Set up two free things first: Google Search Console to see how you appear in search, and a web analytics tool to see what visitors do on your site. Then decide on three to five actions that count as success, such as an enquiry form submission, a phone call click or a purchase, and track those only. More dashboards do not mean more insight.
What each tool tells you
| Source | Question it answers | Example data |
|---|---|---|
| Search Console | How do people find me on Google? | Queries, impressions, clicks, average position, pages not indexed |
| Web analytics | What do visitors do after arriving? | Sessions by source, pages viewed, key actions completed |
| Email platform reports | Which campaigns drive clicks and sales? | Clicks, unsubscribes, revenue where connected |
| Social network insights | Which posts reach people? | Reach, engagement, link clicks |
| Your own records | Which leads became customers? | Enquiry source recorded in your CRM |
Google's help pages describe Search Console as a free service for monitoring and troubleshooting a site's presence in Google Search, with a performance report covering search queries, clicks and impressions. Verifying your site as a property is the first step. Data starts collecting from setup, so do this early.
Choosing a web analytics tool
Google Analytics is the common free choice, and its current version is GA4. Alternatives exist, some cookie-free or hosted in the UK or EU, usually with a paid plan. Choose by what you need to report and your comfort with consent rules.
- Consent and cookies: many analytics set-ups store information on a visitor's device, which under PECR generally needs consent unless an exemption applies. Check the ICO guidance on cookies and similar technologies for the exact current position, including any analytics exemptions.
- Event tracking: can you mark a form submission or click as a goal easily?
- Integrations: does it connect with Search Console, your email platform and your shop?
- Data retention and export: how long is data kept and can you export it?
- Ease of use: a simple report you read weekly beats a complex one you ignore.
A basic setup sequence
- Verify your site in Search Console and submit your sitemap.
- Create your analytics property and install it through your site builder's built-in option where possible, or a tag manager.
- Add a cookie notice that follows ICO guidance if your tools need consent, and make sure tracking waits for it.
- Define your key actions and mark them as conversions or goals.
- Add campaign tags (UTM parameters) to links in emails and social posts so traffic is labelled properly.
- Test by visiting your own site and completing a key action, then confirm it appears.
- Set a calendar reminder to review the same four numbers every month.
If you use tracking that needs consent, a banner that loads tags before the visitor answers does not meet the rules. Check the ICO guidance on cookies, and ask your tool vendor how their consent mode or equivalent works with your site.
Reading the numbers
Look for trends over weeks, not daily changes, and compare like with like. Small sites see noisy data: ten visits can swing a percentage dramatically. Focus on which sources bring enquiries rather than visits alone. If organic search matters, your Search Console queries show what to write about next, and SEO tools explained covers when a paid tool adds value. Link your scheduling and email tools to analytics through UTM tags so you can see which channel earns its time (scheduler guide).
Keep personal data out of analytics. Do not pass names or email addresses through URLs or custom fields. Review your privacy notice so it describes the tools you use.
Mistakes that spoil the data
- Counting your own visits, which skews small-site numbers. Filter out your own traffic where the tool allows.
- Tracking everything and reading nothing. Five key actions are enough.
- Missing UTM tags on email and social links, so visits appear as 'direct'.
- Installing two analytics tags that both fire, which doubles counts.
- Changing goal definitions mid-year, which makes comparisons meaningless.
Keep a short note of when you changed your site, ran a campaign or altered tracking. Without it, you will not remember why a number moved six months later.
Questions to settle first
- Who needs the numbers, and what decision will they change?
- What counts as a conversion for this business?
- Do we need consent for the tracking we plan to use?
- Who owns the logins, and are they in a business account rather than one person's?
Answer these before you install anything. The setup then takes an hour rather than a week of redoing it.
Finally, document the setup: which property, which tags, which goals and who has access. When a developer, agency or new colleague takes over, that note saves hours and prevents duplicate tracking. Remove access for anyone who leaves the business, and review who holds administrator rights each quarter.
Frequently asked questions
Which analytics tools should I set up first?
Google Search Console for search data and one web analytics tool for on-site behaviour.
Do I need a cookie banner for analytics?
Many set-ups need consent under PECR unless an exemption applies. Check the ICO's cookie guidance for your tool.
What should I track?
Three to five actions that matter, such as enquiries, calls or purchases, plus traffic sources.
Why tag links with UTM parameters?
They label traffic from emails and social posts so it does not show as direct visits.