Home Data Sources Connections Connect: Google Analytics 4

Connect: Google Analytics 4

Last updated on Oct 09, 2025

Setup time: 10-15 minutes

Overview

GA4 is the foundation of Trackian's blended data approach. By connecting GA4, you enable deep behavioral insights, accurate attribution, and enriched channel performance data that goes far beyond what any single platform can provide.

What You'll Need

  • Admin or Editor access to your GA4 property

  • Your GA4 property already tracking your website

  • Google account credentials

GA4 Audit Service

Need help optimizing your GA4 setup? We offer a comprehensive GA4 Audit as a one-time service to ensure your tracking is configured correctly. Our audit includes:

  • Conversion tracking verification

  • E-commerce setup review

  • Data quality assessment

  • Custom event recommendations

  • Channel configuration optimization

Contact our support team at support@trackian.com to schedule your GA4 Audit.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Authorize Google Account

In your Trackian dashboard:

  • Go to Projects. Click on your project name. Navigate to Data Sources. (or simply create a new project)

  • Click "Google Analytics 4"

  • Click "Select profile" and then "Add new profile..."

  • You'll be redirected to Google's authorization page

  • Sign in with the Google account that has access to your GA4 property

  • Grant Trackian permission to read your analytics data by clicking the checkbox

Step 2: Select Your GA4 Property

After authorization:

  • Click "Select account" dropdown

  • Choose the Google account containing your GA4 property

  • Click "Select a property" dropdown

  • Choose your GA4 property from the list

  • Click "Save"

Note: If you don't see your property, ensure you have at least Editor access in GA4.

Step 3: Configure Custom Channel Settings

This critical step ensures your traffic is properly categorized for accurate attribution.

  1. Go to Projects and click on your project's name.

  2. Navigate to Google Analytics tab.

  3. Navigate to Custom channels

Understanding Channel Grouping

Trackian uses custom channel definitions to properly attribute your traffic. The order matters - channels are evaluated from top to bottom, and traffic is assigned to the first matching channel.

Default Channel Configuration

Your account comes with these pre-configured channels:

  • Direct - Direct traffic with no referrer

  • Google Ads - Traffic from Google Ads campaigns (Search, Display, Video)

    • Source matches exactly: google AND Medium matches exactly: cpc

    • Note: If using custom UTM tagging, adjust rules accordingly

  • Google Organic - Organic Google search traffic

    • Source contains: google AND Medium is organic or empty

  • Facebook and Instagram - All Meta platforms traffic (organic and paid)

    • Includes: Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network

    • Source/Medium contains: facebook, instagram, messenger, IGShopping

    • OR Source/Medium matches exactly: fb, ig, an

  • TikTok - TikTok traffic (organic and paid)

    • Source contains: tiktok

  • LinkedIn - LinkedIn traffic (organic and paid)

    • Source contains: linkedin or lnkd.in

  • Twitter - Twitter/X traffic (organic and paid)

    • Source contains: t.co or twitter

  • Other Social - Traffic from other social platforms

    • Source/Medium contains: social, pinterest, reddit, youtube

  • Email - Email marketing traffic

    • Source/Medium contains: email, newsletter, mailchimp, klaviyo, brevo, omnisend

  • Affiliates - Affiliate partner traffic

    • Source/Medium contains: affiliate, partner

  • Mobile Push Notifications - Push notification campaigns

    • Source/Medium ends with: push or contains: onesignal, pushwoosh

Adding Custom Channels

To add channels specific to your business:

  • Click "Add new channel"

  • Enter channel name (e.g., "WhatsApp", "SMS", "Influencer")

  • Define matching rules:

    • Matches exactly (=): Exact parameter match

    • Contains: Partial match anywhere in parameter

    • Regular expression: Advanced pattern matching

  • Click "Add channel"

  • Set the priority order (drag to reorder)

Popular Custom Channels to Add:

  • Klaviyo: utm_source contains klaviyo

  • WhatsApp: utm_source equals whatsapp

  • SMS: utm_source contains sms or text

  • TikTok Organic: referrer contains tiktok (without paid parameters)

  • Podcast: utm_source contains podcast

Step 4: Sync Channel Groups

After making any changes to channel configuration:

  • Click "Resync channel groups"

  • Changes apply to all historical and future data and usually takes 24 hours

Important: You must resync after:

  • Adding new channels

  • Changing channel order

  • Modifying match conditions

  • Deleting channels

Understanding Blended Data

Once GA4 is connected, Trackian blends it with your other platforms to provide:

Enhanced Attribution

  • See which Facebook campaigns drive specific product purchases

  • Understand Google Ads performance beyond last-click

  • Track customer journeys across all touchpoints

Behavioral Insights

  • Products viewed but not purchased per channel

  • Time on site by traffic source

  • Funnel drop-off points by campaign

  • Internal site search queries

Hidden Metrics

  • Organic search terms driving revenue (even "unknown")

  • True channel contribution vs platform claims

  • Cross-device customer behavior

Troubleshooting

"No properties found"

  • Verify you have Editor or Admin access in GA4

  • Check you're signed in with the correct Google account

  • Ensure GA4 is set up

"Data not appearing after connection"

  • GA4 data processing can take 24-48 hours initially

  • Verify your GA4 property is receiving data

  • Check that your website has GA4 tracking code installed

"Channels showing as 'Unassigned'"

  • Review your channel definitions

  • Ensure UTM parameters are properly set in your campaigns

  • Resync channel groups after making changes

"Discrepancies with GA4 interface"

  • Trackian uses custom channel definitions for consistency

  • We process data differently for enhanced attribution

  • Time zones may differ - check your settings

Best Practices

UTM Parameter Consistency

Use consistent UTM parameters across all campaigns:

  • utm_source: Where traffic comes from (facebook, google, newsletter)

  • utm_medium: Type of traffic (cpc, organic, email)

  • utm_campaign: Specific campaign name

  • utm_content: Ad or link identifier -> For Facebook Ads you must use {{ad.id}}

  • utm_term: Keywords (optional)

Channel Priority

Order channels from most specific to most general:

  1. Branded campaigns (your brand name)

  2. Specific platforms (Facebook, Google)

  3. Channel types (Social, Email)

  4. Catch-all (Other)

Data Privacy & Compliance

  • Trackian only accesses aggregated data

  • No personally identifiable information (PII) is stored

  • All data transfer is encrypted

  • Compliant with GA4's terms of service

What Happens Next

After successful connection:

  1. Historical data import begins (up to 3 years)

  2. Daily automatic syncs are scheduled

  3. Blended reports become available within 24-48 hours

  4. Channel attribution enriches all platform data

  5. Behavioral insights appear in your dashboards

Common Questions

Q: Will this affect my GA4 data? No, Trackian has read-only access. Your GA4 data remains unchanged.

Q: Can I connect multiple GA4 properties? Yes, but each property needs a separate project in Trackian.

Q: Should I get a GA4 Audit? If you're unsure about your GA4 setup or want to maximize data quality, our audit service can help identify and fix tracking issues before they affect your reporting.

Need Help?

For assistance with GA4 setup, contact us at support@trackian.com with:

  • Your GA4 property ID

  • Screenshot of any error messages

  • Your website URL

For GA4 Audit service, contact support@trackian.com