Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to drive traffic and generate leads. But here’s the part most marketers overlook if you’re not tracking your emails properly, you’re working with guesswork.
That’s where Google Analytics (GA4) comes in.
In this article, I’ll walk you through how to use Google Analytics with email marketing in a simple, real-world way. No jargon, no fancy dashboards just what I actually did, what worked, and how you can do the same.
Why You Should Track Emails with Google Analytics
A while ago, I sent an email campaign to my list. It had a decent open rate and some clicks, but I had no idea what happened after that.
Were people exploring my site? Did they bounce? Did anyone sign up for my services?
I couldn’t answer any of that until I connected my email campaigns to Google Analytics.
Once I added proper tracking, I started to see exactly:
- How much traffic my emails brought in
- What pages people visited after clicking
- Which campaigns led to real actions, like filling out a form or booking a call
It changed how I approached email marketing. I stopped guessing and started improving based on real data.
Step by Step: How to Use Google Analytics with Email Marketing
Step 1: Install GA4 on Your Website
If you haven’t set up Google Analytics 4 yet, this is the first step.
- Go to analytics.google.com and create a GA4 property
- Add the tracking code to your website (you can also do it using Google Tag Manager)
- Check the “Realtime” section to make sure your data is showing
Once this is done, you’re ready to track email performance.
Step 2: Use UTM Parameters in Your Email Links
Google Analytics can’t automatically tell where a visitor came from unless you tell it. That’s what UTM parameters are for.
Here’s an example:
Without UTM:
https://yourwebsite.com/services
With UTM:
https://yourwebsite.com/services?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=may-offer
Let’s break it down:
utm_source=newslettertells GA the traffic came from your newsletterutm_medium=emailidentifies the channel as emailutm_campaign=may-offerlets you track this specific campaign
You can create these easily using Google’s Campaign URL Builder.
Step 3: Add the UTM Links to Your Email
Now, go to your email marketing tool whether it’s Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or anything else and update the links in your email with your UTM-tracked URLs.
For example, instead of linking to:
https://yourwebsite.com/guide
Use:
https://yourwebsite.com/guide?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=seo-guide
You only need to do this once per campaign. Just be consistent with how you name your UTM tags.
Step 4: Track Email Performance Inside Google Analytics
After sending your email, go to Google Analytics:
Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
Then, filter by:
- Source/Medium =
newsletter/email - Or Campaign = your specific campaign name (like
seo-guide)
This is where the magic happens. You’ll see:
- How many users visited your site from the email
- What pages they explored
- How long they stayed
- What actions they took
If you’ve set up conversions (like form submissions), you’ll also see how many people completed those actions.
A Real Example from My Campaign
Let me share what happened in one of my actual campaigns.
I promoted an SEO checklist through an email newsletter. Here’s what I tracked using UTM parameters:
- Source: newsletter
- Medium: email
- Campaign: seo-checklist
After two days, GA4 showed:
- 193 users came from that email
- Average session time was over 3 minutes
- 12 people downloaded the checklist
- 4 people filled out my service inquiry form
I didn’t have to rely on click numbers from my email platform. I could see what people actually did on my website, which gave me clear insights into what worked.
Why This Approach Works
Most email platforms will only show you opens and clicks. But that doesn’t tell you the full story.
When you combine email with Google Analytics:
- You know exactly which campaigns drive real traffic
- You see how people interact with your site after clicking
- You can measure long-term impact, like return visits or conversions
This helps you write better emails, improve your landing pages, and invest your time where it matters.
Lessons I Learned from My Setup
Here are some lessons from using GA4 with my own email marketing:
1. Simple UTM tags are better
In the beginning, I made my tags too long and complicated. Now, I use short and clear terms like:
utm_campaign=april-promo
It’s easier to track and filter in GA.
2. Track every clickable link
If you’re promoting multiple links in one email (like blog posts, offers, services), tag each link with different UTMs so you know which one performed best.
3. Email traffic behaves differently
I noticed that email visitors often stay longer and view more pages compared to social media visitors. So I focus more on giving email subscribers high-quality content and exclusive offers.
What If You Use Google Tag Manager?
If you’ve set up GA4 using Google Tag Manager, nothing changes in your UTM setup. Just make sure your GA4 tag is working properly.
Once your links have UTM tags, GA4 will recognize and categorize the traffic automatically.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not adding UTM parameters
Without UTMs, Google Analytics can’t tell where the user came from. Your traffic may show up as “Direct” or “Unassigned,” which makes your data unclear.
Overcomplicating your UTM tags
Keep your tags short, consistent, and easy to remember.
Only looking at email platform stats
Clicks inside your email software don’t tell you what happened after. GA4 shows the full journey from click to conversion.
A Simple Checklist to Get Started
Here’s what you can do today:
- Make sure GA4 is set up and working on your website
- Use Google’s URL Builder to create UTM links
- Replace regular links in your email with UTM-tagged ones
- Send your campaign
- Check GA4 after 1–2 days to see how your email performed
That’s it. Simple, actionable, and effective.
Final Words
Google Analytics isn’t just for SEO or ads. It’s a powerful tool for understanding your email audience and what they do after they land on your site.
I’ve personally seen better results just by tracking my email campaigns properly. It gave me data that helped me write better content, structure better offers, and improve my site’s flow.
If you’re running email campaigns and not using GA4 yet, you’re missing a big opportunity.
Start small, track one email campaign with UTM tags, and watch what happens.
Let your email marketing grow backed by real insights.
