Key takeaways
- GA4 is event-based: it records clicks, scrolls, form submissions and video plays rather than only pageviews.
- GA4 now calls conversions “key events.” Google renamed them in March 2024, and “conversions” now refers to actions counted in Google Ads.
- Exploration data retention defaults to two months; switching it to 14 months is needed for year-over-year analysis.
- Google signals were removed from GA4’s reporting identity in February 2024, so cross-device reporting now relies on user ID, device ID and modeling.
- Linking Search Console and passing data to and from your CRM connects search queries to closed revenue.
Google Analytics 4 replaced Universal Analytics, which stopped processing standard property data in July 2023. Many teams still use GA4 like the old tool: checking sessions and pageviews, then wondering why the numbers do not explain pipeline. This Emulent guide covers what to configure first, which reports to check weekly, which explorations to build and how to tie analytics to revenue.
What should you configure before looking at any reports?
Key events, retention, integrations and channel rules.
- Mark three to five actions that represent real business value as key events, such as contact form submissions, quote requests, demo bookings, calls or purchases. Google’s key events help article explains the 2024 rename and how key events become Google Ads conversions.
- Set data retention to 14 months under Admin, Data collection and modification, Data retention. The setting affects explorations; standard reports keep aggregated data.
- Link Search Console to see queries and landing pages alongside on-site behavior.
- Link Google Ads if you advertise, and import the key events you bid on as conversions.
- Standardize UTM tagging and adjust custom channel groups so email, paid social and partner traffic are classified correctly.
- Set up consent mode where required, such as for visitors in the European Economic Area, and avoid sending personal or health data in event parameters.
Misconfigured or missing key events are common on audits, so verify each one with DebugView before trusting reports. For ecommerce, we recommend Shopify, which offers a native Google channel for GA4 purchase tracking.
Which reports should marketing teams check weekly?
A short, consistent set.
- Traffic acquisition by session default channel group and source/medium, to see where visitors come from.
- Key events by channel and source, to see which sources produce leads or sales.
- Landing pages, to find pages with high traffic but low key event rates.
- Engagement rate and average engagement time. GA4 replaced bounce rate as the headline metric with engagement rate, the share of sessions longer than 10 seconds, with a key event or with two or more pageviews.
Pair these with Search Console query data and keyword research to see which topics bring visitors who act.
How do you build custom explorations for deeper analysis?
Use Explorations to answer specific questions.
| Exploration | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Path exploration | the sequence of pages before a key event, revealing which content assists conversions. |
| Landing page and query analysis | combine Search Console data with landing page engagement and key events. |
| Funnel exploration | from first page view to content engagement to key event, showing where people drop off. |
| New versus returning users | many B2B buyers visit several times before converting, so compare their behavior. |
Remember thresholding: GA4 may hide rows when user counts are small to protect privacy, so very narrow segments may show incomplete data.
How do you connect GA4 data to revenue?
Send identifiers to your CRM and outcomes back to GA4.
- Capture the GA4 client ID, and a user ID if you have one, in a hidden form field so each lead links to its session data.
- Import offline outcomes, such as qualified leads and closed deals with revenue, through the Measurement Protocol or data import.
- Build explorations or Looker Studio reports that attribute revenue to channels, campaigns and content.
Accurate tracking is the base of any enterprise SEO program, because you cannot improve what you cannot measure.
How can the Emulent team help?
Emulent audits and configures GA4, sets up key events and consent, builds explorations and connects analytics to CRM revenue. A caveat: privacy rules, consent choices and browser restrictions mean GA4 never captures every visit, so use it for trends and comparisons rather than exact counts. Contact the Emulent team to set up GA4 reporting.