How GA4 works#
GA4 records everything as events — page views, scrolls, clicks, form submissions, purchases. Sessions and users are built from those events. Important events can be marked as key events (previously called conversions) so you can see which channels and pages drive results.
Reports SEOs use most#
| Report | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Acquisition → Traffic acquisition | How much traffic each channel (Organic Search, Direct, Referral…) brings |
| Engagement → Landing page | Which entry pages attract and engage visitors |
| Engagement → Events / Key events | Leads, sign-ups, WhatsApp clicks, purchases |
| Explore (free-form) | Custom breakdowns, e.g. organic landing pages × key events |
| Search Console collection (once linked) | Queries and landing pages with GA4 engagement data |
Setup checklist#
- Create a property and web data stream; add the Measurement ID (G-XXXX) — in this theme, Customizer → SEO & Marketing.
- Keep Enhanced Measurement on (scrolls, outbound clicks, site search, file downloads).
- Mark your lead actions as key events (form submit, WhatsApp click, phone click).
- Link Search Console and Google Ads.
- Extend data retention to 14 months in Admin → Data settings.
- Exclude internal traffic (this theme doesn’t load analytics for logged-in editors).
Expect gaps Consent banners, ad blockers and privacy features mean GA4 never sees 100% of visits. Use it for trends and comparisons, and Search Console for search-specific numbers.
Related: engagement rate, UTM parameters, GA4 guide for SEO.