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When Google announced that Universal Analytics (UA) would be replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4), many marketers and business owners panicked. The interface was different, the metrics had new names, and suddenly, familiar reports had disappeared.

But here’s the truth: GA4 is not just a “new look” — it’s a complete reimagining of analytics, built for a privacy-first, multi-device world. If you know how to use it, GA4 offers more powerful tracking, flexible reporting, and deeper customer insights than UA ever could.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

• Why GA4 replaced Universal Analytics.
  
• How to read default reports.
  
• How to create GA4 custom reports and dashboards.
  
• How to track conversions.
  
• PPC-focused GA4 reporting examples you can use right now.
  

Why GA4 Replaced Universal Analytics

Universal Analytics was built in a world where:

• Most traffic came from desktops.
  
• Third-party cookies were reliable.
  
• Sessions were the main measure of activity.
  

That’s not the reality anymore.

Key reasons for the switch to GA4:

1. Event-based Tracking Model
   GA4 tracks everything as an event, not a session/pageview. This means more flexibility in capturing user actions like scrolls, downloads, and video plays.
   
2. Cross-Platform Tracking
   GA4 can combine data from websites and apps into a single property, making it easier to understand full customer journeys.
   
3. Privacy and Compliance
   GA4 was designed to work with or without cookies and offers more granular data retention controls, aligning with GDPR and CCPA.
   
4. Predictive Metrics
   Machine learning in GA4 can forecast revenue, churn probability, and likely purchases — something UA couldn’t do.
   

In short: GA4 future-proofs your tracking and gives you more meaningful insights about your customers.

How to Read GA4 Reports

GA4 organizes reports differently from UA. Instead of dozens of pre-built views, you get a streamlined set of default reports with the ability to build your own.

1. Reports Snapshot

Think of this as your “home page” in GA4. It gives a quick overview of:

• Users
  
• New users
  
• Average engagement time
  
• Conversions
  
• Revenue
  

Tip: Customize the snapshot to include metrics that matter most to your business.

2. Real-Time Report

Shows user activity right now — last 30 minutes.

• Track live campaign launches.
  
• Monitor real-time conversions.
  
• Identify traffic sources instantly.
  

3. Acquisition Reports

Where your traffic is coming from:

• User Acquisition: How new users find you.
  
• Traffic Acquisition: How sessions are initiated (organic search, paid ads, referrals).
  

PPC Insight: Filter by “Session Source/Medium” to see the exact performance of “google / cpc” campaigns.

4. Engagement Reports

What users are doing on your site/app:

• Views by page/screen.
  
• Average engagement time.
  
• Events triggered.
  

Pro tip: Engagement metrics replace UA’s “bounce rate” — focus on Engaged Sessions instead.

5. Monetization Reports

For eCommerce or monetized apps:

• Revenue per user.
  
• Purchases by item.
  
• In-app purchases.
  

6. Retention Reports

See how well you keep users over time. Helpful for subscription services and apps.

Creating GA4 Custom Reports (Explorations)

The real power of GA4 lies in the Explore section — your playground for building reports tailored to your business.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Custom Exploration Report

1. Go to Explore → Blank.
   
2. Name your report (e.g., “PPC Landing Page Performance”).
   
3. Select your Dimensions (e.g., Landing Page, Source/Medium, Device Category).
   
4. Add Metrics (e.g., Conversions, Revenue, Engagement Time).
   
5. Apply Filters (e.g., Source contains “google”).
   
6. Drag and drop to organize your table or chart.
   

Example:
Create a Funnel Exploration showing:

• Step 1: Landing page visit from ad click.
  
• Step 2: Add to cart.
  
• Step 3: Purchase.
  

You’ll instantly see where drop-offs happen.

Building Custom Dashboards

Dashboards in GA4 are called Custom Reports inside the Reports section.

How to Build One:

1. Go to Reports.
   
2. Click Library (bottom-left).
   
3. Create a new collection.
   
4. Add custom reports built in Explore.
   
5. Arrange sections logically (Acquisition → Engagement → Conversions).
   

Example: PPC Campaign Dashboard

• Total ad clicks (via UTM tracking).
  
• Cost per conversion (import cost data from Google Ads).
  
• Top-performing landing pages.
  
• ROAS per campaign.
  

Pro tip: You can import Google Ads data into GA4 for combined ad spend + revenue reporting.

Tracking Conversions in GA4

Conversions in GA4 replace “Goals” from UA, but they’re more flexible — any event can be marked as a conversion.

How to Set a Conversion:

1. In Events Manager, check the list of events.
   
2. Find your target event (e.g., purchase, generate_lead, sign_up).
   
3. Toggle Mark as Conversion.
   

Custom Conversion Example:

If you want to track form submissions:

• Set up an event for form submit (via Google Tag Manager or GA4’s Enhanced Measurement).
  
• Name it form_submit.
  
• Mark it as a conversion.
  

PPC Use Case:
For a Google Ads campaign, you can set “View Pricing Page” as a micro-conversion to track interest before purchase.

PPC-Focused GA4 Reports You Should Use

Here are specific GA4 custom reports perfect for paid ads tracking.

1. Campaign Performance Report

Goal: See which paid campaigns drive conversions and revenue.

• Dimensions: Campaign, Source/Medium.
  
• Metrics: Conversions, Conversion Rate, Revenue, ROAS.
  

Why: Helps you shift budget to top-performing campaigns.

2. Landing Page Report

Goal: Measure ad traffic landing page performance.

• Dimensions: Landing Page + Query String.
  
• Metrics: Engagement Rate, Average Engagement Time, Conversions.
  

Why: See which pages keep visitors engaged and lead to sales.

3. Device & Location Report

Goal: Optimize targeting based on high-value segments.

• Dimensions: Device Category, Country.
  
• Metrics: Conversions, Revenue per User.
  

Why: Tailor ad creatives and bids by device/location.

4. Funnel Report for Ad Traffic

Goal: Understand conversion journey.

Steps:

1. Ad click → landing page.
   
2. Add to cart.
   
3. Checkout start.
   
4. Purchase.
   

Why: Shows exactly where ad-driven traffic is dropping off.

5. Attribution Model Comparison

Goal: See how different attribution models affect PPC performance.

• Compare data-driven, first-click, and last-click models.
  
• Understand how much credit PPC should get.
  

GA4 Best Practices for Marketers

1. Set Up Enhanced Measurement
   Track scrolls, outbound clicks, file downloads, and video plays automatically.
   
2. Link GA4 with Google Ads
   Get cross-platform conversion tracking and audience sharing.
   
3. Use UTM Parameters Consistently
   Label your campaigns for clean acquisition data.
   
4. Check Event Match Quality
   For accurate attribution, ensure data collection is complete.
   
5. Review Reports Weekly
   Small data trends can signal big opportunities.
   

GA4 Is Here to Stay — Embrace It

The sooner you get comfortable with GA4, the more advantage you’ll have over competitors still clinging to outdated analytics methods.

Whether you’re running a PPC-heavy campaign or a multi-channel marketing strategy, GA4’s flexibility and precision can help you make data-driven decisions with confidence.

Need a Custom GA4 Dashboard? We Can Build It for You.

Stop guessing. Start tracking the right way. Our team can:

• Set up GA4 from scratch.
  
• Build PPC-focused dashboards tailored to your KPIs.
  

Train your team on reading and optimizing GA4 reports.