Analytics · 6 min read
Marketing analytics for young marketers: the 2026 setup
The exact analytics setup a young UK marketer should install for every client — GA4, GSC, conversion tracking and reporting.
By Jack Frampton, Apprentice Advocate working at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 10 July 2026
Analytics is where most junior marketers panic. Here's the exact setup that covers 95% of client needs.
GA4 configured properly
Enhanced measurement on, conversions defined, cross-domain if applicable, Google Search Console linked, UTM discipline enforced.
Server-side where it matters
For ecommerce or lead-gen over £2k/month spend, server-side tagging via GTM. Client-side alone loses 15–30% of events.
One dashboard per client
Looker Studio or a Notion embed. Traffic, conversions, revenue, top pages. Update monthly.
Attribution without lying
Data-driven attribution in GA4 + platform reports + a monthly conversation. No single view is complete.
Frequently asked questions
- Is GA4 fully replacing Universal Analytics?
- Yes — UA stopped collecting data in 2023. GA4 is the current standard.
- Do I need server-side tagging?
- For spend under £2k/month, no. Above that, yes — cost of missing data exceeds setup.
- How often should I check analytics?
- Weekly for trend spotting, monthly for reporting. Daily checks cause overreaction to noise.
- Which paid analytics tool is worth it?
- Semrush or Ahrefs for SEO once organic is meaningful. Nothing else is essential for most young marketers.