The core setup
| Tool | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Google Analytics 4 | Where visitors come from and what they do |
| Google Search Console | Which searches show your site and which pages have problems |
| Business Profile performance | Calls, direction requests and website clicks from Maps |
| Call tracking | Which pages and campaigns make the phone ring |
| Ad conversion tracking | Which ad clicks turn into calls and forms |
Key events matter more than page views
GA4 records page views on its own. Leads need setup. Mark form submissions, booking confirmations and phone link taps as key events. Without them, reports show traffic but cannot tell you which pages or campaigns bring customers.
Google Ads can also count calls from ads and from your website as conversions. Connected properly, the ad platform learns which searches bring callers and bids for more of them.
Keep it light
Every tracking script adds weight to the page. A typical small business site needs GA4, perhaps one ad tag and call tracking. Pixels from five platforms you no longer use slow every page and leak data. Remove what nobody reads.
Respect consent
If you get visitors from Europe, set up consent so tags respect each choice. In the U.S., describe your tracking in your privacy policy. Read what a cookie banner is.
Good example. A cleaning company tracks quote forms, booking confirmations and calls as key events. It sees that its "move-out cleaning" page brings a third of its leads.
Bad example. The same company has GA4 installed but no key events. Reports show visits, and nobody knows which pages earn money.
Every account goes in your name. Read how to track leads and phone calls. Our web design team sets up and tests this tracking before launch.