What GA4 can and cannot tell you about SEO
Search Console covers the part before the click: which queries your site appeared for in Google and how often people clicked. GA4 starts after the click. It records every visitor action as an event: a page view, a scroll, a button press, a form submission.
The two tools complement each other. One shows how people find you, the other shows what they do next. Looking at traffic alone, it is easy to believe SEO is working while no enquiries arrive, or the reverse.
Set up key events on day one
Without key events (previously called conversions), GA4 only counts visits, which tells a business very little. Mark as key the actions that lead to revenue:
- submitting a lead or callback form
- tapping a phone number
- moving to Telegram or WhatsApp from a button on the site
- placing an order or paying through Click or Payme, if you run an online shop
- booking an appointment or a table, if you sell services
Finding organic search traffic
In the traffic acquisition reports, pick the Organic Search channel. It covers visits from search engines, mainly Google. Compare it with paid ads, Instagram, direct visits and Telegram referrals.
One caveat that matters in Uzbekistan: many customers first meet a company on Instagram or in a Telegram channel, then search its name on Google before visiting. Those visits land in organic even though the first touch was elsewhere. Keep that in mind when you compare channels.
Landing pages: what to improve first
The landing page report shows where search visitors begin their visit. For each page, look at engagement, time on site and the number of key events.
A common pattern is a service page that draws plenty of search traffic but almost no leads. The problem is then content, not rankings: prices or at least an explanation of what drives them are missing, contact options are awkward, proof is thin. A page with modest traffic but a good conversion rate is a candidate for investment: more internal links, a fuller text, additional queries.
Leads from search: the report that matters
Build a report that shows how many key events come from organic search and which pages produce them. This is what tells you whether SEO pays off. The Explore section lets you slice the data by site section and device. You may find, for example, that mobile visitors submit the form far less often because of a clumsy layout.
Link GA4 to Search Console. Search queries then sit next to on-site behaviour, and you can see which topics bring customers rather than just visitors.
Limits: treat the numbers as estimates
Some users block analytics and some decline cookies, so GA4 does not see everyone. A person who memorises your number and calls without tapping it will not appear either. Use the data as a guide and watch the trend rather than any exact figure.
Once a month, compare GA4 with real enquiries in your CRM or your sales team's spreadsheet. If the trends match, the data is trustworthy. Also exclude your staff's internal traffic and check that every domain and subdomain of the site is tracked properly, or the picture will be skewed.
Where to start
The order is simple: configure key events, connect GA4 to Search Console, exclude internal traffic, and after a month build a report on organic leads and landing pages. From there, decisions rest on evidence: which text to rewrite, where to add a contact button, which queries to expand.
If you want help tying analytics to a wider marketing strategy, the markdev team can go through your business goals with you. Tell us how customers reach you today, and we will discuss which data you really need.
FAQ
How is Google Analytics 4 different from Search Console?
Search Console shows what happens before the visit: queries, impressions and clicks. GA4 shows behaviour after the visit: pages, events and leads. You need both to assess SEO.
Which events should be key events for a business in Uzbekistan?
Form submissions, phone taps, moves to Telegram or WhatsApp, orders and payments. Choose the actions after which a customer genuinely contacts you.
Why do GA4 numbers differ from the leads in my CRM?
Some visitors block analytics or refuse cookies, and some call without tapping the number. Compare trends, not exact values.
Where do I find organic traffic in GA4?
Open the traffic acquisition report and choose the Organic Search channel, then add landing pages and key events to see results page by page.
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