Before analyzing data and making business decisions in GA4, ensure your GA4 account has a complete data set and accurate data. Here’s a detailed checklist to guide you.

Planning Checklist
- Clear Business and Website Goals
- Ensure your business and website goals align with the features used in GA4.
- Define website goals clearly.
- Conversion Identification
- Identify conversions that reflect your website goals.
- Feature Selection
- Choose the correct GA4 features and configuration options (e.g., e-commerce tracking, user ID) based on business needs.
- Metrics and Reporting
- Develop clear metrics and reporting functionalities to ensure GA4 implementation reflects business and website goals.
- Regular Review
- Regularly review new GA4 features and configuration options.
Account Creation Checklist

- Create New GA4 Property
- Create a new GA4 property if there is no existing Google Analytics property for tracking the website.
- Parallel Setup with Universal Analytics
- If there is an existing Universal Analytics property, set up a GA4 property in parallel.
- Relevant Tracking
- Ensure the Google Analytics account is used solely for tracking relevant websites.
- Tracking Code Implementation
- Implement tracking code using Google Tag Manager, manually, or via partner software integration.
- Ensure the latest version of the tracking code (gtag.js) is added to all website pages.
- Measurement ID Matching
- Ensure the measurement ID used in gtag.js matches the measurement ID in GA4 data streams.
- Testing Code Implementation
- Use Google Tag Assistant to test the code implementation and troubleshoot any issues.
Setup and Configuration Checklist
- User Access
- Verify the list of users with access to the property.
- Reporting Settings
- Ensure the reporting time zone and currency are correct.
- Internal Traffic Rules
- Add rules to designate internal traffic in the data stream.
- Filter Internal Traffic
- Apply filters to exclude internal traffic.
- Data Retention
- Set appropriate data retention periods.
- Enhanced Measurement
- Ensure enhanced measurement is tracking desired actions and disable any actions you do not want to track automatically.
- Attribution Settings
- Set attribution to the data-driven model unless there’s a specific reason to use the last-click attribution model.
- User-Based Reporting
- Ensure correct user-based reporting settings.
- Privacy Compliance
- Ensure no personally identifiable information (PII) such as email addresses and full names are included in reports.
- Audience Lists
- Create audience lists for reporting and remarketing campaigns.
- Google Signals
- Enable Google Signals to automatically provide cross-device insights.
- Cross-Domain Tracking
- Configure cross-domain tracking if users move across multiple domains.
- Landing Page Reports
- Add “Landing Page” reports using the “Library” if the property is not new.
- Custom Channel Groups
- Create custom channel groups for marketing channel reporting if needed.
Technical Setup Checklist
- Avoid Duplicate Tracking
- Ensure no duplicate tracking codes are implemented.
- User ID Implementation
- Implement user ID tracking to monitor users across multiple devices if necessary.
- Content Grouping
- Implement content grouping as needed.
E-commerce Checklist

- E-commerce Tracking Implementation
- Ensure e-commerce tracking is implemented.
- Key E-commerce Events
- Collect all key e-commerce events: view_product, add_to_cart, begin_checkout, purchase.
- E-commerce Data Accuracy
- Ensure the accuracy of e-commerce data.
Tracking Checklist
- Enhanced Measurement
- Utilize enhanced measurement features in GA4 for automatic tracking.
- Additional Event Tracking
- Implement additional event tracking using Google Tag Manager as needed.
- Event Parameters
- Use recommended events and custom events to send data to Google Analytics.
- Ensure event parameters are sent with significant additional information.
- Custom Dimensions and Metrics
- Set parameters used in reporting as custom dimensions or custom metrics.
- Consistent Naming Conventions
- Use consistent naming conventions for events, parameters, and user properties.
Integration Checklist
- Google Product Integration
- Link Google Search Console, Google Ads, and any other Google platforms in use with GA4.
- Other Platform Integration
- Integrate GA4 with other platform products like Mailchimp.
- Audience Lists
- Create audience lists.
- Data Import
- Import relevant data (e.g., third-party platform ad data, CRM data).
By following this comprehensive checklist, you can ensure your GA4 implementation is thorough and accurate, providing valuable insights to inform your business decisions.