Step 00 - Account Setup Guide

⚙️ Step 00 — Complete before anything else
⏱ Time: 45–75 minutes for this page (one-time only). Allow another 3–5 hours to set up Your Analytics & Tracking, which follows.
✅ Output: 5 verified accounts ready to use throughout the entire Kit

What You’re Setting Up

Account
What’s it for
Time
Google Account
The foundation — GA4,Google ads, and Search Console all run through this
5 min
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Tracks every visit, opt-in, and purchase on your website
15 min
Meta Business Manager
Central hub for your Facebook/Instagram ads, Page, and Pixel
15 min
Meta Pixel
Tracks what visitors do on your site after clicking your ads
10 min
Google Ads
Keyword research for your website and content, plus your Google campaigns
10 mins
⚠️ Important — do these in order

You must create Meta Business Manager BEFORE creating your Pixel. The Pixel lives inside Business Manager. If you create it in the wrong place your ads will not work correctly and the fix is painful.
Your Google Ads account also has a trap: Google's signup flow pushes you into creating a live campaign before you reach the dashboard. Follow the steps in Account 05 exactly — there's a specific way to skip it.

Account 01 — Google Account (~5 min)

↩️ Skip this if: You already have a Google or Gmail account you'll use for your business. Jump to Account 02.
Everything Google-related in this Kit — GA4, Search Console, and Google Ads — runs through a single Google account. If you already have a Gmail or Google Workspace account for your business, use that. If not, create one now.
  1. Go to accounts.google.com/signup
  2. Click Create account → For my personal use
  3. Enter your name and choose a username — use your business name if available: yourbusiness@gmail.com
  4. Create a strong password — save it in your password manager immediately
  5. Add a recovery phone number — you'll need this if you're ever locked out
  6. Complete the phone verification — Google sends a code to your phone
  7. Skip all optional personalisation steps
📌 Use the same Google account for GA4 and Search Console
Switching between accounts later creates access problems that are frustrating to fix.
✅ How to know you've done this correctly
  • You can sign into google.com and see your account name in the top right corner
  • You have the email address and password saved somewhere accessible

Account 02: Google Analytics 4 (GA4) (~15 mins)

↩️ Skip this if: You already have a GA4 property for this website with a Measurement ID that starts with G-. Jump to Account 03.
⚠️ GA4 vs older Google Analytics
If you have an existing Google Analytics account, check whether it shows UA-XXXXXXX or G-XXXXXXX as the tracking ID. UA- means Universal Analytics — it stopped working in July 2023. You need a new GA4 property. G- means GA4 — you're in the right place.
GA4 is your tracking dashboard for everything that happens on your website — who visits, which pages they read, where they came from, and whether they opted in or bought.
Step 1 — Go to analytics.google.com and sign in
  1. Go to analytics.google.com
  2. Sign in with your Google account
  3. Click Start Measuring
Step 2 — Create your Account
  1. Account name: your business name — e.g. The Demand Studio
  2. Leave all data sharing boxes ticked
  3. Click Next
Step 3 — Create your Property
  1. Property name: your domain — e.g. thedemandstudio.com
  2. Reporting time zone: your local timezone
  3. Currency: your billing currency — EUR, GBP, USD
  4. Click Next
⚠️ Get the timezone right — if it doesn't match your GA4 and Meta ad account, your daily reports won't align across platforms.
Step 4 — Business details and objectives
  1. Industry category: Shopping (ecommerce) or Business & Industrial (service businesses) or Health (coaches/trainers)
  2. Business size: Small
  3. Click Next
  4. Business objectives: select Generate leads (service) or Drive online sales (ecommerce) — you can tick both
  5. Click Create
  6. Terms of service popup: select your country → accept → click I Accept
Step 5 — Set up your Data Stream
This is where you get your Measurement ID — the code you'll paste into your website.
  1. Select Web as your platform
  2. Website URL: your domain — e.g. https://thedemandstudio.com
  3. Stream name: your business name
  4. Enhanced measurement: leave toggled ON
  5. Click Create stream
✅ What you should see:
Your Data Stream details page opens. At the top right you'll see your MEASUREMENT ID — a code starting with G- followed by letters and numbers. This is what you paste into your website platform on the next page.
Step 6 — Copy and save your Measurement ID
  1. Find the Measurement ID at the top of the stream details page — e.g. G-ABC123XYZ4
  2. Copy it and paste it somewhere immediately accessible
  3. You'll paste this into your website platform on the next page
📌 Can't find your Measurement ID later?
Admin (bottom left gear) → Data Streams → click your stream → Measurement ID is at the top right
⚠️ Common GA4 mistakes to avoid
  • Creating a Universal Analytics property instead of GA4 — check your ID starts with G- not UA-
  • Setting the wrong timezone — your daily reports will show data from the wrong time window
  • Not copying the Measurement ID before closing the tab
✅ How to know you've done this correctly
  • You can sign into analytics.google.com and see your property name in the top left dropdown
  • You have a Measurement ID saved — starts with G- and looks like G-ABC123XYZ4
  • The Data Stream shows your website URL
  • Enhanced measurement is toggled ON

Account 03 — Meta Business Manager (~15 min)

↩️ Skip this if: You already have a Meta Business Manager account (not a personal profile) with your Facebook Page and Ad Account connected. Jump to Account 04.
⚠️ This is the most commonly misconfigured account in this entire Kit
Most founders try to run ads from their personal Facebook profile or directly from their Facebook Page. This causes serious problems.
  • Personal profiles: can't run certain ad types, no proper billing controls, no Pixel ownership
  • Facebook Page ad boosting: extremely limited targeting, no conversion tracking, wastes budget
Business Manager is not optional. Every ad in Module 3 requires it.
📌 What you need before starting
  • A personal Facebook account — Business Manager sits on top of it. You won't run ads from your personal profile but Meta requires it to verify your identity.
  • Your business name and website URL
  • A credit or debit card — no charge yet, just to set up billing
Step 1 — Create your Business Manager account
Navigation: business.facebook.com → Create account
  1. Go to business.facebook.com
  2. Click Create account in the top right
  3. Sign in with your personal Facebook account if prompted — this is normal and required
  4. Business name: your official business name
  5. Your name: your full name as account administrator
  6. Business email: your business email address
  7. Click Next
  8. Business website: your domain
  9. Address: your business address
  10. Click Submit
👁 What you should see: Meta sends a confirmation email to the address you entered. Open it and click Confirm. Your Business Manager account is now active.
Step 2 — Add your Facebook Page
📌 Don't have a Facebook Business Page yet?
Create one first at facebook.com/pages/create before doing this step.
Navigation: Business settings (left sidebar) → Accounts → Pages → Add
  1. In Business Manager click Business settings — the gear icon in the left sidebar
  2. Click Accounts → Pages
  3. Click Add → Add a Page
  4. Type your Facebook Page name or URL
  5. Click Add Page
👁 What you should see: Your Page appears in the Pages list with a green indicator showing it's connected.
Step 3 — Create your Ad Account
Navigation: Business settings → Accounts → Ad accounts → Add → Create a new ad account
  1. Click Accounts → Ad accounts → Add → Create a new ad account
  2. Ad account name: your business name + Ads — e.g. The Demand Studio — Ads
  3. Time zone: your local timezone — must match your GA4 timezone
  4. Currency: your billing currency
  5. Click Next
  6. Select My business → click Create
👁 What you should see: Your Ad Account appears in the Ad accounts list with an account ID number starting with act_
Step 4 — Add payment method
Navigation: Business settings → Payments → Add payment method
  1. Go to Business settings → Payments
  2. Select your Ad Account from the dropdown
  3. Click Add payment method
  4. Enter your card details
  5. Click Save
📌 No money is charged until you run an ad. This just puts a payment method on file so Meta allows you to create campaigns.
⚠️ Common Meta Business Manager mistakes
  • Creating the Pixel on your personal profile instead of inside Business Manager — the most common and most painful mistake
  • Using a different timezone for your Ad Account and GA4 — your data won't align
  • Not clicking the confirmation email — your account stays restricted until you confirm
  • Creating multiple Business Manager accounts — Meta limits each person to 2, don't create duplicates
✅ How to know you've done this correctly
  • You can access business.facebook.com and see your Business Manager dashboard
  • Your Facebook Page appears under Business settings → Pages
  • Your Ad Account appears under Business settings → Ad accounts
  • A payment method is saved under Business settings → Payments
  • You received and clicked the email confirmation from Meta

Account 04: Meta Pixel (~10 min)

↩️ Skip this if: You already have a Meta Pixel created inside your Business Manager with the Pixel ID saved. Go to Set Up Your Analytics & Tracking.
📌 What the Pixel actually does
  • Tracks website visitors who came from your Facebook or Instagram ads
  • Tells Meta which visitors converted so it can find more people like them
  • Builds Custom Audiences from your website visitors for retargeting
  • Without the Pixel, Meta optimises for clicks. With it, Meta optimises for buyers.
Step 1 — Open Events Manager
Navigation: business.facebook.com → Events Manager (left sidebar)
  1. Go to business.facebook.com
  2. Find Events Manager in the left sidebar — it may be under All tools if not immediately visible
  3. Click Events Manager
✅ What you should see: Events Manager dashboard. If you've never set up a Pixel, you'll see a prompt to Connect data sources. If you see an existing Pixel — check it belongs to your Business Manager account before proceeding.
Step 2 — Create your Pixel
Navigation: Events Manager → Connect data sources → Web → Meta Pixel → Connect
  1. Click Connect data sources
  2. Select Web
  3. Click Connect
  4. Name your Pixel: your business name — e.g. The Demand Studio Pixel
  5. Website URL: your domain
  6. Click Create Pixel
✅ What you should see:
Your Pixel is created. Meta will ask how you want to install it — you'll do the installation on the next page. For now just copy your Pixel ID and close the installation panel.
Step 3 — Copy your Pixel ID
  1. Find your Pixel ID — a 15–16 digit number e.g. 1234567890123456
  2. It appears at the top of the installation screen or next to your Pixel name in Events Manager
  3. Copy it and save it alongside your GA4 Measurement ID
  4. Click Continue or close the panel — installation happens on the next page
Step 4 — Verify the Pixel is in the right place
Navigation: Business settings → Data sources → Pixels
  1. Go to Business settings → Data sources → Pixels
  2. Your Pixel should appear in this list
  3. If it's not here — you created it on a personal profile, not inside Business Manager. Redo Step 2 from inside Business Manager.
✅ What you should see: Your Pixel name, its 15–16 digit ID, and a status indicator showing No recent activity — that's normal until you install it on your website on the next page.
⚠️ Common Pixel mistakes
  • Creating the Pixel inside a personal Facebook profile — always create from inside Business Manager
  • Creating multiple Pixels for the same website — one Pixel per website only
  • Confusing the Pixel ID with the Ad Account ID — Pixel ID is 15–16 digits, Ad Account ID starts with act_
✅ How to know you've done this correctly
  • Your Pixel appears in Business settings → Data sources → Pixels
  • You have a 15–16 digit Pixel ID saved alongside your GA4 Measurement ID
  • The Pixel name clearly identifies your business

Account 05 — Google Ads Account (~10 min)

↩️ Skip this if: You already have a Google Ads account with a Customer ID (a 10-digit number formatted 123-456-7890). Jump to the Final Check.
📌 You need this even if you're not running Google Ads.
Google's Keyword Planner sits inside a Google Ads account, and it's the tool you'll use for keyword research in Module 2 — which then feeds your website copy and your blog topics in Module 5. You also need the account to import your conversions on the next page. Set it up now whether or not you plan to do Module 4.
⚠️ Google will try to make you create a campaign. The default signup flow ("Smart Mode") walks you straight into building a live ad before you've reached the dashboard.
The escape links are small and easy to miss. Follow the steps below exactly, and you'll finish with an account and no campaign — and no spend.
Step 1 — Start signup and skip the campaign
Navigation: ads.google.com → Start now
  1. Go to ads.google.com
  2. Click Start now and sign in with the same Google account you used for GA4
  3. Google asks for your business name and website. Enter them — this is required now; there's no way past this screen without it.
  4. Next, Google offers to link your other accounts — Google Analytics, YouTube, your Business Profile. You can link GA4 here if you like, or skip and do it later. Linking isn't required to finish setup.
  5. Google now asks you to choose a campaign goal — Sales, Leads, Website traffic, and so on. Do not pick one.
  6. Look at the bottom of this screen for a small link: "set up an account only" (it may read "create an account without a campaign"). Click it.
notion image
What you should see next: A short account setup screen asking for your billing country, time zone, and currency. No campaign builder.
⚠️ This link is the only way out of the campaign flow, and it's easy to miss. It's below the campaign goals, in small text, as you can see in the screenshot above. If you pick a goal instead, Google walks you into building a live ad. If that happens, use the fallback below.
⚠️ If you can't find the link, or you're already in the campaign builder:
Press your browser's Back button until you return to the campaign-goal screen — your progress is saved, and the "set up an account only" link is at the bottom there.
If Google has already created a campaign, don't worry: go to the Campaigns tab, find the campaign, and set its status to Paused before it can spend. Your account itself is fine to use.
Step 2 — Set your country, timezone, and currency
On the account setup screen:
  1. Billing country: where your business is registered
  2. Time zone: your local timezone — must match your GA4 property and your Meta Ad Account
  3. Currency: your billing currency
  4. Click Submit
⚠️ These three settings are permanent.
Google does not let you change your currency or timezone after the account is created — the only fix is a whole new account. Check all three before clicking Submit.
Step 3 — Review, confirm, and create your account
On the confirmation screen, Google shows your account details and your payment profile. If you already use other Google services, it pulls in the payment profile linked to your Google account. You can change it here if you want a different one.
Review everything, then click Submit to create your account.
💡 You may see a small temporary charge — this is normal. If a card is on your payment profile, Google may place a temporary authorisation on it (often around €10) to confirm the card is valid. It's not a payment, and Google removes it within about a week. The exact amount is shown on screen. You're not charged for ads until you run a campaign.
✅ What you should see: A confirmation that your account is created, then your dashboard. Click "Explore your account" to reach it.
Step 4 — Copy your Customer ID
Once you're in the dashboard:
  1. Find your Customer ID at the top right of the screen — a 10-digit number formatted 123-456-7890
  2. Copy it and save it alongside your GA4 Measurement ID and Meta Pixel ID
You'll use this ID on the next page when you import your conversions, and again in Module 4 if you run Google Ads.
⚠️ Common Google Ads setup mistakes
  • Picking a campaign goal instead of the "set up an account only" link — this walks you into building a live ad. The link is at the bottom of the campaign-goal screen.
  • Setting the wrong currency or timezone — both are permanent. A mismatch with GA4 means your reports won't align.
  • Using a different Google account from your GA4 — linking them on the next page becomes far harder.
  • Ending up with a live campaign anyway — if it happens, pause it in the Campaigns tab before it spends.
✅ How to know you've done this correctly
  • You can sign into ads.google.com and reach the dashboard
  • Your Customer ID (123-456-7890) is saved with your other IDs
  • The Campaigns tab is empty — no campaign exists
  • Your timezone matches your GA4 property and Meta Ad Account
  • A payment method is saved under Billing

All Accounts Ready — Final Check

Tick everything below before setting up analytics and tracking (on the next page).
Google Account — can sign into google.com, account name visible top right
Google Analytics 4 — property visible in analytics.google.com, Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXX) saved
Meta Business Manager — dashboard accessible at business.facebook.com, Page and Ad Account connected
Meta Pixel — Pixel visible in Business settings → Data sources → Pixels, Pixel ID (15–16 digits) saved
Google Ads — dashboard accessible at ads.google.com, Customer ID (123-456-7890) saved, no campaigns running
✅ All five ticked? Your accounts are ready.
📌 Next: Set Up Your Analytics & Tracking.
Your accounts exist, but they're not connected to your website yet. The next page installs the tracking — GA4, the Meta Pixel, the Conversions API, UTM links, and Search Console — so you can measure everything from your first visitor onward.
Setup Analytics & Tracking