Before moving forward with publishing more content, I want to explain something important first: Google Analytics.
Right now, as I continue setting up and writing for this website, Google Analytics is already part of my workflow. It has been around for many years. Ever since I started blogging back in 2009, Google Analytics was already there.
What Is Google Analytics?
Before, we had what was called Universal Analytics. I used it mainly to track visitors—how many users were on the site, which pages they viewed, and where they came from.
Today, things are very different.
We now have GA4 (Google Analytics 4), and this version is a major shift. GA4 is no longer just about page views. It is event-based.
That means it can track actions such as:
- Scrolling behavior
- Clicks and interactions
- Page engagement
- User navigation patterns
GA4 also uses machine learning to help fill in data gaps—especially when users opt out of cookies—while still respecting privacy. It tries to give you a clearer picture without directly invading user privacy.
Why Google Analytics Is Important
Without analytics, you are completely blind.
You can create a blog, write content every day, publish nonstop, and repeat the process again and again—but if you don’t analyze anything, you are doing very little.
That might be fine if you are blogging purely for fun. But if you are serious about blogging today, this approach will not survive.
Blogging now is very different compared to before. You need to be smart, focused, and willing to learn. One of the key tools that helps with this is Google Analytics.
GA4, in particular, is a game changer. It helps you understand how users behave, what content works, and what doesn’t.
Who This Is For
If you are a total beginner, some of this might feel overwhelming. That’s okay. Keep reading and absorb what you can.
If you are already an expert, you can close this page. You probably don’t need this.
But if you want to read real experiences, mistakes, and insights, you’re welcome to stay.
Pros and Cons of Google Analytics (GA4)
Pros
- Totally free
- Event-based tracking
- Clean and modern interface
- AI-powered insights and predictions
- Cross-platform tracking (web and mobile apps)
- Enhanced measurements like file downloads and outbound clicks
The UI of GA4 is much cleaner compared to Universal Analytics, which often felt overwhelming. Personally, I like GA4 more.
GA4 also provides predictive insights—such as which users are likely to churn or leave—which can be very useful over time.
Cons
The learning curve is real.
This is not a simple plug-and-play tool. You need time to understand the interface, reports, and settings.
One very important thing most people miss is data retention.
By default, GA4 sets data retention to only two months. This is a mistake.
You must change it to 14 months so you can analyze a full year of data. If you don’t, and you leave your analytics untouched, you will lose historical data.
Another issue is privacy compliance. GDPR and CCPA settings can be confusing, but they are necessary.
You may also notice “not set” values in reports. This usually happens because of device-level privacy settings, not because something is broken.
Google Analytics and Blogger.com
Google Analytics and Blogger.com are basically brothers. Both are owned by Google.
Yes, Blogger has its own built-in stats. But those stats are very basic and often polluted by bot traffic.
Google Analytics filters that noise and focuses on real human sessions.
For BloggerSpotting—identifying patterns, real behavior, and actual engagement—Google Analytics is essential.
Slow, Clean, and Intentional Setup
This blog is still very new. It’s only a few days old. I don’t expect massive traffic, and I don’t want it yet.
This is how blogging should start.
Move slowly. Execute properly. Avoid stupid mistakes.
I’ve made those mistakes before—posting too much, rushing link building, and chasing SEO contests. That strategy worked before, but it is not necessary anymore.
Today, what matters is real content from real experience.
This Is BloggerSpot
This website is not a beginner tutorial site.
If you want step-by-step guides like “How to create a Blogger website,” YouTube already has thousands of videos.
This site is different.
Here, I share what I experience, what breaks, what works, and what I discover. I spot patterns. I analyze problems. I find solutions.
This is BloggerSpot.
In the next post, I’ll talk about Google Search Console and why it is just as important as Google Analytics.
Thanks for reading, and welcome to Bl9gger.
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