WHAT IS GOOGLE ANALYTICS?

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Local SEO Services and have written an accessible overview of What is Google Analytics, so you understand how it works and why it’s a must-have tool for monitoring your website’s success.

When I speak to business owners about their websites one thing becomes clear very quickly. Most of them have Google Analytics installed yet only a small percentage know what it actually does. In my opinion Google Analytics is one of the most powerful free tools available to any business that has a website. It shows you who visits your site, how they find you and what they do once they arrive. Without this data you are guessing. With it you can make informed decisions that improve your marketing, your content and your overall visibility.

Google Analytics is a web analytics platform created by Google that tracks and reports user interactions on your website. It collects data such as page views, traffic sources, device types, user behaviour and conversions. It then organises this data into reports that help you understand how your website is performing. The platform is completely free which is remarkable considering the insights it provides.

Google Analytics has evolved significantly since its early days. The current version, Google Analytics 4, is event based rather than session based. This means it tracks actions instead of visits and gives a much fuller picture of how people behave. In this article I want to explain what Google Analytics is, why it exists, how it works and why it is essential for every business that cares about performance.

Why Google Analytics exists

Google Analytics was created to give website owners the ability to understand their online audience. Before Analytics became mainstream businesses had very limited insight into what people did on their websites. They did not know where visitors came from, which pages they viewed or how many of them took important actions.

Google Analytics changed that completely. Suddenly businesses could see:

  • how many users visited each day

  • which pages were most popular

  • where users were located

  • which marketing channels drove the most traffic

  • how long visitors stayed

  • how many enquiries or purchases resulted

In my experience this level of insight transforms how a business thinks. Decisions become driven by evidence not assumption. Marketing improves. Websites become more user friendly. Customer journeys become clearer.

What Google Analytics actually measures

Google Analytics measures interactions known as events. Events can include page views, scrolls, clicks, video plays, downloads and conversions. These events are sent to the Analytics platform where they are organised and displayed in reports.

The platform can also measure:

  • traffic sources

  • user behaviour

  • user demographics

  • device types

  • returning visitors

  • user engagement

  • micro interactions

  • conversions

  • user journeys

Google Analytics therefore becomes a full behavioural map of your website. It shows not only how many people visit but what they do once they are there.

In my opinion this behavioural insight is what makes Analytics so powerful. Traffic alone does not matter if users do nothing. Analytics reveals the why behind your data.

How Google Analytics collects data

To track user behaviour Google Analytics requires a small piece of tracking code installed on your website. This code sends information to Google whenever someone takes an action.

The tracking script loads each time a page loads. It records the event such as a page view then sends it to your GA4 property. Additional events like clicks or form submissions can also be captured automatically or through Google Tag Manager.

Google Analytics uses:

  • first party cookies

  • browser identifiers

  • event triggers

  • machine learning

  • predictive modelling

These methods allow Google to collect data even when cookies are restricted. GA4 is designed to work in the modern privacy environment.

The difference between Google Analytics and Google Analytics 4

For many years Google Analytics used Universal Analytics which was based on sessions. A session represented a block of time that a user spent on your site. GA4 replaces sessions with events. Instead of counting visits GA4 records actions.

Universal Analytics was not designed for mobiles and apps. It struggled with cross device tracking and relied heavily on cookies. GA4 solves these limitations. It tracks websites and apps in the same property. It provides better cross device insight. It is far more detailed in how it measures engagement.

In my opinion GA4 is a more modern, privacy focused and future proof version of Analytics. It does require more configuration but the benefits are far greater.

Why Google Analytics is essential for businesses

There are several reasons why Google Analytics is one of the most important tools for any business with a website.

It helps you understand your audience

You can see who visits your site, where they live, what device they use and what content they prefer.

It shows which marketing channels work

Analytics shows whether your SEO, social media, email marketing or paid ads are bringing the most valuable visitors.

It reveals weaknesses

If certain pages have low engagement Analytics highlights them so you can improve the content, design or calls to action.

It measures success

By setting conversions you can track enquiries, form submissions, bookings and purchases.

It improves ROI

Analytics shows where to invest and where to reduce spend based on real performance rather than guesswork.

I believe businesses that use Google Analytics make far better decisions than those who ignore their data.

The core components of Google Analytics

To understand Analytics you need to know its key components.

Users

These are individual people who visit your site.

Sessions

A session is a period of time in which a user interacts with your site.

Events

Events are actions such as page views, scrolls or button clicks.

Conversions

Conversions are the most important actions such as form submissions, phone clicks or purchases.

Engagement

Engagement reflects how actively users interact with your website.

Traffic Sources

Traffic sources show where users came from such as organic search, social media or direct.

Reports

Reports organise your data into meaningful views.

Once you understand these components Analytics becomes much clearer.

The main reports inside Google Analytics 4

Although GA4 looks different from the old version its structure is quite logical.

Home

A high level overview of activity.

Reports

This includes:

  • Acquisition

  • Engagement

  • Monetisation

  • Retention

  • Demographics

  • Tech

Each section gives insight into different aspects of behaviour.

Explore

This allows custom reports such as funnels, user paths and cohort analysis.

Advertising

This integrates with Google Ads and shows attribution.

Admin

This is where settings, data streams and conversions are managed.

I believe learning the Reports section first is the easiest route.

How to use Google Analytics to track website performance

Understanding Analytics is one thing. Using it effectively is another. Here is how I would approach it if I were learning from scratch.

1. Check your traffic sources

Go to Acquisition to see where your users come from. This tells you whether your SEO or ads are performing well.

2. Check your top pages

Go to Pages and screens to see which pages receive the most views. Analyse engagement to see which pages hold attention.

3. Monitor your engagement rate

Engagement rate shows how many sessions are meaningful. Low engagement means your content may need improvement.

4. Track conversions

Conversions show whether users take the actions that matter. You should review conversion performance weekly.

5. Analyse behaviour flows

Explore user paths to understand how people navigate your site.

This basic routine already gives you more insight than most businesses ever use.

Why engagement matters more than traffic

Many businesses focus on traffic volume but traffic alone does not guarantee success. Engagement shows whether users find your content useful. If you have high traffic but low engagement you may be attracting the wrong visitors or presenting your content poorly.

In my opinion engagement is a more honest metric because it reflects quality not quantity.

How Google Analytics helps with SEO

Google Analytics does not show keyword rankings but it does show how organic users behave once they land on your site. This helps you:

  • identify high performing SEO pages

  • measure SEO conversions

  • compare organic traffic over time

  • understand which locations organic users come from

  • find weak SEO pages with high exits

When combined with Search Console Analytics becomes a powerful SEO tool.

How Google Analytics helps with Google Ads

If you run ads Analytics helps you measure what happens after users click your ads. You can see:

  • how well your landing page performs

  • how many conversions occur

  • whether users engage with your content

  • which ads lead to deeper sessions

This helps you improve your ads and reduce wasted spend.

How Google Analytics helps local businesses

Local businesses can benefit massively from Analytics because GA4 shows detailed location based data. You can see:

  • which towns users come from

  • how many visitors click your phone number

  • how many click your address

  • which service pages attract the most interest

  • how mobile users behave compared with desktop

This helps shape your local SEO strategy and improve your Google Business Profile.

How Google Analytics supports content marketing

If you publish blogs or guides Analytics reveals:

  • which articles bring the most traffic

  • how long readers stay

  • which topics attract interest

  • which posts lead to enquiries

This helps you create more of the content your audience wants.

In my opinion Analytics is the best content research tool available because it reflects real user behaviour.

How to set up conversions in Google Analytics

Conversions are essential for meaningful reporting. Without them you cannot measure success.

Typical conversions include:

  • form submissions

  • call clicks

  • live chat starts

  • add to carts

  • purchases

  • newsletter signups

To set conversions:

  1. Identify your most important events.

  2. Check if GA4 already tracks them automatically.

  3. If yes, toggle them on as conversions.

  4. If not, use Google Tag Manager or custom code to create events.

  5. Mark those events as conversions in GA4.

Once conversions are active you can see which channels and pages drive results.

The role of Google Tag Manager with Analytics

Google Tag Manager is a companion tool that allows you to track additional events without editing your website code directly. You can track:

  • form submissions

  • button clicks

  • video plays

  • scroll depth

  • outbound links

I believe Tag Manager unlocks the full power of GA4 because it makes event tracking far more flexible.

Why Google Analytics is essential for decision making

Google Analytics helps you answer vital questions such as:

  • which marketing channel brings the most valuable users

  • which pages cause users to leave

  • where users drop off in your funnel

  • what content engages people

  • which locations generate the most interest

  • which devices users prefer

With this information you can make informed decisions about website improvements, advertising budgets, SEO priorities and content strategy.

Without Analytics you would be guessing.

How Google Analytics helps you fix weak points

Analytics shines a spotlight on weaknesses. For example:

  • if a page has high traffic and low engagement the content may be unclear

  • if mobile users have lower engagement your design may not be mobile friendly

  • if organic visitors do not convert your keyword targeting may be off

  • if a certain traffic source produces no conversions you may need to adjust your budget

Analytics gives you the clues. You need to act on them.

Why Google Analytics is important for long term growth

Google Analytics is not just a reporting tool. It is a long term growth asset. The more data you collect the more patterns appear. Over time you can see:

  • seasonal trends

  • long term organic growth

  • repeat visitor behaviour

  • changes in conversion rates

  • which campaigns produced the best ROI

This historic insight helps you plan future strategies more accurately.

The learning curve and why it is worth it

GA4 can feel overwhelming at first because it is different from Universal Analytics. The terminology changed. The structure is new. Reports behave differently. But once you understand the core concepts everything becomes clearer.

In my opinion learning Google Analytics is worth the effort because you gain:

  • better marketing decisions

  • less wasted spend

  • stronger SEO

  • improved user experience

  • clearer understanding of your audience

The payoff is far greater than the learning curve.

Why every business should use Google Analytics

When I put everything together I believe Google Analytics is one of the most essential tools any business can use. It tells you how people find your website, what they do once they arrive and whether they take the actions that matter. It exposes weaknesses that would otherwise go unnoticed. It proves whether your marketing works. It guides your content strategy. It helps you improve your SEO. It provides clarity that transforms how you make decisions.

Google Analytics is free yet many businesses never use it properly. Those who do gain a competitive advantage. They see trends earlier. They fix problems faster. They understand their customers better. They spend their marketing budget more intelligently.If you want to get the most out of your website data and improve your local visibility, get in touch today.

We have also written in depth articles on Is Google Analytics For Free? and What is Google Analytics 4 as well as our Google Analytics Hub to give you further guidance.