Google Analytics 4: A Simple Guide to What It Is and How to Start

In this article, we explain Google Analytics 4 (GA4)—what it is, why it matters, and how to set it up. We use clear and simple words to make it easy for anyone to follow. As Mr. Phalla Plang, Digital Marketing Specialist, I always say: “GA4 is not just an upgrade—it’s a smarter way to understand your audience and future‑proof your analytics.”

1. What Is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics. It tracks both website and app data in a unified platform, using an event-based model rather than session-based tracking to capture user actions more precisely (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help). GA4 also includes privacy controls, such as cookieless measurement and behavioral modeling, and provides predictive insights powered by AI (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help).

GA4 also integrates natively with Google BigQuery, a feature previously reserved for enterprise users, making it easier for businesses to analyze large data sets (Wikipedia, 2025) (Wikipedia).

2. Why Did Universal Analytics (UA) End?

Universal Analytics stopped collecting new data in July 2023 for standard (free) accounts, and on July 1, 2024, even enterprise (GA 360) users lost access entirely (Wikipedia, 2025) (Wikipedia). This made GA4 the only analytics option offered by Google moving forward.

3. How Widespread Is GA4 Usage Today?

GA4 adoption has grown rapidly:

• As of early 2025, approximately 14.8 million websites are using GA4 globally, accounting for 43% of all Google Analytics market share (Narrative BI, 2025) (Narrative).
  
• In the United States alone, around 3.2 million websites use GA4, or about 22% of all GA4 sites (Narrative BI, 2025) (Narrative).
  
• Other top countries include United Kingdom (about 400,000 sites), Japan, Russia, and Brazil (Narrative).
  
• Industry data shows over 1.2 million WordPress sites and 237,000 Shopify sites using GA4 (Narrative BI, 2025) (Narrative).
  

These numbers show GA4 is not just new—it has become widely adopted and trusted.

4. What Makes GA4 a Smarter Choice for Businesses

GA4 offers a range of features that make analytics smarter and more flexible:

• Predictive Metrics powered by machine learning help forecast user behavior—like purchase probability or churn risk (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help, Amra and Elma LLC).
  
• Cross-Platform Tracking allows you to track both web and app interactions in a single interface (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help).
  
• Event-Based Data Model gives more control over what actions to track—like clicks, video plays, or form submissions—offering deeper insights into user behavior.
  
• Privacy-Friendly Design means GA4 supports cookieless measurement and respects data privacy more than UA did (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help).
  
• BigQuery Integration provides a powerful way to store and explore data for in-depth analysis (Wikipedia, 2025) (Wikipedia).
  

5. How to Set Up GA4: Step-by-Step

Here’s how to get started with GA4 in five simple steps:

Step 1: Create a GA4 Property
Sign into Google Analytics and choose “Set up a GA4 property”. Even if you’ve used UA before, this option lets you start collecting new data (Google Support, n.d.) (Google Help).

Step 2: Add the Tracking Tag
GA4 provides a snippet (gtag.js) or integration via Google Tag Manager. Paste it into your website’s header, or use your CMS settings—platforms like WordPress and Shopify offer easy options (Google Support, n.d.; Narrative BI, 2025) (Google Help, Narrative).

Step 3: Track Events and Conversions
GA4 tracks many events by default. You can mark important ones (like purchases or form submissions) as “conversions” for clear performance tracking.

Step 4: Link to Other Tools
Connect GA4 to tools like Google Ads or BigQuery to get enhanced reports and deeper insights (Wikipedia, 2025) (Wikipedia).

Step 5: Explore the GA4 Dashboard and Get Certified
Use the GA4 interface features like Home, Realtime, and Explore. Google offers free certification on Skillshop with courses ranging from beginner to advanced (Wikipedia, 2025) (Wikipedia).

6. Key Metrics in GA4 and Why They Matter

GA4 measures engagement differently and more accurately:

• Engaged Sessions: Sessions that last 10+ seconds, have multiple views, or include a conversion.
  
• Engagement Rate: The percentage of engaged sessions over total sessions—this replaces UA’s bounce rate.
  
• Average Engagement Time: A more realistic measure than session duration in UA.
  

These metrics give a better sense of real user interaction and interest. You don’t need to track everything at once—start with what aligns with your goals and grow from there.

7. Tips for Smooth Migration from UA to GA4

• Export UA Data Early—it won’t be accessible after shutdown (Wikipedia, 2025) (Amra and Elma LLC, Narrative, Elsner Technologies).
  
• Run UA and GA4 in Parallel to compare and adjust.
  
• Rebuild Reports in GA4—use its Explore tools for custom insights.
  
• Leverage Templates and Community Resources to speed up setup.
  

References

Google Support. (n.d.). [GA4] Introducing the next generation of Analytics. Google Analytics Help. Retrieved Month DD, 2025, from Google Support (AgencyAnalytics, Google Help, Wikipedia, Amra and Elma LLC, AgencyAnalytics).

Narrative BI. (2025, March 11). Google Analytics statistics in 2025. Narrative BI. Retrieved Month DD, 2025, from Narrative BI (Narrative).

Wikipedia. (2025, recent). Google Analytics. In Wikipedia. Retrieved Month DD, 2025, from Wikipedia (Wikipedia).