How to Set Up Google Analytics｜From Opening an Account to Starting Measurement

If you run a website, you'll want to do more than just publish it—you'll want to understand "which pages are being read" and "where visitors come from." The standard tool for this is Google Analytics (the current GA4). It's free to start and is widely used by everyone from personal bloggers to enterprise sites.

In this article, we explain how to set up Google Analytics, from opening an account through confirming that measurement has started, in steps that even beginners can follow without getting lost.

The 3-Layer Structure of GA4 to Know Before Setup

Before starting GA4 setup, knowing that the whole thing has three layers helps you proceed without being confused by the terminology. It's easy to understand if you picture a company's org chart.

• Account (the biggest box): The outermost box, created at the organization or company level, like "XYZ Inc."
• Property (the site you want to measure): The website itself you want to measure, such as "corporate site" or "official blog."
• Data stream (the data intake point): The "intake point" through which data flows in from the site. For website measurement, select "Web."

In other words, creating them in the order "Account → Property → Data stream" is the basic flow of GA4 setup.

Preparation: Get a Google Account Ready

You need a Google account to use GA4. If you already have one, you can use it as is, but if you're using it for business, we recommend logging in with a company/business Google account so it doesn't get mixed up with your personal one. This is because the manager of the measurement data is tied to that account.

How to Open a GA4 Account

Here are the actual setup steps. If you follow the on-screen guidance, you can create the account, property, and data stream in one continuous flow.

STEP1: Access Google Analytics and Click "Start measuring"

Access the official Google Analytics site and log in with the Google account you'll use. Click "Start measuring" (or "Create account") to begin setup.

STEP2: Create an Account

Enter your company or organization name in "Account name." There are "Data sharing settings" checkboxes, but the defaults are basically fine.

STEP3: Create a Property

Enter the name of the site you want to measure (e.g., corporate site, official blog) in "Property name." Also set the report time zone, currency, industry, and so on. For a Japan-focused site, selecting "Japan" for the time zone and "Japanese Yen" for the currency makes reports easier to read.

STEP4: Create a Data Stream

In the platform selection, choose "Web," enter the URL and stream name of the site you want to measure, and press "Create stream." A web data stream is created here, and a Measurement ID starting with "G-" is issued. This Measurement ID is the important number that connects your site and GA4.

Install the Measurement Tag (Google Tag) on Your Site

Just creating a data stream won't start measurement. You need to install a measurement tag (Google tag) on the site side. There are mainly three installation methods; choose the one that fits your environment.

Method A: Use a WordPress Plugin (For Beginners)

With WordPress, using a plugin such as Site Kit by Google completes installation just by connecting according to the on-screen guidance. Since you don't touch any code, it's the most straightforward method.

Method B: Use Google Tag Manager (GTM)

If you want to manage multiple measurement tags together, GTM is convenient. In GTM, add a "Google tag" (or "Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration") and enter the Measurement ID from earlier. Set the trigger to "All Pages," and it only works after you publish (submit). Note that if you forget to publish, data won't be reflected.

Method C: Write It Directly in the HTML

If you can't use GTM, copy the Google tag (gtag.js) code shown in the data stream details and paste it within the head of every page's HTML. This is effective in an environment where you can edit theme files.

Confirm That Measurement Has Started

Once you've installed the tag, confirm that measurement is actually working. Open your own site, then look at "Reports → Realtime" in the GA4 admin panel—if your own access is counted, measurement has started. It can take up to about 30 minutes from tag installation until it's reflected in Realtime.

When no data appears in Realtime, check the following points.

• Whether the Measurement ID entered in the tag matches the Measurement ID of the data stream you're viewing
• If using GTM, whether you "published (submitted)" the tag
• Whether a browser extension or certain browsers are blocking GA measurement

Note that right after initial setup, even if you can confirm it in Realtime, it may take up to about 24 hours before data is reflected in the regular reports.

Initial Settings to Configure After Measurement Starts

Once measurement has started, there are minimum initial settings worth configuring to improve data accuracy.

• Excluding your own access (IP address): Configure internal traffic exclusion so your own access doesn't get mixed into the data.
• Changing the data retention period: The default is short, so changing it to the longest period available makes period comparisons easier.
• Linking with Google Search Console: Lets you view search query and search traffic data within GA4 as well.
• Setting up conversions (key events): Set events that are business goals, such as inquiry completion or purchase, as conversions.

Also, when conducting access analysis, don't forget to prepare a privacy policy and state that you use Google Analytics.

Conclusion

Setting up Google Analytics (GA4) proceeds in this flow: get a Google account ready → create the account, property, and data stream → install the measurement tag → confirm measurement in Realtime. As long as you understand the three layers of "Account → Property → Data stream" in particular, you won't get lost along the way.

First, aim for the goal of installing the tag and seeing your own access appear in Realtime, then go on to configure initial settings such as IP exclusion and Search Console linking.