GA4 setup checklist

  • Create the property with correct time zone and currency
  • Install the tag once, via Google Tag Manager or the site, not both
  • Enable enhanced measurement and turn off events you do not want
  • Mark only real business outcomes as key events (GA4's new name for what it used to call conversions)
  • Set event data retention to 14 months, the longest option for standard properties (360 properties allow up to 50 months)
  • Define internal traffic and activate the filter after testing
  • List unwanted referrals such as payment gateways
  • Link Google Ads, Search Console and BigQuery if used
  • Configure cross-domain measurement if the journey spans domains
  • Test events in DebugView before announcing the setup
  • Document event names and parameters in a tracking plan

Sources

  1. Conversions vs. key events in Google Analytics - Analytics Help
  2. Data retention - Analytics Help
  3. Enhanced measurement events - Analytics Help
  4. Filter out internal traffic - Analytics Help
  5. Identify unwanted referrals - Analytics Help
  6. Set up cross-domain measurement - Analytics Help