Analytics, but readable.
Honest, plain-English guides for non-technical business owners trying to make sense of their website data.
Why does GA4 say I had 0 conversions this week? (the 6 most common causes)
GA4 shows zero conversions for one of six reasons: a key event was toggled off, a consent banner change reduced opt-ins, the GA4 tag stopped firing on the order page, the conversion event was renamed, the count method changed, or a filter is hiding the data. The fastest diagnosis is Admin → Key events → confirm your conversion is still listed and toggled on.
What does Engagement Rate actually mean in Google Analytics? (GA4, plain English)
Engagement rate in Google Analytics 4 is the percentage of sessions that lasted longer than 10 seconds, viewed 2+ pages, or triggered a key event. It's calculated as engaged sessions ÷ total sessions × 100, replaced bounce rate as GA4's headline quality metric in 2023, and a 'good' rate is 40–65% for most small businesses.
What is bounce rate in GA4? (And is it really gone?)
Bounce rate in GA4 is calculated as 100% minus the engagement rate — a session 'bounces' only if it lasted under 10 seconds, viewed one page, AND triggered no key event. The metric is hidden by default in GA4 but can be re-enabled by clicking the pencil icon → Metrics → +Add → Bounce rate on any standard report.
The 5-minute weekly Google Analytics review (a busy founder's habit)
Most founders avoid GA4 because they don't have a system. Here's the exact 5-minute Monday morning routine that gives you 90% of the insight without becoming an analyst — including the four numbers to check and a printable checklist.
GA4 attribution explained: which channel actually drove the conversion?
If your Google Ads and GA4 numbers don't match, or you're confused why 'Direct' makes up 40% of your traffic, attribution is the reason. Here's a plain-English explanation of how GA4 assigns credit, why it gets weird, and how to read the numbers honestly.
How to set up GA4 conversions (key events) in 10 minutes — without breaking your tag
GA4 renamed 'conversions' to 'key events' and the setup is confusing. Here's the cleanest 10-minute path to track form submissions, button clicks, and purchases — with a working example for WordPress, Shopify, and custom sites.
The 7 GA4 metrics that actually matter (and the 5 that don't)
The seven GA4 metrics that actually matter for a small business are: sessions, users, conversions (key events), conversion rate, engagement rate, session source/medium, and average session duration. The five to ignore are pageviews, exit rate, percent new sessions, raw bounce rate, and screen views — each either measures something more useful elsewhere or distorts decisions.
How to connect Google Analytics 4 the right way (the 6-step setup that everyone gets wrong)
Most GA4 setups are silently broken. Tracking codes fire but key events aren't configured, or admins forget to verify data is flowing. Here's the 6-step setup that gets you to a real, useful GA4 — in about 25 minutes.
The best Google Analytics reporting tools in 2026 (and when each one is overkill)
An honest, side-by-side look at 7 ways to turn GA4 into something readable — from free built-in tools to enterprise dashboards. With straight talk on price, learning curve, and who each one is actually for.
What's new in Google Analytics 4 (2026): the 7 changes that actually matter
A plain-English roundup of the biggest Google Analytics 4 changes shipped in the last 18 months — what each one means, who it affects, and what (if anything) you need to do this week.
Why your GA4 traffic dropped this week (5 common culprits, ranked)
Your Google Analytics is showing a scary cliff. Before you panic, check these five things in order — they explain about 95% of unexpected GA4 traffic drops.
How to actually read your GA4 report (a 5-minute, plain-English guide)
GA4 is overwhelming on purpose. Here's the 5-minute version: what to look at, what to ignore, and how to spot the one number that actually matters for your business this week.
Why your GA4 numbers don't match other tools (and which one to trust)
Google Analytics, Shopify, Stripe, and your ad platforms all show different traffic and revenue numbers. Here's why, what's actually "right," and how to reconcile them without losing your weekend.
GA4 for small business owners: the complete getting-started guide
No jargon, no agency talk — just the exact setup, settings, and first-week routine a small business owner needs to get useful answers out of Google Analytics 4.