Google Analytics 4 · Usage guide (funnel & segments)
User behaviour and the purchase funnel, split by intent and device.
FREE
Why I use it
- GA4 ties events, traffic, and revenue when e-commerce tagging is solid : the baseline for prioritising CRO work.
- Explorations escape the misleading averages on the default home report.
How I use it : mini guide
First I confirm purchases and key funnel steps fire (not just sessions).
- Useful segments : Mobile vs desktop, new vs returning, source/medium. I save segments that match the client’s business questions.
- E-commerce funnel : Shopify purchase path : where volume drops between product view, add to cart, checkout. I cross-check Shopify Analytics for consistency.
- Pages & content : High-traffic, low-conversion landings : sorted by opportunity. Paired with Clarity heatmaps.
- Regular reporting : Exports or screenshots at milestones : before/after optimisation with the same date range and filters.
I strip vanity metrics (useless scroll events) when the client auto-collects noise without a business question behind it.
Concrete Shopify example
Beauty brand: high add-to-cart but weak checkout on mobile. GA4 showed a drop on one checkout step ; UX friction fixed in Liquid plus a quick settings tweak.
Limits I've identified
- Sampling on very narrow explorations when volume is low.
- Heavily depends on data layer quality and GDPR consent.
- No substitute for qualitative observation (session replays).