How do I set up Google Analytics 4?
GA4 setup in 5 steps: 1) Create a GA4 property at analytics.google.com. Choose "Web" as platform. Copy the Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX). 2) Install the tracking code. For Next.js: use the @next/third-parties Google Analytics component or add the gtag.js script to your layout. For WordPress: use a plugin (Site Kit by Google). For any site: paste the script in the <head>. 3) Configure events. GA4 tracks page_view automatically. Set up custom events for conversions: form_submit, demo_request, file_download, click_cta. Use gtag("event", "form_submit", { form_name: "contact" }) or Google Tag Manager. 4) Mark conversions. In GA4: Admin → Events → toggle "Mark as conversion" for your conversion events. This tells GA4 which events matter for reporting. 5) Connect Search Console. In GA4: Admin → Product Links → Search Console. This connects organic search data with behavior data. Additional setup: enable Google Signals (cross-device tracking), set up audiences for remarketing, configure data retention (set to 14 months), and exclude internal traffic (your own IP) to avoid polluting data. GA4 is event-based, not pageview-based. Every interaction is an event. This is more flexible than Universal Analytics but requires deliberate event planning.