Most sites launch and nobody ever measures anything. GA4, Google's analytics tool, is free, and setting it up on launch day takes minutes. Checking three numbers a month takes less.
Here is what we wire up on every build and what you should actually look at, because analytics dashboards are famous for answering questions nobody asked.
What we set up at launch
A GA4 property for your business, the measurement tag wired into every page, and Google Search Console verified so search data flows in too.
We confirm real visits show up in the reports before we call the setup done. An unverified analytics install is just a script tag.
Number one: visits from your city
Open the reports once a month and look at users by location. If the majority are not from Metro Detroit, something is off with your setup or your SEO.
Local traffic is the traffic that calls. Everything else is noise for a local business.
Number two: where they land
The landing page report shows which page people see first. If a blog post or a service page quietly outperforms your homepage, that is a page worth improving.
It also shows the pages Google likes. Feed the winners.
Number three: what they do
Events like form submissions, taps on your phone number, and clicks on your email are the whole point of the site. GA4 tracks them by default; we verify each one fires.
If calls are up month over month, the site is working. If form submissions sit at zero for weeks, something is broken and it is worth a text to us.
Quick answers.
Do I need to pay for analytics?
No. GA4 and Search Console are free, and both are set up on every build we ship.
Is this a privacy problem?
GA4 does not store names or emails. A basic privacy note on the site covers it for a local business.
How long until I see data?
Real visits appear within a day. Search Console impressions take a few weeks to build.
What should I check monthly?
Visits from your city, landing pages, and contact events. Three numbers, five minutes.
Related notes.
Keep reading
How to rank on Google Maps What is local SEO? The Google Business Profile checklist Keep reading: How Long Does A Website Take