Google Analytics for e-commerce template

Quick-to-scan 130 point checklist including setup for e-commerce sites for GA4

How will this Google Analytics e-commerce template help me and my business?

Google Analytics is a powerful tool, but you need a data-driven mindset to go beyond a simple review of trends in sales figures to identify techniques to increase revenue. A marketer or consultant needs to know the right sequence of questions to ask to improve sales, and where to find the answers...

This auditing template acts as your structured guide based on an approach used by two expert users of Google Analytics who have defined processes for reviewing all the opportunities to increase sales and making recommendations on where to prioritize.

We designed this template to help give companies a structured approach to apply Google Analytics to identify ways to increase sales for e-commerce sites. It was mainly created for use on retail sites, but it can be applied in other sectors too with a transactional site including financial services and travel. Many of the reviews and recommendations can also be applied in businesses offering services too.

It has been updated to reflect Google Analytics 4 features and terminology, with useful advice of where to get further support.

Who is it for?

This template is for 'hands-on' use if you're directly involved with using a data-driven approach to improve results from a transactional website using Google Analytics. It's likely you will be using many of the techniques already, but it will give you suggestions of techniques you may not have applied.

Typical people who will find it useful are:

E-commerce managers
Trading managers
Agencies and consultants who conduct audits of e-commerce sites and make recommendations to clients on how to test new approaches to increase sales

What does the Google Analytics e-commerce site audit include?

This Excel spreadsheet contains:

130 point-checklist including setup for e-commerce sites for GA4, structured across RACE with advice on what to look for in analytics, categorized into around 40 key issues to consider
Links to advice to help better customize Google Analytics 4 better for your business and use it for analysis
Selectors to benchmark site opportunities on a five-point scale using a radar chart

The six key areas of e-commerce recommendations covered are:

Google Analytics setup and customization for e-commerce
Expanding Reach
Engaging on the Path to Purchase
Conversion effectiveness
Loyalty - engaging for repeat purchases
Advocacy using content and social media

Latest updates

References have now been updated to reflect Google Analytics 4 features and terminology, with useful advice of where to get further support.

Resource Details

Authors: E-commerce consultant Dan Barker and Dr. Dave Chaffey of Smart Insights
Format: Excel spreadsheet for you to audit sites and make recommendations
Recommended guides: Ecommerce benchmark audit, Improving results with Google Analytics and Improving results from your website

About the authors

Dan Barker

Dan Barker is the Smart Insights expert commentator on using Analytics for e-commerce. He is an independent consultant, working across analytics, SEO, conversion optimization, email, content and more. You can Follow Dan on Twitter or Connect with Dan on LinkedIn

Dr. Dave Chaffey

Dave is co-founder of Smart Insights and creator of the Smart Insights RACE Planning Framework. For his full profile, or to connect on LinkedIn or other social networks, see the About Dave Chaffey profile page on Smart Insights. Dave is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognized by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing.