configurable data-retention settings, user deletion features, and consent mode, so you can align your analytics with whatever regulations your business needs to follow.

Troubleshooting common problems

If you check GA4s real-time report and see nothing, your tags might be misconfigured or you used the wrong measurement ID. Also, GA4 can take up to 24 hours to display new events in the standard reports. Marking an event as a Conversion can help ensure you see it more easily. Youll also find a DebugView, which is a lifesaver for validating that GA4 is receiving your events when you test your site.

Future-readiness

GA4 is Googles way of staying ahead of changing user behaviour and regulations. Theres less reliance on third-party cookies, more flexibility in customising events, and a strong emphasis on making data-driven decisions. Since Google is continually improving GA4, it tends to stay current with emerging tech and marketing trends, so you dont have to keep switching analytics platforms down the line.

Cool ways to use GA4 for marketing

GA4 includes predictive metrics for identifying which users might buy something or which ones might not come back. You can use that insight to create ad campaigns in Google Ads that specifically target those groups. Another handy trick is the DebugView, which shows live events as you move through your site, so you can confirm your tags are firing correctly without waiting hours for data to update.

GA4 for devs

If youre a dev, GA4 can let you get pretty detailed in how you track interactions, especially if youve got a single-page app that changes state without reloading. You can also use the GA4 Measurement Protocol from your server side, which is handy for confirming a purchase after payment is fully processed. That extra layer of validation can save you from measuring incomplete or failed transactions as successes.

GA4 vs Matomo in a nutshell

Matomo and GA4 both have loyal fans. Matomo gives you complete control over your data if you host it yourself, but that does mean more work. GA4s cloud-based nature and deep integration with Googles ecosystem can be a major time-saver. It also comes with machine learning baked right in. If your team prefers more autonomy and self-hosting, Matomo can be ideal. But for many businesses, GA4 offers a good balance of features and convenience.

What to do next

Once youre set up, explore GA4s Overview reports and especially the Explorations tool, which lets you build and save custom analyses. Keep tabs on real-time reports if youre running time-sensitive promotions or need immediate feedback on site changes. And if you want deeper analysis, consider linking GA4 to BigQuery. That allows you to export raw data and run advanced queries, which can be game-changing for data-driven decisions. GA4s learning curve might be steeper than older Analytics versions, but once youre comfortable, youll likely appreciate the richer insights it offers.