GA4 Setup for Small Businesses: A Simple Guide

Turn on GA4, verify data, and track what matters.

Jan 15, 20254 min read

GA4 doesn’t need to be complicated. In a single afternoon, you can enable tracking, capture the events that matter, and verify data is flowing.

1) Create a GA4 property

In Google Analytics, create a GA4 property and copy your Measurement ID (e.g., G‑XXXXXX). Add the tag to every page—ideally via your site template. If you already have a tag, confirm it’s the correct property.

2) Track a few core events

Start simple: page views (default), contact link clicks (tel: and mailto:), form submissions, and key file downloads (like brochures). Map each event to a business goal so reports stay meaningful.

3) Validate with Realtime

Open your site in one tab and GA4 Realtime in another. Click around and submit a test form to ensure events fire. When you see clean data in Realtime, build a basic report for leads and conversions.

That’s enough to make decisions. You can always add more events later—don’t let complexity delay useful insights.