Google Analytics 4
Fundamentals
Cardiff | Virtual Online
Most organisations have Google Analytics installed. Far fewer trust the numbers or know where to find answers. This hands-on, one-day workshop (maximum 8 people) shows you how to set GA4 up properly, track what matters and turn your data into reports your manager or trustees will actually read.
About the course
We’ve been teaching Google Analytics for over 10 years, since before GA4 existed. Today we help marketers, comms teams and small business owners get GA4 set up properly and use it with confidence, including the new AI tools and dashboards Google has added in 2025–26.
Whether you want to build your own skills or upskill your team, you’ll get practical, hands-on guidance in a small group where there’s time to answer your questions.
Who it’s for
Marketers, comms and digital staff at small businesses, charities, councils, the NHS and education who have GA4 on their website but aren’t confident using it. It suits beginners and people who have inherited a GA4 setup from someone else. You don’t need any technical knowledge.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the day you’ll be able to:
- Check your GA4 setup and fix the most common problems
- Find your way around GA4 confidently, including using Analytics Advisor, Google’s AI assistant
- Track the actions that matter to you as key events
- Understand how cookie consent affects your data, and explain it to your manager
- Build custom reports, a dashboard and explorations
- Create segments and audiences
- Report results clearly to managers, trustees or clients
Google Analytics 4 modules covered
Module 1 : Digital analytics today
- What GA4 can and can’t tell you, and why the numbers never match other tools exactly
- How cookie consent and privacy rules affect your data in the UK
- Where AI fits: Analytics Advisor, generated insights and tracking visits from AI tools
Module 2 : Planning and setting up GA4
- Start with your objectives and customer journey, then decide what to track
- Setting up with the Google tag or Tag Manager, and the settings most people miss
- Consent Mode v2 and your cookie banner: getting them working together
Module 3 : Key concepts
- Users, sessions, engaged sessions and engagement rate
- Events, key events, dimensions and metrics
- Traffic sources and channels (including the new AI Assistant channel), segments and audiences
Module 4 : Finding your way around GA4
- Home, Reports, Explore, Advertising and Admin: what each one is for
- Dates, comparisons, filters, search and changing dimensions
- Asking Analytics Advisor questions in plain English, and checking its answers
Module 5 : Events and key events
- The events GA4 collects automatically, and what enhanced measurement adds (scrolls, outbound clicks, downloads, video and forms)
- Recommended and custom events: when you need them
- Marking your most important actions as key events, such as donations, enquiries and sign-ups
Module 6 : The standard reports
- Realtime, acquisition, engagement and user reports: what each one tells you
- Seeing which channels bring visitors who go on to do something useful
- Linking Search Console, Google Ads and Google Business Profile for a fuller picture
Module 7 : Custom reports and dashboards
- Customising the standard reports and the report library
- Building a dashboard with your key numbers on one screen
- Sharing and scheduling reports, and when to use Looker Studio instead
Module 8 : Explorations
- What explorations are, and when to use them instead of reports
- Free-form, funnel and path explorations, hands-on
- Building segments to compare different groups of visitors
Module 9 : Testing and troubleshooting
- Checking your tracking with DebugView and Tag Assistant
- Fixing common problems: missing data, double counting, “(not set)” and gaps caused by consent
- Using GA4’s built-in recommendations to tidy up your setup
Module 10 : Tag Manager
- Why and when to use Tag Manager
- Tags, triggers and variables, explained simply
- Hands-on: tracking a button click or form submission as a key event
FAQs
Do I need any technical knowledge? No. The course is aimed at marketers and comms staff, not developers. If you can use a website’s admin area, you’ll be fine.
Can I use my own organisation’s GA4 account on the day? Yes, and we recommend it. You’ll get more out of the day by working on your own data. Ask for at least Viewer access before the course, or Editor access if you want to change settings. If you can’t get access, you can follow along using Google’s demo account.
What if our GA4 was set up by someone else, or we’re not sure it’s working? That’s very common, and it’s exactly what the course is for. Module 9 shows you how to check your setup and fix the most common problems.
Is the course recorded? Yes. Sessions are recorded, so you can go back over anything afterwards. The course runs live on Zoom with a maximum of 8 people, so there’s plenty of time for questions. You’ll also keep the slides and get access to our password-protected support area with guides and videos.
Can you run this course in-house for our team? Yes. We can run it for your team on Zoom or in person, tailored to your own GA4 setup. Get in touch to discuss.
Are there any discounts? Yes. Registered charities get 10% off, and you get 10% off when two or more people from the same organisation attend.
Course costs
Our online courses are charged as follows: £369 +VAT (£399 + VAT from February 2027). Price includes:
- Slides for the day.
- Access to our password-protected area where you can access latest slides and self-help guide, along with links to useful resources and videos.
Discount
Get 10% off course bookings:
- if your organisation is a registered charity (not applicable to Early Bird discounts)
- If you have 2 or more staff attending, we can offer a discount of 10% (off the standard NOT Early Bird rate).
Times
Courses start at 9.15 am but we ask people to sign in to Zoom by 9.10 am. The courses end at 4.30 pm and lunch is usually taken at 12.30 pm with tea and coffee breaks mid morning and mid afternoon.
Location
All courses are delivered through Zoom which allows us to stream HD-quality video of our courses direct to your office or home, via desktop or tablet. These courses are limited to a maximum of 8 people. Learn more about Virtual Classrooms.
Price
- Face-to-face online
- Support site (inc course notes)
- Post-course support