Measuring what visitors do after they enter: with an accompanying privacy obligation.
Google Analytics 4 is a free service that measures what visitors do on your website: which pages they view, how long they stay and what actions they perform. Unlike its predecessor, GA4 measures in events instead of sessions. You need the visitor's permission to place it.
IN COMMON LANGUAGE
What you practically get out of it
The most useful question is not how many visitors you have, but which pages lead to requests. Set up conversions for this, otherwise you will measure popularity instead of results.
The second is where visitors come from. Unpaid search, direct, referral or social media behave differently, and that determines where you put effort.
WHY IT MATTERS
What you need to arrange before you measure
GA4 places cookies and processes personal data. That means prior consent, and refusing should be as easy as accepting.
Analytics is turned off by default on this site until you give permission. That costs measurement accuracy and it is the correct order.
- Consent before posting — no measurement without agreement.
- Set up conversions — otherwise you measure visits instead of results.
- View traffic sources — determines where you put effort.
- Compare per landing page — a site average hides where things go wrong.
- Update privacy statement — state what you measure and why.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
More about Google Analytics 4
Is Google Analytics allowed in the Netherlands?
It is used in practice with the correct settings and prior permission. There has been discussion about data transfers; Have your plan legally tested if you want certainty, and otherwise consider a self-hosted solution.
What's the difference with Search Console?
Search Console is about what happens before the click: which searches you appear on. Analytics is about what visitors do next. You need both to get a complete picture.
Can it be done without cookies?
There are self-hosted alternatives that work without personal data and do not require permission. They measure in less detail, which is more than sufficient for most SME questions.
CONTINUE READING
Of course, continue reading about this subject.
Measure what's there works?
We set up measurement in such a way that you see which pages generate requests, with the privacy side in order.