HOW TO CREATE A GOOGLE ANALYTICS ACCOUNT

Setting up a Google Analytics account is one of the first steps towards understanding how users interact with your website. Whether you are running an ecommerce store, a blog or a business site, the data provided by Google Analytics helps you make better decisions, improve user experience and measure marketing performance. Creating an account is free and takes only a few minutes, but the insights you gain can have a long-term impact on how you operate online.

This guide explains how to create a Google Analytics account from scratch, how to set up the new GA4 property and what you need to do to start collecting accurate, valuable data. By the end, you will have a fully functional setup that allows you to monitor user behaviour, track goals and analyse traffic sources.

Preparing to Set Up Your Account

Before you begin, it is important to have a Google account ready. This could be your personal Gmail account or a dedicated Google account used for business purposes. If multiple people need access to analytics data, it is best to use a shared company email rather than one linked to a specific individual. You will also need to have access to your website’s backend or content management system so that you can add the tracking code once the property is created.

The latest version of Google Analytics is called GA4, which replaces the older Universal Analytics system. GA4 is built to work across websites and apps, and it uses an event-based model rather than tracking sessions and pageviews in isolation. This means that from the beginning, you will be working with a more flexible and future-proof version of Analytics.

Creating Your Google Analytics Account

To get started, go to the Google Analytics homepage and click on the button to set up a new account. You will be guided through a series of steps to configure your account and property.

The first step involves entering an account name. This is usually your business or website name. After that, you will create a property within that account. A property represents the specific website or app you want to track. Enter a property name and choose your reporting time zone and currency, which should match your primary business location and market. For UK-based businesses, this would typically be GMT and pounds sterling.

Google will then prompt you to enter some basic business information such as your industry category and business size. This information helps Google tailor reports and recommendations, but it does not affect how your data is collected. Once that is complete, you can select your business objectives, such as generating leads or increasing online sales, and then move on to the setup instructions.

Installing the GA4 Tracking Tag on Your Website

After creating your property, Google Analytics will generate a unique measurement ID that begins with the prefix G followed by a string of numbers and letters. This ID links your website to your Google Analytics account and allows data to be collected.

To begin tracking, you need to install the GA4 tag on your website. If you are using a platform like WordPress, you can do this by adding the tracking code to your site’s header section. Some themes have a dedicated field for header scripts. Alternatively, you can use a plugin such as Site Kit by Google, which simplifies the process and automatically handles the connection.

For websites built on platforms such as Shopify, Squarespace or Wix, you can usually paste the measurement ID into the relevant analytics or tracking section in the site settings. If you are working with a developer, they can place the tag manually within the website code. Once installed, it may take up to twenty four hours for data to appear in your Analytics reports.

Verifying Data Collection and Basic Settings

After installing the tag, it is important to check that data is being collected correctly. You can do this by returning to your Google Analytics account and opening the Realtime report. Visit your website in a separate browser tab, and if the tag is working, your visit should appear in the live report.

Next, review your property settings and configure key options. Enable data retention for the longest available period, ensure enhanced measurement is turned on and verify your domain settings. Enhanced measurement automatically tracks actions such as scrolls, outbound clicks and video plays without additional coding.

It is also a good idea to link your Google Analytics account to other tools such as Google Ads and Search Console. This allows you to share data between platforms and get a more complete view of your marketing performance. Linking these services can be done within the Admin section of your Analytics property.

Creating Events and Conversions

In GA4, most user interactions are tracked as events. Some events are captured automatically, but you can also set up custom events to track specific actions on your site. These could include form submissions, downloads, button clicks or sign-ups.

Once an event is set up, you can mark it as a conversion within Analytics. This tells the system that the event represents a meaningful goal. Tracking conversions is essential for measuring how well your website supports business outcomes. It allows you to assess the effectiveness of different marketing channels and identify where users are dropping off in the journey.

Setting up events may require some basic configuration or the use of Google Tag Manager if your needs are more complex. For simpler setups, you can often create events using built-in functionality within the GA4 interface.

Final Checks and Best Practices

Once your account is live and collecting data, make sure you are excluding internal traffic from reports. You can do this by creating filters based on your IP address. This helps maintain data accuracy and ensures your reports reflect actual customer behaviour.

Regularly check your analytics to track trends, monitor performance and spot issues early. Use audience insights to refine your marketing strategy and compare traffic sources to see which platforms deliver the best results.

Keep in mind that data takes time to accumulate. While Realtime reports show immediate activity, broader patterns and insights become clearer over days and weeks. Use this data to inform content planning, conversion optimisation and customer targeting across your digital channels.