Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the current Google analytics product. Universal Analytics (UA) was sunset in 2023 — exam answers and workplace practice should center on GA4, not the old Audience / Acquisition / Behavior / Conversions report menu.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Describe the main areas of GA4 and what each shows.
- Explain the role of Google Tag Manager.
- Build correctly tagged UTM campaign URLs.
- Choose complementary analytics tools for a marketing team.
What GA4 Gives Marketers
- Acquisition: How users arrive (organic search, paid, social, referral, direct).
- Engagement: Pages, events, engaged sessions, average engagement time.
- Monetization / key events: Purchases and other outcomes you mark as key events.
- Explorations: Custom paths, funnels, and segment comparisons beyond standard reports.
- Audiences: Groups you can reuse for analysis or (with proper linking) ads remarketing.
Setting up GA4: the basic steps
- Create a GA4 property and a web data stream for the website.
- Install the tag, ideally through Google Tag Manager.
- Turn on enhanced measurement (page views, scrolls, outbound clicks, site search, video, file downloads).
- Create custom events for important actions, such as WhatsApp or phone clicks.
- Mark the business outcomes as key events.
- Link Google Ads and Search Console.
- Exclude internal traffic and test in DebugView before relying on the data.
Google Tag Manager (GTM)
GTM is a tag management system. Instead of hard-coding every tracking snippet into the site, marketers/developers publish tags (GA4, Meta Pixel, conversion tags) from one container. Benefits: faster changes, version history, and cleaner site code.
Typical stack: website → GTM container → GA4 + ad pixels.
UTM Parameters
UTM tags are query parameters added to campaign URLs so analytics can credit the right source:
utm_source(e.g. facebook, newsletter)utm_medium(e.g. cpc, email)utm_campaign(e.g. dashain_sale_2026)- optional:
utm_content,utm_term
Without UTMs, paid social and email often collapse into “referral” or “direct” and you cannot trust channel reports.
Worked example: tagging a campaign
A trekking agency promotes its autumn offer on Facebook, in its newsletter, and in an Instagram bio link:
| Placement | Tagged URL |
|---|---|
| Facebook ad | example.com/autumn?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=paid_social&utm_campaign=autumn_trek_2026&utm_content=video_a |
| Newsletter | example.com/autumn?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=autumn_trek_2026 |
| Instagram bio | example.com/autumn?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=autumn_trek_2026 |
Rules: use lowercase consistently (“Facebook” and “facebook” appear as different sources), keep the same campaign name everywhere, and never put UTMs on internal links within your own site.
Other Useful Tools
- Google Search Console: Search queries, indexing, Core Web Vitals — pairs with GA4 for SEO.
- Matomo: Self-hosted alternative when data residency matters.
- Microsoft Clarity / Hotjar-style tools: Session replays and heatmaps (use with consent).
- Looker Studio: Dashboards that combine GA4, Ads, and Sheets for clients.
Universal Analytics vs GA4
| Topic | Universal Analytics (legacy) | GA4 (current) |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Sessions + pageviews | Event-based |
| Conversions | Goals | Key events |
| Reporting UI | Audience / Acquisition / Behavior / Conversions | Life cycle + Explore |
| Status | Sunset | Standard |
Nepal practice: Install GA4 via GTM, mark WhatsApp/call clicks as key events, and UTM every Meta and Google Ads landing URL before spending budget.
Case study: UTM discipline for an agency client
A client swore “Facebook does nothing” because GA showed Direct. After mandatory UTM templates on every boosted post and WhatsApp link shortener, paid social finally appeared as a converting source — budgeting arguments became evidence-based.
Learn more: Google Analytics services in Nepal.
Summary
Google Analytics 4 is the current Google analytics product, built on events rather than sessions and pageviews. It provides acquisition, engagement, monetization and key event reports, explorations, and audiences. Google Tag Manager lets marketers manage tracking tags from one container. UTM parameters (source, medium, campaign, content, term) make channel reporting trustworthy when used consistently. Search Console, Clarity, Matomo, and Looker Studio complement GA4.
Key Takeaways
- GA4 is event-based; Universal Analytics has been retired.
- GTM manages tags in one place with version history.
- Tag every campaign link with consistent, lowercase UTMs.
- Combine GA4 with Search Console and a dashboard tool for full reporting.
Discussion Questions
- Why did the agency client believe Facebook was not working?
- What problems can inconsistent UTM naming create in reports?
- When might a Nepali organization prefer a self-hosted tool like Matomo?
Exam-Style Questions
Short answer
- What is Google Tag Manager?
- List the five UTM parameters.
- State two differences between Universal Analytics and GA4.
- What is enhanced measurement in GA4?
Long answer
- Explain the main features of GA4 and how a marketer should set it up for a business website.
- What are UTM parameters? Explain their importance with example URLs for a multi-channel campaign.
