The Rot of Unused Systems: How to Prevent Google Analytics 4 from Going to Waste
Every business loves a shiny new tool. We invest time and money to implement the perfect systems—Google Analytics 4 (GA4) included. But what happens after the initial excitement fades? Often, these systems sit there, gathering digital dust. It’s like buying a beautiful sports car and never driving it. Eventually, it starts to break down.
Even if your data is great, it will rot if no one is using it.
When Great Analytics Go to Waste: A GA4 Cautionary Tale
A few years ago, I walked into a project where a client had hired Cardinal Path (now Merkle) to build a powerful GA4 setup for them. This wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill implementation. They’d set up every event, goal, and custom dimension you could imagine—a data goldmine.
My first question: “How are you using Google Analytics 4 today?”
Their answer? “We’re not really.” 😳
The data was sitting there, unused, for over a year. All that rich user behavior data was wasted because no one had a plan to use it.
But data, like anything else, waits for you to activate it.
My solution?
I turned their dormant GA4 setup into a Website Hypothesis Machine. By taking a few key actions, we turned those untouched metrics into insights, ran targeted experiments, and unlocked $4 million in incremental revenue in just 90 days. All because we asked the right questions.
Don’t Let Your Google Analytics 4 Setup Go to Waste: 6 Actionable Steps
If you’re reading this, you probably have a GA4 implementation—or you’re thinking about one. And while GA4’s ability to track events, custom dimensions, and user journeys is incredible, it’s only as good as what you do with the data.
Here’s how to keep your GA4 implementation from becoming just another forgotten system:
Step 1: Perform a Monthly Review of Key Events
GA4 is built around events, not sessions. That means each interaction—from clicks to scrolls to purchases—is valuable data waiting to tell you a story. Choose one key event (e.g., Add to Cart, Form Submissions, Video Plays) and review it deeply.
Where are users dropping off?
Is there friction in the journey?
What might be stopping users from completing this event?
Action Step: Set up a monthly GA4 report that highlights the top 5 events and their completion rates, so you have a constant pulse on how users are interacting with your site.
Step 2: Use Funnel Exploration to Identify Drop-Offs
The Funnel Exploration report in GA4 is designed to show how users move through a series of events on your site. For example, you can track the journey from landing on the homepage, viewing a product, adding to cart, and checking out. If there’s a massive drop-off between Add to Cart and Checkout, that’s a signal you need to address.
What’s the step that loses the most users?
Is it a confusing call-to-action or a slow page load?
Action Step: Set up a Funnel Exploration for your most critical user flows and review it at least once a month. Look for steps with high abandonment and prioritize those for optimization.
Step 3: Create a Hypothesis and Run a Test
Once you identify drop-offs, it’s time to take action. Create a hypothesis for each drop-off. For example:
“I believe users aren’t completing purchases because the shipping cost isn’t displayed early enough.”
“I think form submissions are low because we’re asking for too much information.”
Then, run a simple A/B test or use GA4’s custom audiences to create a targeted experiment.
Action Step: Document one hypothesis each month based on your GA4 findings and run a corresponding test. Use GA4’s segments and audiences to track the performance.
Step 4: Map All Events to Key Business Questions
GA4 allows you to set up custom events that match your business needs. But if you’re tracking dozens of events with no clear purpose, you’re missing the point. Each event should tie back to a question like:
“Which content type drives the most engagement?”
“Are people using our on-site search?”
“Which product categories are most viewed?”
If your events aren’t tied to a business question, you’re just collecting noise.
Action Step: Take an hour this week to map each of your current events to a clear business question. If an event doesn’t answer a question, it’s time to rethink its purpose.
Step 5: Implement User Journey Reports
Use GA4’s Path Exploration reports to visualize user journeys and see the actual steps your visitors take. Are they navigating the site the way you expect? Or are they taking an unexpected path?
Which pages do users visit after seeing a product page?
Do they use the main navigation or click through the content?
Are they interacting with filters or search bars?
Action Step: Set up a Path Exploration for your key pages and monitor how users navigate through them. This will highlight pages that aren’t pulling their weight.
Step 6: Set a Quarterly Hypothesis-Testing Strategy
Every quarter, dedicate a couple of days to looking at your GA4 data and brainstorming experiments. This is where you transform data analysis into business action. Take the insights from your Funnel Explorations, Event Reports, and Path Analysis to build a quarterly plan of tests.
Action Step: Develop a hypothesis-testing roadmap for the next 3 months. Prioritize tests based on potential impact and effort, and ensure each test ties back to a business goal.
Avoid the Pitfall: Data Without Action is Worse than No Data
Good data is only valuable if it’s being used. So many companies have beautiful GA4 implementations just sitting there, gathering dust. Don’t let yours be one of them.
Review key events.
Explore funnels and paths.
Create hypotheses and test.
And most importantly, get curious about how your users behave. Because the worst thing you can do with good data… is nothing at all.
