Stop Drowning in Data and Start Making Decisions

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) gives you more data than ever, but more data doesn’t always mean better decisions. Many business owners log in, glance at a few charts, and leave without learning anything actionable.

The key to GA4 isn’t reading everything. It’s knowing which reports matter and how to interpret them for real business decisions.

This guide focuses on the GA4 metrics that actually help you improve your website, marketing, and conversions.

Start With the Question, Not the Report

Before opening GA4, ask:

• Are we getting the right visitors?

• Are visitors engaging with our site?

• Are they taking meaningful actions?

GA4 is event-based, which means almost everything you care about falls into traffic, engagement, or conversions.

The 3 GA4 Reports You Should Check Weekly

1. Traffic Acquisition: Where Visitors Come From

GA4 Path:
Reports → Acquisition → Traffic Acquisition

This report tells you:

• Which channels bring users (Organic Search, Paid Search, Direct, Referral)

• How engaged those users are

What to look for:

• Organic traffic trends (SEO health)

• Sudden drops or spikes

• Channels with high traffic but low engagement

If Organic Search traffic is growing but engagement is low, your SEO may be attracting the wrong audience.

2. Engagement Overview: Are People Actually Using Your Site?

GA4 Path:
Reports → Engagement → Overview

Ignore “bounce rate” , GA4 replaces it with Engaged Sessions.

Key metrics:

• Engagement rate

• Average engagement time

• Pages with high exits

Why this matters:
If people leave quickly, your site may:

• Load too slowly

• Be confusing

• Not match user intent

This is where GA4 data pairs well with performance audits, UX improvements, and page-level content updates.

3. Conversions (Key Events): What Actually Matters to Your Business

GA4 doesn’t assume what a “conversion” is,  you define it.

Common examples:

• Contact form submissions

• Phone number clicks

• Quote requests

• Newsletter signups

What to review:

• Which pages lead to conversions

• Which traffic sources convert best

• Where users drop off before converting

If traffic is high but conversions are low, the problem isn’t marketing, it’s messaging, layout, or trust signals.

Use Comparisons to Spot Trends (Not Panic)

One of GA4’s most useful features is date comparison.

Compare:

• Month over month

• Year over year (when possible)

Look for patterns, not single-day changes. A bad day isn’t a problem. A bad month is.

GA4 Is a Decision Tool, Not a Report Card

GA4 shouldn’t be used to “check performance” once a year. It should help you analyze site traffic and answer questions like:

• Should we invest more in SEO or paid ads?

• Which pages need improvement?

• Are users behaving the way we expect?

At NDIC, we treat GA4 as part of a larger decision system, combining analytics, AI tools, SEO insights, performance data, and real business goals.

Reach out to our team to request a custom quote.