How to Set Up Google Analytics for Your Website
Quick Answer
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is free and shows you how many people visit your site, where they come from, and what pages they look at. Without it, you have no idea if your marketing is working.
1.Go to analytics.google.com
Open your browser and go to analytics.google.com. Sign in with the Google account you use for your business — the same one as your Gmail or Google Business Profile.
2.Create an Analytics account
Click "Start measuring." You'll be asked to enter an Account Name — use your business name (e.g., "Swift Dev" or "Acme Painting"). Leave the default checkboxes as they are and click Next.
3.Create a Property
A property represents your website. Enter your website name, select your timezone (Pacific Time if you're in Southern California), and select US Dollars as your currency. Click Next.
4.Fill out your business details
Google will ask what kind of business you are. Select the category that best fits (e.g., "Business and industrial" for contractors). For business size, select Small if you have fewer than 10 employees. Click Next.
5.Choose your business goal
Google will ask what you want to measure. Select "Get baseline reports" — this gives you the full standard dashboard. Click Create, then accept the Terms of Service.
6.Set up a Data Stream
Google will ask you to choose a platform. Click "Web." Enter your full website URL and give it a stream name (e.g., "Swift Dev Website"). Leave Enhanced Measurement turned on — this automatically tracks page views, scrolls, and link clicks. Click Create stream.
7.Copy your Measurement ID
After creating the stream, you'll see your Measurement ID — it looks like this: G-XXXXXXXXXX. Copy it. You'll need this to connect GA4 to your site.
8.Add GA4 to your website
Squarespace: Settings → Developer Tools → External API Keys → paste your G- ID. Wix: Marketing & SEO → Marketing Integrations → Google Analytics → Connect. WordPress: Install the free "Site Kit by Google" plugin and sign in with Google. Next.js or custom code: add the gtag script inside the <head> tag of your main layout file, replacing G-XXXXXXXXXX with your actual Measurement ID.
9.Verify it's working
Go to analytics.google.com → Reports → Realtime. Open your website in a new browser tab. Within 30 seconds you should see "1 user" appear in the Realtime report. That means GA4 is tracking correctly.
10.Check your reports every week
Once data starts flowing (give it 24–48 hours), go to Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition. This shows you exactly where your visitors are coming from — Google search, direct, social media, or paid ads.
Tip: GA4 takes 24–48 hours to populate your standard reports. The Realtime report is the only one that shows data instantly. Don't panic if your dashboard looks empty on the first day.
Want GA4 set up with conversion tracking so you can see exactly which visitors become leads? We handle the full setup for local businesses. Get in touch →