SEO · 26 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

Google Search Console + GA4: the setup checklist we use for every new site

Most sites have analytics installed but not set up. Here is the short checklist that makes your search and traffic data actually trustworthy.

Installing a tracking tag takes five minutes. Setting up analytics so you can make decisions from it takes a little longer. This is the checklist we run on every new website before any SEO or ad work begins.

1. Verify a Domain property in Search Console

Search Console offers two property types: URL-prefix and Domain. Choose Domain. It covers every subdomain and both http and https in one place. Verification is a single DNS TXT record added at your domain registrar.

2. Submit your XML sitemap

Under Sitemaps, submit the full URL of your sitemap (often /sitemap.xml). Come back a few days later and check that the number of discovered pages matches what you expect. A big gap is usually the first sign of an indexing problem.

3. Create GA4 and fix the defaults

Raise data retention: GA4 keeps detailed event data for only 2 months by default. Change it to 14 months under Admin → Data collection and modification → Data retention.
Define internal traffic: add your office IP address so your own visits can be filtered out of reports.
Check enhanced measurement: scrolls, outbound clicks, site search and file downloads are tracked automatically when it is switched on.

4. Mark the actions that matter as key events

Pageviews are not goals. Decide which actions mean business, such as a form submission, a booked call, a purchase or a phone click, and mark those events as key events in GA4. These are what you will optimise ads and content towards.

5. Link everything together

Link Search Console to GA4 (Admin → Product links → Search Console links) to see search queries next to on-site behaviour.
Link Google Ads to GA4 so key events can be imported as conversions.
Connect both to a Looker Studio dashboard so the numbers live in one place.

6. Write down what you are measuring

A one-page measurement plan that lists every key event, what triggers it and why it matters saves hours of confusion later, especially when someone new joins the team or a developer changes the site.

Want us to run this checklist on your site? It is part of every SEO and ads engagement at AdFoxEdge.