Shopify GA4: How to integrate and best practices to follow

For many online business owners, data utilization is the secret ingredient for achieving success. With the help of Shopify GA4, you can understand your customers, their behaviors, and their interactions with your brand. This advanced web analytics tool can address all your e-commerce brand’s burning questions.

This blog will provide essential information about Shopify GA4 and highlight the key features that make GA4 a game-changer for e-commerce businesses. So, if you’re ready to supercharge your Shopify store, let’s dive in!

What is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

If you have yet to hear, GA4 is the cutting-edge iteration of Google’s web analytics platform. Created with the specific needs of e-commerce businesses in mind, GA4 provides unparalleled power and flexibility when it comes to understanding website traffic and user behavior.

What sets GA4 apart is its innovative event-based data model, revolutionizing the way user interactions and engagement are tracked across multiple digital channels. This includes websites and mobile apps, ensuring you have a comprehensive view of your customer’s actions and preferences.

With GA4, you’ll gain deeper insights into how users navigate your online presence, enabling you to optimize every touchpoint of their journey. From tracking specific events and conversions to uncovering valuable patterns and trends, GA4 empowers you to make data-driven decisions that drive your e-commerce success.

In comparison to its predecessor, Google Analytics, GA4 adds a number of new capabilities that improve your analytics experience. GA4 also improves data privacy protections, allowing you to maintain a secure and compliant analytics environment.

Why should you use Shopify GA4?

For years, Google Analytics has been the trusted tool of choice for gaining valuable insights into website performance and user behavior. However, with the advent of GA4, Google has taken a step further to deliver a cutting-edge analytics platform that exceeds expectations. Specifically designed to cater to the evolving demands of e-commerce businesses, GA4 offers a holistic and enlightening analytics experience.

Here are some benefits of using GA4 for your Shopify store:

• Enhanced tracking and analysis: You can experience the benefits of cross-device tracking, improved audience segmentation, and comprehensive funnel analysis. These cutting-edge capabilities empower you to delve deeper into the performance of your marketing strategy and uncover valuable insights into your customers’ behavior. 

• Ability to integrate with other Google services: GA4 effortlessly integrates with a range of Google services, including Google Ads and Google Search Console. This seamless integration consolidates your marketing efforts into one centralized hub. That will simplify the management of your campaigns and provide a unified view of your marketing performance. 
• Continuity with the migration from Universal Analytics (GA3): As previously stated, Google officially announced that Universal Analytics (GA3) would be phased down beginning in July 2023. Moving to GA4 before the deadline ensures a smooth transition in data gathering and analysis, ensuring that business processes continue uninterrupted. 
• Enhanced privacy: GA4 is rigorously built with a strong focus on privacy to emphasize compliance with present and upcoming privacy standards. This feature is extremely valuable for Shopify shops that manage sensitive client information.
• Adaptable event-based data model: GA4 offers a flexible framework where you can effortlessly track various activities using straightforward categories: events and event parameters. This means you can capture and analyze virtually anything you desire. Because of its unique data structure, GA4 allows you to carry out everything you could do with UA, but not the other way around.

What are the key features of Shopify GA4?

Shopify GA4 has numerous new features that business owners need to know to unlock the potential levels of performance analysis. Here are some key features that you may find in Shopify GA4:

• Predictive analysis assisted by Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

GA4 uses advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver predictive analysis. This implies the platform can examine past data and user behavior patterns to generate insights and predictions about future events. This useful feature lets you make data-driven decisions and improve your marketing efforts.

• Increased event and conversion capacity

GA4 offers expanded event and conversion tracking capabilities. It allows you to collect up to 30 conversions, specific actions or goals you define, and up to 300 events, which are individual user interactions. This enhanced capacity enables you to track various user activities and measure multiple objectives simultaneously.

• Creating custom reports

GA4 allows you to produce personalized reports tailored to your requirements. You can create reports that highlight cohorts (groups of users with similar characteristics), routes (user navigation paths), funnels (conversion funnels), or segments (particular subsets of users). The flexibility enables you to delve deeply into specific elements of your analytics data and get meaningful insights.

• Automatic event tracking

GA4 can automatically capture events from various user activities, including scrolls, video views, and first-time visits. This eliminates the need to manually configure event tracking for these activities. By automatically capturing these events, you better understand user engagement and activity on your website or app.

• Attribution model flexibility

GA4 allows you to select a specific attribution model. Attribution models manage how conversion credit is distributed to various marketing channels or touchpoints in a user’s journey. You can modify the way credit is assigned with the flexibility to set your attribution model, allowing you to better assess the impact of your marketing efforts and improve your campaigns accordingly.

What to consider before switching to Shopify GA4?

GA4’s customizable reports undoubtedly bring remarkable flexibility, which was lacking in the previous version of GA. However, it’s important to recognize that these features can be a double-edged sword. Before utilizing GA4 for your Shopify store, you need to consider its following limitations:

Inherent data limitations

Many users express frustrations regarding GA4’s data incompatibility and thresholding limitations. However, it’s worth noting that this issue is not exclusive to GA4, as its predecessor, UA, also presented challenges with sampled data. 

Regardless of how meticulous our tracking efforts may be, there will always be a layer of data that remains beyond our grasp. GA4 introduces an additional aspect to this complex data landscape, further emphasizing inherent limitations.

Changes in UI (User Interface)  

The significant modifications made to GA’s UI have sparked discussions and debates among marketers across various platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook. While these changes may initially require some adaptation, it’s important to acknowledge that adjusting to the updated UI is simply a matter of getting accustomed to the new interface.

Potential for misinterpreting metrics and dimensions

It’s crucial to comprehensively understand how each metric operates; otherwise, misinterpretations can easily occur. For instance, enhanced e-commerce functionality functions similarly in both GA4 and UA for Shopify stores, as they track the same activities when properly configured. 

However, the disparity lies in how the data is presented to the user. Unlike UA’s reports, which had little opportunity for interpretation, GA4’s addition of report identity and attribution scope features can be baffling. This may potentially lead to misunderstandings and difficulty in appropriately reading the data.

Challenging e-commerce tracking setup

GA4’s data-driven attribution model, attribution scope, and data compatibility can sometimes create an intimidating setup process. While the e-commerce tracking data of your Shopify store within GA4 is likely reliable (which we will explore further), merchants may still experience a sense of uncertainty. The complexity of setting up GA4 can discourage entrepreneurs from fully adopting it, forcing them to rely on alternative analytics solutions such as Shopify Analytics or the analytics offered by their advertising platform.

To mitigate these challenges, ensuring that your GA4-enhanced e-commerce tracking is correctly configured for your Shopify store is crucial.

Basic Shopify GA4 configuration that you need to know

A few essential steps need to be taken to leverage the impressive features of GA4 and start reaping its benefits. First, you must perform the basic GA4 configuration and add the purchase data layer and a product view layer. To assist you in this process, here is a step-by-step guide:

To configure GA4 on your Shopify site, you can use Google Tag Manager (GTM). Here are the steps you need to follow to do that:

• Ensure you have set up a new GA4 property in your GA account if you haven’t created one.
• Access Google Tag Manager and create a new tag. Select “Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration” as the tag type.

Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration

• Enter your GA4 Measurement ID in the designated “Measurement ID” field. You can find this ID in your GA4 property settings.
• Select the suitable event that should activate the tag, like a page view or a click event.
• Save the tag and apply the modifications to your Google Tag Manager container.
• When the tag is successfully set up and published, it will start sending data to your GA4 property based on the specified configuration in the tag.
• Utilize GA4 reports to analyze and gain insights into user behavior on your site or app.

Remember, if you opt for the Global Site Tag method, it’s advisable to collaborate with your developer for the necessary configuration.

5 steps to build Shopify GA4 Integration

Step 1: Set up your Google Analytics 4 property

Before starting the Google Analytics Shopify setup process, it’s essential to have a Google Analytics account in place with a GA4 property and data stream ready for use. You can proceed to the next step if you have already completed this setup. 

However, suppose you haven’t set up your Google Analytics property for your Shopify store. In that case, you need to follow a guide to create a new Google Analytics property specifically tailored for your Shopify store. This step ensures that you have the necessary foundation in place to effectively integrate Google Analytics with your Shopify store and gather valuable insights from your data.

Step 2: Find Google’s Channel/App in your Shopify’s Admin Panel

To initiate the GA4 setup process for your Shopify store, you need to locate Google’s Channel/App within the Shopify Admin Panel. Here’s how you can do it:

• Access your Shopify Admin Panel.
• From the left-hand menu, select the “Online Store” channel.
• Click on “Preferences” within the Online Store section.
• Scroll down until you find the Google Analytics section.
• In the Google Analytics section, look for the “Manage Pixel” button and click on it. This will take you to the relevant settings for integrating Google Analytics with your Shopify store.

Alternatively, you can use the app search bar within the Shopify Admin Panel to search for the Google app. Once you locate it, proceed to install the Google app on your store.

Step 3: Link Your Google Analytics Account to Shopify

After accessing the Google Channel within Shopify, the next step is establishing a connection with your Google Analytics account. Here’s how you can do it:

• The “Connect your Google Account” section is located within the Google Channel.
• Click on the “Connect” button found under this section.
• You will be asked to give Google permission. This is necessary for Google to access and retrieve data from your Shopify store.
• Proceed by approving Google’s request for permissions.

Step 4: Connect a Google Analytics property 

In this step, you choose the specific data stream you want to connect and then proceed with the connection process. Here’s how to do it:

• Within the Google Channel or the connected Google Analytics settings, locate the option to select the desired data stream.
• Choose the appropriate data stream that corresponds to the specific information you want to track and analyze in GA4.
• Once you have selected, click on the “Connect” button to establish the connection between your chosen data stream and GA4.

Step 5: Verify data collection

To ensure the successful setup of GA4 for Shopify, it is crucial to verify that your configuration is working correctly. Follow these steps to confirm:

• Visit the “Real-time” section of your GA4 property in Google Analytics. This section provides immediate feedback on whether data is populating in real time.
• If you don’t see any data appearing, it indicates that there might be an issue with your data stream setup. Double-check your data stream configuration to ensure accuracy.
• To further validate your setup, visit your own store and check if you can see your own data in the “Real-time report.” If you don’t see any data, review your data stream selection during setup to ensure you have chosen the correct one.

Remember that there may be some lag in processing data within GA4. It’s normal for most reports to not show new information for approximately 24 hours. Therefore, it’s recommended to revisit the reports the next day to ensure everything is functioning as expected.

Optionally, you can consider removing the integration of the previous version (Universal Analytics) from your store. However, note that these two integrations typically do not interfere with each other. For comparative purposes, you may prefer to keep both integrations active unless there is a specific reason to remove the previous version.

Best practices for Shopify GA4 to follow

To maximize the effectiveness of your Google Analytics 4 (GA4) implementation for your Shopify store, it is crucial to ensure accurate data tracking and reporting. We will give you some useful tips to enhance the accuracy of your GA4 data:

• Maintain consistent tracking codes

To uphold the accuracy and currency of your data, it is vital to maintain consistent tracking codes. This practice holds particular significance when tracking customer journeys and evaluating the effectiveness of your store’s offerings. By consistently using and updating tracking codes, you can ensure that the collected data reflects user behavior and enables accurate analysis and decision-making for your Shopify store.

Maintain consistent tracking codes in Shopify GA4

• Implement consistent naming conventions

When configuring your GA4 property, it is crucial to adopt consistent naming conventions. This practice plays a vital role in ensuring the accuracy and clarity of your data. 

Using standardized naming conventions, you can effectively organize and interpret your data, making it easier to understand and analyze. Consistent naming conventions facilitate seamless collaboration among team members and enable efficient data management for your Shopify store.

• Regularly verify for errors

Regularly checking for errors in your GA4 data is crucial to maintaining its accuracy and reliability. By diligently verifying the data for precision and currency, you can promptly identify and address any discrepancies or inaccuracies. 

This practice helps to uphold the integrity of your data and provides confidence in the accuracy of the insights and decisions derived from it. Make it a routine to regularly review and validate your GA4 data to maximize its reliability and effectiveness for your Shopify store.

• Conduct thorough testing of your setup

Performing comprehensive testing of your GA4 property setup is a valuable approach to ensuring its correctness and effectiveness. This step is important for accurately tracking customer journeys and evaluating the performance of your store’s products and services. 

You can identify potential issues or discrepancies in the data collection process by conducting thorough testing. This practice allows you to fine-tune and optimize your GA4 setup, ensuring the data accurately reflects user behavior. This also provides meaningful insights for informed decision-making in your Shopify store.

Some pitfalls to avoid when using Shopify GA4

• Fail to establish separate GA4 properties for each store

Neglecting to set up a dedicated GA4 property for each Shopify store can lead to a significant drawback. It is vital to create separate GA4 properties for each store to effectively track and assess their performance. By having distinct GA4 properties, you can accurately isolate and analyze the data specific to each store, enabling comprehensive insights.

• Overlook the importance of UTM parameters

Failing to utilize UTM parameters can result in a significant pitfall when monitoring the performance of your marketing campaigns. It is crucial to set up UTM parameters to effectively track and evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. You can accurately attribute traffic and conversions to specific marketing initiatives by incorporating UTM parameters into your campaign URLs.

• Not enable enhanced E-commerce

Overlooking the activation of enhanced e-commerce can lead to a significant drawback. You may fail to understand user behavior and optimize your store’s performance. By activating this feature, you can access detailed data on product impressions, add-to-cart events, purchases, and other crucial metrics. This enables you to analyze user behavior, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.

• Forget to set up goals

Failing to establish accurate goals can be detrimental when evaluating the success of your store. On the contrary, setting goals provides valuable insights into key performance indicators. These KPIs can be conversions and user engagement. They will allow you to measure progress and identify areas for improvement. 

Conclusion

To sum up, integrating Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with your Shopify store opens up a world of valuable insights and opportunities for growth. By following the best practices provided in this blog, you can optimize the accuracy and effectiveness of your GA4 implementation. With Shopify GA4 by your side, you can unlock actionable data, make informed decisions, and drive the success of your Shopify store to new heights.