GA4, GTM & Search Console Setup - Website Analytics & Service Coverage

**Goal:** Set up and verify tracking using only Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Search Console, and Google Tag Manager (GTM). Also review the existing Google Business Profile service list to check that the website’s services are represented. > **Important distinction:** GA4 and Search Console provide reports. GTM is used to install and test tracking tags; it does not provide visitor analytics reports itself. Google Business Profile is included only for the requested service-list check—not as a source of analytics metrics. ([support.google.com](https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/6107056?hl=en&utm_source=openai)) ## Phase 1 — Audit existing Google tracking - [ ] Check whether GA4, GTM, and Search Console are already set up and collecting data. - [ ] Confirm the site owner has access to the correct accounts and properties. - [ ] Check for duplicate GA4 tags, duplicate page-view events, or obsolete tracking. - [ ] Record the existing GA4 property, GTM container, Search Console property, and reporting time zone. - [ ] Preserve working tracking; do not replace or remove tags until the audit is complete. **Deliverable:** A short audit summary of the existing setup and any issues to resolve. ## Phase 2 — Configure GA4 through GTM - [ ] If GTM is not installed, add the container site-wide through the website’s global template or CMS integration. - [ ] Configure the GA4 tag through GTM, unless the audit confirms an existing installation is working correctly. - [ ] Avoid duplicate GA4 installations through both GTM and another plugin or site setting. - [ ] Confirm GA4 records page views, page titles, page URLs, and traffic sources. - [ ] Set the GA4 reporting time zone to the correct local time zone. - [ ] Use GTM Preview/Tag Assistant to verify tags fire as expected before publishing. GTM’s preview/debug feature shows which tags fire and what data they pass. ([support.google.com](https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/6107056?hl=en&utm_source=openai)) **Acceptance criteria:** - Page views appear in GA4. - Tags fire once, with no duplicate page views. - The reporting time zone is correct. ## Phase 3 — Track website interactions in GA4 Configure these GA4 events through GTM: - [ ] `generate_lead` — fires only after an enquiry form submits successfully. - [ ] `click_phone` — visitor clicks a phone link. - [ ] `click_email` — visitor clicks an email link. - [ ] `service_cta_click` — visitor clicks a key service-page button or link. - [ ] `form_start` — visitor begins filling out a form. - [ ] `form_error` — form error, if it can be tracked reliably. For the events above: - [ ] Add a `service_category` parameter to relevant service-page actions. - [ ] Add a `page_type` parameter, such as `service`, `contact`, or `article`. - [ ] Add a `cta_label` parameter to CTA clicks. - [ ] Mark successful enquiry submissions as GA4 key events. - [ ] Do not send names, email addresses, phone numbers, form contents, or other personal information to GA4. **Acceptance criteria:** - A successful form submission records one `generate_lead`. - A failed submission does not count as a lead. - Phone, email, and CTA clicks record correctly. - Events are tested on desktop and mobile. ## Phase 4 — Use these six service categories Use the service names shown on the website and assign a consistent value to each: 1. Website Design & Management — `website_design_management` 2. Managed IT Services — `managed_it_services` 3. Cybersecurity Services — `cybersecurity_services` 4. Cloud & Microsoft 365 Services — `cloud_microsoft_365` 5. Apple & Windows Computer Repair — `computer_repair` 6. Home Automation — `home_automation` - [ ] Tag each service page view with the relevant category. - [ ] Tag service-page CTA clicks with the relevant category. - [ ] Attach the category to successful enquiries when the enquiry can be reliably attributed to a service. - [ ] Check that every live service page uses the correct category and naming consistently. **Acceptance criteria:** GA4 can report views, CTA clicks, and successful enquiries by each of the six service categories. ## Phase 5 — Configure GA4 reports Use GA4 reports and Explorations to show: - [ ] Visits and engagement by page and landing page. - [ ] Visits and key events by traffic source. - [ ] Successful enquiries, phone clicks, and email clicks by service category. - [ ] Visitors by device category—mobile, desktop, and tablet—and key actions by device. - [ ] Visitors by country, region/province, and city where data is available. - [ ] Website visits and key events by day of week and hour, using the correct local time zone. - [ ] Engagement by page type and service page. GA4 automatically provides technology information such as device category, browser, and operating system. Its geographic reporting includes country, region, and city; location is derived from IP-related information and should be treated as approximate. ([support.google.com](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12980150?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en&utm_source=openai)) **Acceptance criteria:** - Reports distinguish visits from enquiries and other contact actions. - Day/hour reports use the correct local time zone. - Location reports are labelled as approximate. - Recommendations about posting times are based on multiple weeks of data, not a single busy period. ## Phase 6 — Configure Google Search Console reporting - [ ] Verify the correct website property in Search Console. - [ ] Confirm the Performance report is available and collecting data. - [ ] Review Search Console data by: - Search query - Page - Country - Device - Date - [ ] Report clicks, impressions, click-through rate (CTR), and average position. - [ ] Identify queries and pages that relate to the six services. - [ ] Compare date ranges to identify changes in Google Search performance. Search Console’s Performance report provides clicks, impressions, CTR, average position, and dimensions such as query, page, country, device, and dat