Getting Google Analytics 4 takes about 10 minutes if you already have a Google account. Go to analytics.google.com and sign in. If you don't have an Analytics account yet, click 'Start measuring' and the wizard walks you through creating an account name, property name, time zone (set to Eastern if you're in Ottawa), and currency (CAD). If you already have Universal Analytics running, you can add a GA4 property to the same account from the Admin panel by clicking 'Create Property.' Once the property exists, Google gives you a Measurement ID that looks like G-XXXXXXXXXX. This is what connects your website to GA4. You have three installation options. First, Google Tag Manager is cleanest for agencies managing multiple clients because you create one GA4 Configuration tag, add the Measurement ID, and publish. Second, if you're on WordPress, plugins like Site Kit by Google or MonsterInsights handle it with a few clicks. Third, you can paste the gtag.js code directly into your theme's header before the closing head tag, though this makes updates harder. After installation, open GA4's Realtime report and visit your own site in another tab. You should see yourself appear within 30 seconds. If nothing shows, check that ad blockers are off, the Measurement ID matches, and the tag fires on every page. Use Google Tag Assistant or your browser's network tab to confirm the tag is sending hits. One mistake we see constantly at Ottawa SEO: people set up GA4 but never configure conversions. Out of the box, GA4 tracks pageviews and some automatic events, but you need to manually mark key events like form submissions, button clicks, or purchases as conversions in the Admin panel. Without that, you're collecting data but not measuring what matters. Also, link GA4 to Google Search Console in the Admin settings so you get organic keyword data in one place. The whole setup from account creation to first conversion takes under an hour if you know what you're tracking.