GA4 without the headache: the only five reports you need
Google Analytics 4 can feel overwhelming. For most small businesses, a handful of reports tell you what matters.
Google Analytics 4 offers a huge amount of data. Most of it you'll never need. These five views answer the questions that actually drive decisions.
1. Traffic acquisition
Where are visitors coming from? Organic search, paid ads, social, email, referrals. This is the starting point for knowing which channels earn their keep, and for splitting a budget between them.
2. Landing pages
Which pages do people arrive on first? These are your front doors. If an important landing page has lots of visits and few enquiries, that's where to focus.
3. Key events
GA4 calls your most important actions "key events": enquiries, purchases, sign-ups. If you haven't marked your enquiry form or checkout as a key event, do that first. Without it, you're only measuring visits.
4. Pages and screens
Which pages get the most attention? Useful for spotting content that's working and pages people visit but quickly leave.
5. Devices
How much traffic is on mobile versus desktop, and do both convert? A big gap often points to a poor mobile experience.
Make it a habit
Put these into a simple monthly routine or dashboard. Fifteen minutes a month looking at the right numbers beats hours lost in reports you don't need.
Founder of oXo Creatives, founded 2013. Roles at Meta, Google, PlayStation, King and NatWest.
Want help with analytics and reporting?
Know where your customers come from, and which marketing is paying for itself, in plain English. Typically a week or two to set up, then a report each month.
