For most small business websites, we install Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google Tag Manager (GTM), and Google Search Console as the baseline, then add ad pixels, call tracking, and heatmaps only if they match how you get leads.
When we launch a site through our website design service, we start with GTM so your tracking lives in one place and updates do not require editing templates every time. GA4 is the current Google Analytics platform (Universal Analytics stopped collecting new data in 2023), so new installs should be GA4 only.
The baseline analytics stack
| Tool | What it tells you | Install it when | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Tag Manager (GTM) | Loads and manages tracking tags | Always | Prevents “mystery scripts” and double-tagging when used as the single source for website tags. |
| Google Analytics 4 (GA4) | Traffic sources, user behavior, conversions | Always | Set up events and conversion actions for the actions that create revenue, not just pageviews. |
| Google Search Console | Search queries, clicks, indexing issues, page experience | Always | This is where SEO visibility problems show up first, even when GA4 looks normal. |
| Heatmaps/session recordings (Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar) | Where people click, scroll, and get stuck | When you want conversion improvements | Great for Orlando businesses trying to get more calls or form fills from the same traffic. |
| Ad platform tags (Google Ads, Meta Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag) | Ad attribution and remarketing audiences | Only if you run paid campaigns | Install with conversion tracking, not just a pixel sitting there with no goals. |
| Call tracking (dynamic number insertion) | Which channels drive phone leads | If phone calls are a primary lead | Use one consistent main number for your listings, and use dynamic numbers on-site for marketing attribution. |
What we track as conversions
Analytics is only useful when it measures the actions you care about. For most local service sites, we set GA4 conversions for:
- Form submissions (contact, request appointment, request quote)
- Click-to-call taps on mobile
- Booking completions (Calendly, PatientPop, Mindbody, etc.)
- Chat leads (only if your chat tool passes clean events)
- Direction clicks or “contact” button clicks when that is the common path
If you are spending on ads, our PPC management depends on clean conversion tracking so you can tell the difference between clicks and booked jobs. That usually means connecting Google Ads conversions and using GTM to fire events consistently, plus testing that conversions record in the ad account (not just inside GA4).
Privacy and sensitive industries
Any tracking setup should match your privacy obligations. Florida’s Digital Bill of Rights took effect July 1, 2024 and is aimed mainly at very large companies, but small businesses still benefit from clear disclosure, a practical cookie notice when running remarketing, and tight access control to analytics accounts.
If you are in healthcare (dental, med spa, clinics), treat tracking with extra care. Google’s own guidance says HIPAA-covered entities should not place Google Analytics tags on HIPAA-covered pages where protected health information could be involved, and federal HIPAA guidance warns against impermissible disclosures of PHI through tracking tech. In practice, keep GA4 and ad pixels off patient portals, intake forms that include medical details, and any authenticated areas, or use a vendor that will sign a BAA for any analytics tied to PHI.
If you want a simple way to review what you already have installed and what you should look at monthly, our SEO tools guide for Google Search Console and Google Analytics pairs well with this checklist.
