Definition
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google's free analytics platform, organised around events instead of sessions, with built-in cross-device measurement and machine-learning predictions.
GA4 replaced Universal Analytics in July 2023. Every interaction — page view, button click, video play, purchase — is an event with parameters, which makes the data model more flexible but requires explicit configuration of conversion events that used to come for free.
The biggest mindset shift: GA4 is an event store first, a reporting tool second. Most teams that struggle with GA4 are still thinking in pageviews and bounce rates. The teams that get value from it think in events, conversions, and audiences.
Origin
Announced in October 2020 as 'App + Web', renamed Google Analytics 4. Became the default property type in 2022. Universal Analytics stopped processing data on July 1, 2023.
How it works
- Create the GA4 property in Google Analytics admin.
- Install the gtag.js or use Google Tag Manager.
- Mark events as 'conversions' for the metrics that matter (form submit, signup, purchase).
- Define audiences for retargeting and segmentation.
- Link to Google Ads and Search Console to enable cross-product reporting.
- Set up data retention and IP anonymisation for compliance.
When to use it
Use when
- On every site you own — it's free and the industry default.
- When you need cross-device or cross-domain measurement.
- When stakeholders want lookback reports tied to revenue.
Skip when
- As your single source of truth for revenue. Use server-side tracking or your CRM for that.
- Without explicit conversion configuration. Default GA4 reports are nearly useless.
Key metrics
- Conversions (your defined revenue events).
- Engagement rate (replaces bounce rate).
- Conversion paths and attribution.
- Audience size and overlap with Google Ads.
Examples
- GA4 showed 60% of paid signups happened on a second visit, not the first.
- After we cleaned up GA4 events, the LTV report finally matched what we saw in the CRM.
- We use GA4 for behavioural insight and the CRM for the revenue truth.
In practice at Makreate
Makreate's marketing engagements ship a properly-configured GA4 setup as part of every advertising and SEO retainer. Most clients arrive with default GA4 — pageviews tracked, nothing else — and assume it's broken. After we map their conversion events, link Google Ads, and define audiences, the same data starts answering business questions: which channel has the lowest CAC, which campaigns convert on a 30-day lag, which segments bounce. A recent SaaS client doubled their reportable conversions just by configuring scroll depth and form-interaction events that were already firing.
Advertising →Common mistakes
- Treating default GA4 reports as accurate. They aren't — until you configure events.
- Not marking events as conversions. Without this, your funnel reports are empty.
- Forgetting to enable Google Signals for cross-device measurement.
- Relying on GA4 for revenue numbers. Server-side or CRM data is the truth.
- Not setting up filtered views for internal traffic. Your team's clicks pollute the numbers.
Frequently asked
Is GA4 free?
Yes — for sites under 10 million events per month. The paid GA4 360 tier is for enterprise volumes and starts in the six figures annually.
Why did Google force the migration?
Universal Analytics was built for desktop web in 2005. The event model in GA4 unifies app and web tracking and aligns with how Google's ML uses data downstream.
How accurate is GA4 vs ad-platform reporting?
Expect a 10–30% gap due to ad-blockers, consent rejection, and attribution differences. GA4 is best for behavioural truth; ad platforms tell you what they took credit for.