A clean GA4 setup is the foundation everything else builds on. This checklist covers the 24 must-do items we verify on every installation in 2026.
1. Property and data stream basics
Before a single tag fires, the property itself needs to be configured for your business reality — not GA4's defaults.
- Time zone + currency match your business operations (not the analyst's location).
- Data retention set to 14 months (max for free tier).
- Internal traffic exclusion rule for office IPs and VPN ranges.
- Cross-domain tracking configured if you span www, app, checkout subdomains.
2. Enhanced Measurement — tuned, not on-by-default
Enhanced Measurement is helpful but its defaults often double-count events on SPAs. Specifically check:
- Page changes (history events) — turn off for traditional sites, on for SPAs.
- Scroll tracking — keep on, but don't rely on the 90% threshold for content engagement.
- Outbound clicks — exclude your own subdomains.
- Site search — only enable if you have a real search and the query string is consistent.
3. Conversion events that matter
By default, every event is just an event. You have to explicitly mark conversions in Admin → Events. Common conversions:
purchase— for ecommerce, with proper item-level data.generate_lead— for B2B, demo requests, contact forms.sign_up— for SaaS account creation.begin_checkout+add_payment_info— for funnel diagnostics.
4. Custom dimensions and user properties
GA4's reports get exponentially more useful when you add custom dimensions. Common ones we install:
- plan_tier — for SaaS to segment behavior by paid plan.
- logged_in_status — visitors vs. customers behave very differently.
- article_category + author — for content sites.
5. Google Ads + Search Console linking
Easy to forget but critical for attribution. Admin → Product Links → connect Google Ads, Search Console, and Merchant Center if applicable.
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