Website Analytics: GA4 Setup & Rapportage voor Beginners

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is essentieel voor het begrijpen van je website bezoekers. Deze beginnersgids toont je stap-voor-stap hoe je GA4 opzet en gebruikt.

Waarom Analytics Cruciaal Zijn

Business Impact van Analytics

• 73% betere besluitvorming met data-driven insights
• Gemiddeld 15-20% groei in conversies door optimalisatie
• 50% minder verspild marketingbudget
• ROI tracking van alle marketing activiteiten

GA4 vs Universal Analytics

Universal Analytics (oude versie - uitgefaseerd)

• Sessions-based tracking
• Beperkte cross-device tracking
• Minder privacy-vriendelijk

Google Analytics 4 (nieuwe standaard)

• Event-based tracking
• Verbeterde cross-platform tracking
• Privacy-first benadering
• Machine learning insights
• Free tier met 10M events/maand

GA4 Account Setup

Stap 1: Google Analytics Account Aanmaken

Account Structure:

Google Analytics Account (Bedrijfsnaam)
├── Property 1 (Hoofdwebsite)
│   └── Data Stream (Web/App)
├── Property 2 (Webshop)
│   └── Data Stream (Web/App)  
└── Property 3 (Landing Pages)
    └── Data Stream (Web/App)

Setup Process:

1. Ga naar analytics.google.com
2. Klik "Start measuring"
3. Vul account naam in (bijv. "Jouw Bedrijfsnaam")
4. Kies data sharing instellingen
5. Accepteer service voorwaarden

Stap 2: Property Configuratie

Property Instellingen:

• Property name: "Hoofdwebsite" of "Webshop"
• Reporting time zone: Amsterdam (GMT+1)
• Currency: Euro (EUR)
• Industry category: Selecteer passende categorie

Stap 3: Data Stream Setup

Web Data Stream:

// Enhanced Ecommerce Configuration
gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX', {
  // Enhanced ecommerce
  send_page_view: true,
  // Cross-domain tracking
  linker: {
    domains: ['example.com', 'shop.example.com']
  }
});

Belangrijke Features in te schakelen:

• [x] Enhanced measurement
• [x] Page views
• [x] Scrolls (90% threshold)
• [x] Outbound clicks
• [x] Site search
• [x] Video engagement
• [x] File downloads

Google Tag Manager Integratie

Waarom GTM Gebruiken?

Voordelen:

• Geen developer nodig voor tracking changes
• Version control voor alle tags
• Preview mode voor testen
• Trigger-based event tracking

GTM + GA4 Setup

Container Setup:

1. Ga naar tagmanager.google.com
2. Maak nieuwe container aan
3. Installeer GTM code op website

GA4 Configuration Tag:

Tag Type: Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration
Measurement ID: G-XXXXXXXXXX
Trigger: All Pages

Event Tracking via GTM:

// Contact form submission
dataLayer.push({
  'event': 'contact_form_submit',
  'form_type': 'contact',
  'form_location': 'header'
});

Essential Events Setup

Automatically Collected Events

GA4 verzamelt automatisch:

• page_view - Pagina bezoeken
• session_start - Sessie start
• first_visit - Eerste bezoek
• scroll - 90% pagina gescrolld

Enhanced Measurement Events

In te schakelen via GA4 interface:

• click - Outbound link clicks
• view_search_results - Site search
• video_start/complete - Video engagement
• file_download - PDF/document downloads

Custom Events voor Business

Lead Generation Events:

// Newsletter signup
gtag('event', 'newsletter_signup', {
  method: 'email',
  location: 'footer'
});

// Contact form
gtag('event', 'generate_lead', {
  form_type: 'contact',
  value: 50 // Estimated lead value
});

// Phone click
gtag('event', 'phone_call', {
  phone_number: '+31201234567'
});

E-commerce Events:

// Purchase
gtag('event', 'purchase', {
  transaction_id: '12345',
  value: 259.90,
  currency: 'EUR',
  items: [{
    item_id: 'PROD123',
    item_name: 'WordPress Website',
    category: 'Web Design',
    quantity: 1,
    price: 259.90
  }]
});

// Add to cart
gtag('event', 'add_to_cart', {
  currency: 'EUR',
  value: 259.90,
  items: [...]
});

GA4 Interface & Navigation

Hoofdmenu Overzicht

1. Home Dashboard

• Real-time gebruikers
• Top conversie events
• Revenue overview (als e-commerce enabled)

2. Reports

• Realtime: Live website activiteit
• Life cycle: Acquisition, Engagement, Monetization
• User: Demographics, Tech, Custom

3. Explore

• Custom rapporten maken
• Advanced analysis tools
• Cohort analysis
• Funnel analysis

4. Advertising

• Attribution models
• Google Ads integratie
• Campaign performance

Key Rapporten Begrijpen

Acquisition Reports:

• Traffic sources: Waar komen bezoekers vandaan?
• Medium breakdown: Organic, social, email, direct
• Campaign performance: Welke campagnes werken?

Engagement Reports:

• Page views: Populairste pagina's
• Events: Welke acties nemen bezoekers?
• Engagement time: Hoe lang blijven mensen?

Conversion Reports:

• Goals completed: Hoeveel conversies?
• Conversion paths: Welke route naar conversie?
• Attribution: Welke touchpoints helpen?

Conversie Tracking Setup

Conversie Events Definiëren

Lead Generation Conversions:

Event Name: generate_lead
Parameters:
- form_type (contact, quote, newsletter)
- value (estimated lead value)
- method (email, phone, chat)

E-commerce Conversions:

Event Name: purchase  
Parameters:
- transaction_id
- value (total order value)
- currency (EUR)
- items (product details)

Conversie Waarde Instellen

Lead Values schatten:

• Contact form: €50-100
• Quote request: €200-500
• Phone call: €100-200
• Newsletter signup: €10-25

Berekening:

Gemiddelde Lead Value = 
(Aantal Conversies × Close Rate × Gemiddelde Order Value) 
/ Totaal Aantal Leads

Goals vs Events

GA4 gebruikt Events voor alles:

• Niet meer "Goals" zoals in Universal Analytics
• Alle conversies zijn "Key Events"
• Meer flexibiliteit in event configuratie

Custom Dimensions & Metrics

User Properties Setup

Belangrijke User Properties:

// User type (customer vs prospect)
gtag('set', 'user_properties', {
  user_type: 'customer'
});

// Customer lifetime value
gtag('set', 'user_properties', {
  customer_ltv: '1500'
});

// Marketing persona
gtag('set', 'user_properties', {
  persona: 'small_business_owner'
});

Event Parameters

Custom Event Parameters:

gtag('event', 'page_view', {
  // Custom parameters
  page_category: 'blog',
  content_group: 'seo_guides',
  author: 'tovix_team'
});

Filters & Segments

Internal Traffic Filtering

Developer/Internal Traffic Uitsluiten:

1. Ga naar Admin > Data Streams
2. Klik Configure tag settings
3. Voeg "Define internal traffic" toe
4. Vul interne IP adressen in

Filter IP Ranges:

Kantoor IP: 123.456.789.0/24
Thuis werken: 987.654.321.0 (individual IP)
VPN ranges: 192.168.1.0/24

Audience Segments

High-Value Bezoekers:

• Sessie duur > 2 minuten
• Bezochte pagina's > 3
• Conversion event completed

Abandoned Cart (E-commerce):

• add_to_cart event fired
• NO purchase event within session
• Return bezoeker binnen 7 dagen

Rapporten & Dashboards

Essential KPI Dashboard

Traffic Metrics:

• Users: Unieke bezoekers
• Sessions: Website bezoeken
• Page views: Totaal bekeken pagina's
• Avg session duration: Gemiddelde tijd op site
• Bounce rate: Percentage single-page sessions

Conversion Metrics:

• Conversions: Aantal completed goals
• Conversion rate: % bezoekers die converteren
• Cost per conversion: Marketing spend / conversions
• Revenue: Totale waarde uit conversions

Weekly/Monthly Reporting

Maandelijks Rapport Template:

Traffic Overview:

• Total users: 5,247 (↑23% vs vorige maand)
• New vs returning: 78% new, 22% returning
• Top traffic sources: Google (45%), Direct (25%), Social (15%)
• Mobile vs desktop: 65% mobile, 35% desktop

Conversion Performance:

• Total conversions: 87 (↑15% vs vorige maand)
• Conversion rate: 1.66% (↑0.2% vs vorige maand)
• Top converting pages: /contact (32 conversions), /diensten (23 conversions)
• Goal value: €4,350 (estimated lead value)

Custom Exploration Reports

Top Performing Content Analysis:

Dimensions: Page title, Page location
Metrics: Views, Users, Conversions, Revenue
Filters: Landing page = Yes
Sort: Conversions (descending)

Traffic Source Performance:

Dimensions: Source/Medium, Campaign
Metrics: Users, Sessions, Conversions, Revenue
Filters: Date range = Last 30 days
Sort: Revenue (descending)

E-commerce Tracking

Enhanced E-commerce Setup

Required Events voor E-commerce:

• view_item - Product page views
• add_to_cart - Items added to cart
• begin_checkout - Checkout process started
• purchase - Transaction completed

Product Data Structure:

{
  item_id: 'WEBSITE_BASIC',
  item_name: 'Basic Website Package',
  item_category: 'Web Design',
  item_category2: 'Small Business',
  price: 795.00,
  currency: 'EUR',
  quantity: 1
}

Shopping Behavior Analysis

E-commerce Funnel:

1. Product Views: Aantal mensen die producten bekijken
2. Add to Cart: % die items toevoegen aan winkelwagen
3. Checkout Started: % die checkout proces begint
4. Purchase Completed: % die daadwerkelijk koopt

Drop-off Analysis:

• Waar verlaten klanten het proces?
• Welke producten hebben hoogste cart abandonment?
• Welke traffic sources converteren het beste?

Attribution & Multi-Channel Tracking

Attribution Models in GA4

Data-driven Attribution (default):

• Machine learning algoritme
• Gebaseerd op jouw specifieke data
• Meest accurate voor de meeste businesses

Andere Models:

• First-click: Alle credit naar eerste touchpoint
• Last-click: Alle credit naar laatste touchpoint
• Linear: Credit gelijk verdeeld over alle touchpoints
• Position-based: Meer credit naar eerste en laatste

Cross-Domain Tracking

Setup voor Meerdere Domeinen:

gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX', {
  linker: {
    domains: ['example.com', 'shop.example.com', 'blog.example.com']
  }
});

Privacy & GDPR Compliance

GA4 Privacy Features

Built-in Privacy Controls:

• IP Anonymization: Automatisch in GA4
• Data retention: Configureerbaar (2-14 maanden)
• User deletion: API voor GDPR verzoeken
• Consent mode: Cookie consent integratie

Cookie Consent Integratie

Consent Mode Implementation:

// Before consent
gtag('consent', 'default', {
  'analytics_storage': 'denied',
  'ad_storage': 'denied'
});

// After consent granted
gtag('consent', 'update', {
  'analytics_storage': 'granted',
  'ad_storage': 'granted'
});

Troubleshooting & Diagnostics

Common GA4 Issues

No Data Appearing:

• [ ] Check Measurement ID correct
• [ ] Verify gtag code on all pages
• [ ] Test in Real-time reports
• [ ] Check for ad blockers

Missing E-commerce Data:

• [ ] Verify Enhanced E-commerce enabled
• [ ] Check event parameter formatting
• [ ] Test purchase events in debug view
• [ ] Validate item data structure

Debug & Testing Tools

GA4 Debug View:

1. Install GA Debugger Chrome extension
2. Enable Debug mode in GA4
3. Real-time event testing
4. Parameter validation

Google Tag Assistant:

• Chrome extension for GTM/GA debugging
• Real-time tag firing validation
• Error detection and recommendations

Advanced GA4 Features

Machine Learning Insights

Automatic Insights:

• Anomaly detection: Unusual traffic patterns
• Predictive metrics: Purchase probability
• Churn prediction: Users likely to stop engaging
• Revenue forecasting: Expected future revenue

BigQuery Export

Free BigQuery Export (vs Universal Analytics paid):

• Raw event-level data export
• Custom SQL queries
• Advanced analysis capabilities
• Integration with other Google Cloud tools

Google Ads Integration

Enhanced Conversions:

• First-party data for better attribution
• Improved conversion tracking accuracy
• Cross-device conversion tracking
• Customer match capabilities

Analytics Action Plan

Week 1: Foundation Setup

• [ ] Create GA4 property
• [ ] Install tracking code
• [ ] Configure enhanced measurement
• [ ] Set up basic conversions

Week 2: Enhanced Tracking

• [ ] Custom events implementation
• [ ] E-commerce tracking (if applicable)
• [ ] Internal traffic filtering
• [ ] Custom dimensions setup

Week 3: Reporting & Analysis

• [ ] Create custom dashboard
• [ ] Set up automated reports
• [ ] Establish KPI baselines
• [ ] Document tracking plan

Month 2+: Optimization

• [ ] Analyze user behavior patterns
• [ ] Identify conversion bottlenecks
• [ ] A/B test based on insights
• [ ] Regular reporting cadence

Common KPIs by Business Type

Service Business (Consultancy, Agency)

Primary KPIs:

• Lead generation rate
• Contact form completions
• Phone call clicks
• Quote request submissions
• Newsletter signups

E-commerce

Primary KPIs:

• Revenue
• Conversion rate
• Average order value
• Cart abandonment rate
• Customer lifetime value

Content/Blog Sites

Primary KPIs:

• Page views per session
• Time on page
• Social shares
• Email subscriptions
• Return visitor rate

Tools & Resources

Free GA4 Resources

• Google Analytics Academy: Free courses
• GA4 Help Center: Official documentation
• Analytics Mania: Tutorials and guides
• Measure School: YouTube training videos

Premium Analytics Tools

• Google Analytics 360: Enterprise GA4 ($150k+/year)
• Adobe Analytics: Enterprise alternative
• Hotjar: User behavior analytics (€39+/month)
• Mixpanel: Event analytics (Free-$999/month)

Chrome Extensions

• GA Debugger: Track event firing
• Tag Assistant: GTM/GA validation
• DataSlayer: Advanced debugging
• Analytics UTM Builder: Campaign tracking

Conclusion

GA4 setup kan complex lijken, maar met de juiste aanpak krijg je krachtige inzichten die je business laten groeien.

Start Simple:

1. Basic GA4 setup - tracking code en conversions
2. Monitor key metrics - traffic, conversions, revenue
3. Make data-driven decisions - test en optimaliseer
4. Scale advanced features - custom events, segments, attribution

Need Help with GA4 Setup?

Analytics kunnen overweldigend zijn. Wij helpen je:

• Complete GA4 setup en configuratie
• Custom event tracking voor jouw business
• Dashboard creation en reporting
• Training voor jouw team

Book een gratis analytics audit en ontdek hoe data jouw business kan versnellen.