Google Analytics 4 is more flexible than Universal Analytics and more confusing out of the box. Here is a sane setup for SEO.
Track the right conversions
Mark key events (Google calls them conversions) so you can see which pages drive action: sign-ups, checkouts, and meaningful tool usage. Without this, traffic numbers are just vanity.
Reports that matter for SEO
- Traffic acquisition — organic sessions and how they convert
- Landing page — which pages start sessions, with engagement rate and conversions
- Engagement — time, pages per session and events per page
- Tech — device and browser splits
Build a landing-page funnel
Segment organic traffic and look at the landing page report. Find pages with high sessions but low engagement or conversion — those need a content or UX fix.
Connect Search Console
Linking GSC to GA4 lets you see queries and landing pages together: impressions, clicks and on-site behaviour in one place.
Measure what changes
Before you edit a page, note its current metrics. After, compare over a comparable window. Pair GA4 with the on-page audit to confirm the technical basics are sound before you blame content.