What's the difference between GA4 interface and custom dashboards?

GA4's interface provides generic reports. Custom dashboards present data tailored to specific business needs, combine multiple sources, eliminate sampling, and design views for how organisations make decisions.

London, UK · Serving UK/EU · GBP pricing

Custom GA4 dashboards. Make business decisions with bespoke visualisations.

Q: Do dashboards update automatically?

Yes. Automated refresh schedules are configured—hourly, daily, or real-time depending on requirements. Stakeholders always see current data without manual updates.

Q: Do we need BigQuery for custom dashboards?

Not necessarily. Simple dashboards connect directly to GA4. BigQuery provides unsampled data, longer retention, and better performance for complex dashboards or high-traffic properties.

Q: Can dashboards work on mobile devices?

Yes. Dashboards are designed responsively, working on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. Some platforms have dedicated mobile apps providing optimised experience.

Transform GA4 data into dashboards that drive decisions.

GA4's standard reports are limiting. The interface shows fragmented data, teams waste hours building manual reports, executives can't get the high-level view they need, and nobody can see the complete business picture in one place.

Spreadsheets and manual exports aren't the answer. Teams need purpose-built dashboards that surface the right insights automatically, update in real-time, and present data in ways that make sense for how the business actually operates.

Marc Alexander builds custom GA4 dashboards that transform raw analytics into clear business intelligence. Rather than forcing teams to work with GA4's rigid interface, Marc creates dashboards tailored to specific business needs—whether executive overviews, marketing performance tracking, e-commerce analytics, or product engagement monitoring.

Based in London and working across the UK and EU, Marc develops dashboards using Power BI, Looker Studio, Tableau, or your preferred BI platform, always focused on making complex data accessible and actionable for every stakeholder.

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Why businesses need custom GA4 dashboards

GA4's interface doesn't answer business questions

GA4 provides generic reports that rarely match what businesses actually need to know. Custom dashboards present data in ways that answer specific business questions, not Google's standard views.

Executives need high-level performance visibility

Leadership teams don't need GA4's detailed reports—they need executive dashboards showing key metrics at a glance, trends over time, and performance against targets. Custom dashboards provide the strategic view executives require.

Teams waste hours building manual reports

Without custom dashboards, teams export CSV files, build spreadsheets, and manually update reports weekly. Custom dashboards automate this entirely, updating automatically and eliminating manual reporting work.

Different teams need different views of the same data

Marketing needs campaign performance, sales needs lead quality, product needs engagement metrics, and executives need overall performance. Custom dashboards provide each team with their specific view rather than forcing everyone to use the same reports.

GA4's sampling ruins data accuracy

GA4 samples data at scale, making reports unreliable. Custom dashboards connected to BigQuery provide unsampled data regardless of volume, ensuring accurate analysis for high-traffic properties.

Business metrics aren't available in GA4

Revenue per customer, customer acquisition cost, lifetime value, and other business-critical metrics require combining GA4 with other data sources. Custom dashboards integrate multiple systems, calculating metrics GA4 cannot provide.

Stakeholders need accessible, understandable visualisation

Not everyone is an analytics expert. Custom dashboards present data through clear visualisations—charts, graphs, and metrics—that make insights obvious without requiring analytics expertise.

Reporting needs change as businesses grow

Standard reports become inadequate as businesses evolve. Custom dashboards adapt to changing needs, adding new metrics, adjusting visualisations, and growing with the organisation.

What Marc builds for custom GA4 dashboards

Executive performance dashboards

High-level dashboards for leadership showing overall business performance, key metrics and KPIs at a glance, trends and period-over-period comparisons, performance against targets and objectives, and strategic insights without overwhelming detail.

Marketing campaign performance dashboards

Dashboards tracking marketing effectiveness across channels, campaign performance and ROI by channel, acquisition metrics and cost per acquisition, conversion rates and funnel performance, attribution and multi-touch journey analysis, and budget tracking versus actual spend.

E-commerce analytics dashboards

Comprehensive dashboards for online retailers showing revenue and transaction metrics, product performance and bestsellers, cart abandonment and checkout funnel analysis, customer lifetime value and repeat purchase behaviour, promotion effectiveness and discount impact, and inventory performance connected to website behaviour.

Lead generation and CRM dashboards

Dashboards connecting website behaviour to lead outcomes, lead volume and quality by source, conversion rates through the funnel, lead scoring and qualification metrics, sales pipeline visibility from first touch, and ROI by marketing channel including closed deals.

Product engagement and SaaS dashboards

Dashboards for SaaS and digital products showing feature usage and adoption rates, user engagement and retention metrics, onboarding funnel performance, churn indicators and at-risk customers, cohort analysis and behaviour over time, and product roadmap impact on usage patterns.

SEO and content performance dashboards

Dashboards tracking organic search and content effectiveness showing organic traffic trends and keyword performance, content engagement and page performance, landing page conversion optimisation, search console integration with GA4 data, and competitive position and market share visibility.

Multi-property and franchise dashboards

Dashboards for organisations with multiple properties showing consolidated performance across all properties, individual location or brand performance, comparative analysis between properties, roll-up reporting for corporate visibility, and drill-down capability from high-level to specific properties.

Dashboard platforms Marc works with

Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio)

Free Google platform ideal for GA4 dashboards, native GA4 connectivity, easy sharing and collaboration, familiar interface for Google users, and suitable for most marketing and analytics dashboards. Marc builds Looker Studio dashboards connected to GA4 directly or via BigQuery for unsampled data.

Microsoft Power BI

Enterprise BI platform with powerful capabilities, advanced data modelling and transformation, sophisticated visualisations and interactivity, integration with Microsoft ecosystem, and suitable for complex business intelligence needs. Marc develops Power BI dashboards connecting GA4 via BigQuery or API.

How Marc develops custom GA4 dashboards

Week 1: Discovery and requirements gathering

Marc conducts stakeholder interviews across teams, identifies key metrics and KPIs needed, understands business processes and decision workflows, audits current reporting and identifies gaps, determines appropriate dashboard platform, and creates dashboard specification with clear objectives.

Week 2: Data architecture and preparation

Marc assesses GA4 configuration and data quality, determines if BigQuery integration is needed, designs data model for dashboard requirements, builds necessary data transformations, connects additional data sources if required, and establishes data refresh schedules.

Week 3-4: Dashboard design and development

Marc creates dashboard mockups for stakeholder review, develops dashboard in chosen platform, builds visualisations aligned to business needs, implements interactivity and filtering, configures automated data refresh, and conducts iterative refinement based on feedback.

Week 4-5: Testing and quality assurance

Marc validates data accuracy across all metrics, tests interactivity and filtering functionality, ensures performance and loading speed, validates on different devices and screen sizes, confirms refresh schedules work correctly, and addresses any issues discovered.

Week 5-6: Training and handover

Marc provides training on using dashboards effectively, documents dashboard purpose and metrics, trains teams on maintenance and updates, establishes processes for ongoing access, and transitions to support arrangements if needed.

Custom GA4 dashboard pricing

Marc offers flexible dashboard development based on complexity and platform:

Simple Looker Studio Dashboard: £800 - £1,500

Single-page dashboard with core GA4 metrics, standard visualisations, basic filtering, and automated refresh. Suitable for small businesses needing straightforward marketing or traffic dashboards.

Standard Multi-Page Dashboard: £1,500 - £3,000

Comprehensive dashboard with multiple views, custom metrics and calculations, interactive filtering and drill-downs, integration with BigQuery for unsampled data, and team training. Most common package for growing businesses.

Advanced Custom Dashboard: £3,000 - £5,000

Sophisticated dashboard with complex data modelling, multiple data source integration, advanced visualisations and interactivity, custom calculations and business logic, and extensive stakeholder training. Suitable for complex business requirements.

Enterprise Dashboard Suite: £5,000 - £10,000

Complete dashboard ecosystem with multiple dashboards for different teams, executive and operational views, real-time and historical analysis, multi-property or franchise reporting, and comprehensive governance and maintenance documentation.

Power BI Dashboard: £2,500 - £8,000

Professional dashboard in Power BI depending on complexity. Includes data modelling, advanced visualisations, enterprise features, and training. Pricing varies based on data complexity and integration requirements.

Ongoing Dashboard Support: £500 - £1,500/month

Monthly retainer for dashboard maintenance, updates as business needs evolve, adding new metrics or views, optimising performance, and ensuring continued accuracy and reliability.

All pricing is in GBP. Projects are scoped individually based on dashboard complexity, data requirements, and platform choice. Implementation timelines typically range from 4-6 weeks.

Custom GA4 dashboard questions

Which dashboard platform should we choose?

Looker Studio works well for most GA4 dashboards and is free. Power BI suits organisations using Microsoft ecosystem or needing advanced features. Tableau provides premium visualisation for sophisticated requirements. Marc recommends appropriate platform based on needs and budget.

Can dashboards combine GA4 with other data sources?

Absolutely. Custom dashboards regularly integrate GA4 with CRM systems, advertising platforms, billing systems, and other business data. Multi-source integration provides complete business visibility beyond GA4 alone.

Do dashboards update automatically?

Yes. Marc configures automated refresh schedules—hourly, daily, or real-time depending on requirements. Stakeholders always see current data without manual updates or refreshing.

Can we modify dashboards after they're built?

Dashboards are built to be maintainable. Marc provides documentation and training so teams can make basic updates themselves. For significant changes, ongoing support arrangements ensure dashboards evolve with business needs.

What's the difference between using GA4 interface versus custom dashboards?

GA4's interface provides generic reports for general analysis. Custom dashboards present data tailored to specific business needs, combine multiple data sources, eliminate sampling issues, and provide views designed for how your organisation makes decisions.

How do you ensure dashboard data is accurate?

Implementation includes thorough data validation, testing against source systems, stakeholder review, and quality assurance processes. Dashboards are tested extensively before deployment to ensure reliability.

Can dashboards be shared with external stakeholders?

Yes. Dashboards can be configured with appropriate access controls for clients, partners, or board members. Sharing options include secure links, scheduled email delivery, or embedded within websites.

Do we need BigQuery for custom dashboards?

Not necessarily. Simple dashboards can connect directly to GA4. However, BigQuery provides unsampled data, longer retention, and better performance for complex dashboards or high-traffic properties. Marc recommends BigQuery when appropriate.

What training is provided?

Every dashboard project includes training sessions showing how to use dashboards, interpret metrics, apply filters, and perform common tasks. Documentation covers dashboard purpose, metrics definitions, and maintenance procedures.

Can dashboards work on mobile devices?

Yes. Marc designs dashboards to be responsive, working on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. Some platforms have dedicated mobile apps providing optimised mobile experience.

After custom dashboard implementation, your organisation will have:

Clear visibility into business performance without manual reporting work

Dashboards tailored to specific stakeholder needs rather than generic reports

Automated updates eliminating spreadsheet maintenance and manual exports

Unsampled, accurate data even for high-traffic properties

Multi-source integration showing complete business picture beyond GA4

Accessible visualisation making insights obvious to all teams

Executive dashboards providing strategic overview without overwhelming detail

Team-specific views giving each department relevant metrics

Real-time or scheduled updates ensuring current data availability

Scalable reporting infrastructure growing with business needs

Why choose Marc for custom GA4 dashboards

Nine years of analytics and visualisation expertise: Marc has built dozens of custom dashboards for businesses across industries, from marketing dashboards to executive scorecards to operational monitoring.

Business-focused design: Marc designs dashboards around business questions and decision-making processes, not just available data. Every visualisation serves a purpose.

Technical depth across platforms: Marc works regularly with Looker Studio, Power BI, Tableau, and custom solutions. This breadth means recommending the right platform for specific needs.

Data integration expertise: Marc connects GA4 with CRM systems, advertising platforms, and business systems, creating unified dashboards that tell the complete story.

Focus on usability and adoption: Beautiful dashboards are worthless if nobody uses them. Marc designs for clarity and usability, ensuring stakeholders actually engage with dashboards regularly.

Training and enablement: Marc doesn't just build and disappear. Training ensures teams can use dashboards effectively and make basic updates independently.

Independent specialist: Unlike agencies juggling many services, Marc specialises in analytics and data visualisation, providing focused expertise.

Proven track record: Google Analytics 4 certified with 60+ successful implementations. Work includes Knight Frank, WorldFirst, and VisitBritain.

London-based, works UK-wide and internationally: Based in London, working with businesses throughout the UK, EU, and remotely worldwide.

Ready for GA4 connection that actually works?

Stop struggling with GA4's interface and manual reporting. Get purpose-built dashboards designed for how your business makes decisions.