Google Analytics gives you insight into who your customers are, how they found you, and what they do as they scroll through your pages. To build a website that actually creates results, you need to know what works and what doesn’t. A site based on guesswork will rarely perform optimally. That’s where Google Analytics comes into play. 

Whether you call it the industry standard Google Analytics or just casually search for Google Analytics, it's a free tool for measuring online success. Since the transition to the new version (Google Analytics 4 / GA4), the interface has changed quite a bit. Here's a guide that takes you through the setup and key features step by step.

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics account

Before you can track data, you need to create the account itself and connect it to your business. Go to analytics.google.com and log in with your company's Google account (Gmail or Google Workspace). If you don't have a Google account, you can register a new one. It is possible to create a Google account with your existing email address () without creating a new Gmail address:

1. Go to the registration page: Open Google Account creation page in your browser.
2. Enter name: Fill in your first and last name, and click "Next".
3. Fill in basic information: Enter your date of birth and gender (this is standard security requirement from Google).
4. Use your own email: On the screen where Google asks you to choose a new Gmail address, tap the option «"Use your existing email address"» (Use your existing email).
5. Enter your business address: Enter in the field that appears, and press "Next".
6. Verify email: Google will immediately send an email with a 6-digit verification code to your inbox. Retrieve this code, paste it into the registration window, and confirm.
7. Create password and complete: Create a strong password. You will then be asked to enter a phone number to verify your account via SMS.

Once this is complete, your business account will function as a full-fledged Google Account. You can now use the exact same email and password to manage your company's Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Google My Business.

1. Click on Start measuring (Start measuring).
2. Account setup: Give the account a name (such as your company name). Check the data sharing options you are comfortable with.
3. Area setup (Property): Enter the name of your website, and make sure you select the correct time zone (Norway) and currency (NOK). This is important so that sales and time reports match your own work schedule.
4. Company information: Briefly answer the questions about industry and company size to customize the reports.

Step 2: Add tracking to your website (WordPress)

Once your account is created, you will be given a «Measurement ID» that starts with «G-.« This code must be included on your website in order for Google to collect data. If you have a WordPress website, this is very easy:

• Method 1 (Easiest): Install Google's own official extension, Site Kit by Google. This allows you to log in with your Google account directly from your WordPress dashboard and connects Analytics with a few clicks, completely without coding.

• Method 2 (Pure code): Use an extension like WPCode. Copy the script code you get in Google Analytics and paste it into the "Header" section of the extension. The code will then be added invisibly to all of your subpages.

Once the code is added, you should open your website in a new tab, go back to Analytics, and check the «Real-time» report. If you see that there is 1 active user there, you know that the tracking is working.

Step 3: Understand the most important reports

When you log into GA4 to analyze your traffic, the menu on the left side can seem overwhelming. As a business owner, it's mainly under the tab Reports > Lifecycle you find the gold:

• User acquisition: This report shows you how people found your website. Did they come via an organic Google search, click a link on Facebook, or type in the URL directly? This tells you which marketing channels are actually working.

• Commitment (Commitment): Here you see what people do. Which subpages are the most popular? How long do users stay on your page, and which buttons do they click? If your pricing page is at the top, you know that buying interest is high.

• Conversions: The most important goal for a business website. Here you define events that are valuable to you, such as a customer submitting a contact form, calling your phone number, or making a purchase.

Step 4: Filter out your own traffic

For small businesses with moderate traffic, your own visits to the website can skew the statistics. If you and your employees are visiting the site ten times a day to check for changes, Analytics will record this as «customers.».

You can easily exclude your own traffic by going to Admin (gear in the bottom left) > Data Streams > Configure Tag Settings > Define Internal Traffic. Here you enter your own IP address, so that your own visits do not dilute your statistics. You can find your IP address by going to Do you find the technical setup of measurement codes, cookies and analysis tools frustrating? When we at Hjemmesiden.no build your website, we can ensure that such tools are integrated correctly from launch day, so that you have full control over your customer journey. Do you find the technical setup of measurement codes, cookies and analysis tools frustrating? When we at Hjemmesiden.no build your website, we can ensure that such tools are integrated correctly from launch day, so that you have full control over your customer journey. https://whatismyipaddress.com/.