Measurement & Capability
Analytics Setup
GA4, Search Console, server-side tagging, and the AI Search citation tracking most analytics setups miss entirely. Built so your team can answer the SEO questions that actually matter to the business - reliably, in a tracking-blocked world.
Deliverables
Analytics audit
Current state assessment across GA4, Search Console, tag manager, and any other measurement layers in place. Documented findings showing where the data is reliable and where it is not.
GA4 and Search Console setup
GA4 configured properly: events that match your goals, conversions tied to real outcomes, audiences and reports that surface the questions you actually have. Search Console connected, segmented, and integrated into the analytics layer.
Server-side tagging
GTM server-side container setup for accurate measurement in a tracking-blocked world. Reduced reliance on browser cookies and pixel firing. Faster, more reliable, more privacy-respectful tracking.
AI Search citation tracking
The layer most analytics setups skip entirely. Per-page and per-query citation tracking across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overview. Visible in your dashboards alongside Google metrics.
Custom dashboards
Looker Studio or custom dashboards built around the questions you ask: how is organic doing, where are conversions coming from, which content is earning citations. Not template dashboards reskinned with your logo.
Documented measurement framework
Written framework so your team understands what is being measured, why, and how to read the data. Plus runbook for keeping the setup healthy as the site evolves.
Process
Discovery call
Thirty minutes. We walk through your current analytics setup, your business goals, your stack, and the questions you need answers to. By the end I know whether the work is a full implementation, a remediation of existing setup, or migration from one platform to another.
Analytics audit
One to two weeks. Current state assessment across every measurement layer: GA4 configuration, Search Console connection, tag manager setup, server-side tagging if present, conversion tracking accuracy. Documented with the specific gaps and unreliable data points identified.
Implementation plan
Prioritised fix sequence and new implementation work. Events to add, conversions to fix, tagging to migrate to server-side, citation tracking to install. Each item scoped with engineering effort estimates.
Implementation alongside engineering
GA4 configured properly. Server-side tagging deployed. AI citation tracking installed. Custom dashboards built. I work directly in GTM, Looker Studio, and most analytics layers. For server-side work I scope deployment with your engineers.
Validation and handover
Post-implementation validation across all tracking. Documented measurement framework explaining what is tracked, why, and how to interpret. Direct contact for the first 30 days as your team begins working with the new setup.
Packages
Analytics Audit & Strategy
From £1,800
Diagnose what is broken and plan the fix
2 to 3 weeks
- Full audit across GA4, Search Console, GTM, and any existing analytics layers
- Conversion tracking accuracy assessment
- Server-side tagging readiness check
- Citation tracking readiness assessment
- Prioritised implementation roadmap with engineering estimates
Full Implementation
From £5,500
End-to-end analytics setup including AI citation tracking
4 to 8 weeks
- Everything in the audit and strategy
- GA4 configuration shipped (events, conversions, audiences)
- Server-side tagging deployed via GTM
- AI Search citation tracking installed across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity
- Custom Looker Studio or equivalent dashboards built
- Documented measurement framework for your team
Ongoing Monitoring
From £700/month
Analytics that stay reliable as your site evolves
Monthly cadence
- Monthly analytics health check across all tracked surfaces
- Dashboard refinements as questions evolve
- Tracking adjustments for new pages, products, or sections
- Citation tracking maintenance and trend reporting
- Direct email access for analytics questions
Case Studies
Cendric
B2B SaaS analytics rebuild with citation tracking
B2B SaaS had a half-finished GA4 migration with unreliable conversion data and zero AI citation visibility. Rebuilt the analytics stack: clean GA4 configuration, server-side tagging via GTM, custom Looker Studio dashboards, and AI citation tracking across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. Marketing team now answers their own data questions.
Outcome:
Aldernode
E-commerce attribution and citation tracking
E-commerce brand had enhanced ecommerce events in GA4 but conversion attribution was broken across paid and organic. Fixed the event taxonomy, deployed server-side tagging for accuracy, added product-level AI citation tracking. Marketing reporting now reflects what is actually happening across channels.
Outcome:
Halewood Editorial
Editorial content analytics framework
Editorial publication wanted to measure content performance properly: traffic, engagement, citation impact. Built a dashboard layer covering per-piece performance across Google rankings, Search Console clicks, and AI citation activity. The editorial team now reviews content performance using the same metrics for both surfaces.
Outcome:
FAQs
Do you migrate from Universal Analytics to GA4?
Yes, including the migrations that should have happened years ago and the ones that were done badly. A rushed GA4 migration is one of the most common reasons sites lose accurate measurement. The audit identifies what needs fixing and the implementation rebuilds the setup properly.
What is server-side tagging and why does it matter?
Server-side tagging moves tag firing from the browser to a server you control. This makes tracking faster, more accurate (no blocked tags or ad blockers interfering), more privacy-respectful, and more reliable. Browser-side tagging is increasingly unreliable due to tracking prevention and cookie restrictions. Server-side is the modern standard.
How do you track AI Search citations?
A combination of query monitoring, brand mention tracking, and citation surface monitoring across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overview. The tracking is not as automated as Google rank tracking yet but the patterns are reliable enough to surface in dashboards alongside traditional metrics. Honest territory, not magic.
What tools do you implement with?
GA4, Search Console, Google Tag Manager (server-side and client-side), Looker Studio, BigQuery for larger setups, and dedicated citation tracking tools. The exact stack depends on your scale and what your team is comfortable with. We confirm during scoping.
Can you work with our existing dashboard tools?
Yes. If you already use Looker Studio, Power BI, Tableau, or a custom internal tool, the implementation feeds into your existing reporting layer. The goal is data your team can actually use, not data trapped in a new tool.
How long does a full implementation take?
Four to eight weeks for most engagements. GA4 and Search Console setup is typically 1 to 2 weeks. Server-side tagging is 2 to 3 weeks depending on engineering availability. Citation tracking and custom dashboards take a further 1 to 2 weeks. Larger sites with complex e-commerce or multi-region tracking may take longer.
Will the analytics survive future browser changes?
Server-side tagging and first-party data approaches give the best chance of durable measurement as browsers continue restricting third-party tracking. The implementation accounts for known direction of travel (cookie deprecation, tracking prevention) so the setup is current rather than already-deprecated when you ship it.
Do I keep the dashboards and documentation?
Yes. Everything I deliver is yours: the GTM containers, the Looker Studio dashboards, the citation tracking setup, the measurement framework documentation. Your team can maintain and extend the analytics without me being involved going forward.