When working with expert SEO agencies or if you’re building your own in-house marketing analytics practice one of the most important foundations you can lay is effective reporting in Google Analytics 4 (GA4). For software companies, especially those with both a marketing site and a web-based app, it’s crucial to separate and structure your data intentionally to gain meaningful insights.
Why Baseline SEO Reporting Matters
SEO reporting isn’t just about pageviews and traffic anymore. The best agencies and marketing leaders know that SEO data must tie back to:
- Visitor intent
- Content performance
- Conversion behavior
- Long-term impact on pipeline and revenue
Heres a practical breakdown of how to do just that in GA4.
1. Separate Marketing Site Data from App Traffic
Many SaaS companies route both marketing site traffic and logged-in app traffic through the same GA4 property. While thats convenient for tracking user journeys end-to-end, it muddies the waters for SEO and content reporting.
Solution: Create a custom report or exploration that filters data to only include marketing URLs (e.g. /content-hub/, /features/, /solutions/). If your marketing site lives on a different subdomain (like www vs. app), you can filter by hostname.
Tip: You dont need Looker Studio to create separate views. GA4s built-in Comparisons, Library Reports, and Explorations give you all the flexibility you need.
2. Set Up Essential SEO Reports
Organic Acquisition Reports
- Traffic breakdown by source/medium (
google / organic,bing / organic, etc.) - New vs. returning organic users
- Country, device, and browser segmentation
Landing Page Reports
- Top entry pages from organic search
- Engagement time and scroll depth
- Conversion rate per landing page
Content Performance
- Blog or resource page views
- Internal CTA interactions
- Scroll and exit behavior
Conversions from SEO
- Demo requests
- Trial signups
- Pricing page visits
- Newsletter subscriptions
Bonus: Link GA4 with Google Search Console to track branded vs. non-branded keyword performance at the page level.
3. GA4 Reports vs. ExplorationsWhen to Use Each
Understanding how to use Reports vs. Explorations in GA4 can unlock deeper insights without needing third-party tools.
| Reports | Explorations |
|---|---|
| For ongoing monitoring | For deep-dive analysis |
| Simple comparisons | Custom segments, funnels, paths |
| Limited filters | Drag-and-drop flexibility |
| Stakeholder-friendly | Analyst/developer-focused |
Use reports to track trends and KPIs. Use explorations to answer strategic questions like:
- Which content drives demo requests?
- Whats the conversion drop-off after landing on a blog post?
- Whats the behavior difference between organic vs. paid users?
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re an SEO agency working with software clients or part of an internal marketing team, GA4 can be an incredibly powerful toolif it’s structured correctly from day one. At a minimum, segment your data by site intent (marketing vs. product), create reporting around your funnel, and leverage explorations for high-impact decisions.
Want help building your own reporting structure or SEO strategy? Contact me here