How to set up Google Analytics 4 for your e-commerce store (incl. example reports)

1. Create a GA4 property: The first thing to do is create a GA4 property. Log in to your Google Analytics account and click “Admin” in the left-hand menu. Then click “Create property” and select “Web”. Follow the steps to create the property and don’t forget to copy the tracking ID.
2. Install the GA4 tag on your website: Now that you’ve created a GA4 property, you need to install the GA4 tag on your website. There are several ways to do this, depending on your CMS. With most CMSs, like Shopify and WordPress, you can install a plugin or app that adds the GA4 tag automatically. Alternatively, you can add the tag to your website’s code by hand.
3. Set up conversion tracking: Setting up conversion tracking is crucial for e-commerce stores, because it shows you which actions your customers take on your website and which of those lead to conversions. To set up conversion tracking, go to “Admin” in your GA4 account and select “Conversions”. Then click “Conversion goals” and follow the steps to set up your conversion goals, like a purchase or a subscription.
4. Create custom reports and segments: GA4 lets you create custom reports and segments specific to your e-commerce store. This can help you track the performance of specific products or categories, or keep an eye on how your marketing campaigns perform. To create custom reports and segments, go to “Custom reports” or “Audiences” in your GA4 account and follow the steps to set them up.
5. Analyse the data: Now that your GA4 property is set up and the data is coming in, it’s time to analyse it and act on what you’ve learned. Look at the reports and segments you created to see which products perform well and which don’t.

We’re also giving you two example reports that are perfect for your webshop.

Below is an example of a custom report you could create for an e-commerce store with Google Analytics 4:

Example GA4 report 1

Report name: Top products per category

Goal: Identify the best-selling products within each product category, to optimise the e-commerce store’s marketing strategy.

Dimensions: Product name, Product category

Metrics: Number of sales, Total revenue, Average price

Filters: Sales date (for example the last 30 days)

Description: This report shows the top five best-selling products within each product category of the e-commerce store, along with the total revenue and average price per product. By checking this report regularly, the store owner can see which products perform best and which marketing channels are most effective for each product category. Based on this information, the marketing strategy and product offering can be optimised to increase sales and maximise revenue.

Example GA4 report 2

Report name: Social Media Advertising Performance

Goal: Measure the effectiveness of social media ads to maximise ROI (Return On Investment).

Dimensions: Ad platform (e.g. Facebook, Instagram), Campaign name, Audience

Metrics: Click-through rate, Conversion rate, Cost per click, Cost per conversion

Filters: Campaign period (e.g. last 30 days), Ad type (e.g. video ads)

Description: This report gives insight into how a business’s social media ads perform by measuring the key performance indicators (KPIs), like click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per click and cost per conversion. By monitoring these KPIs, marketers can see which ads perform best on which platform, which audiences respond most, and which ads deliver the most valuable conversions. Based on these insights, the ad campaigns can be optimised and fine-tuned to maximise ROI. The report can also compare the performance of different types of ads (like video ads versus image ads) and measure the effectiveness of A/B tests. By checking this report regularly, businesses can improve their social media advertising strategies and make better use of their ad budgets.