The decision merchants regret most is deferring measurement until "things settle". By the time they settle, there is no history to compare against.
What to install on day one
- Google Analytics 4: to measure traffic sources and on-site behaviour.
- Google Search Console: to see what people searched before arriving.
- Meta, Snapchat and TikTok pixels: even before you advertise — the audience builds from now.
Installation is not the finish line
A pixel recording only page views is close to worthless. What matters is conversion events: add to cart, checkout started, purchase completed with order value.
Verify, do not assume
After installing, run a real purchase and confirm the event arrived with the correct value. Installing without verifying is a common reason campaigns spend for months on incomplete data.
Beware duplicate events
Installing the pixel through an app and manually in code at once doubles events and shows conversion figures higher than reality — and then you build decisions on an illusion.
Standardise campaign naming
Agree a fixed naming convention for campaigns and links from the start. Six months on, that small habit is the difference between a readable report and chaos.