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Set Up GA4 BigQuery Export

Last updated on Mar 31, 2026

How to Set Up GA4 BigQuery Export

This guide walks you through connecting Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to BigQuery so you can analyze your Shopify app's traffic data in Ranksy.

Why You Need This

BigQuery export enables Ranksy to access your GA4 data and show you:

  • Traffic Sources: Where your app listing visitors come from
  • Conversion Funnels: How users move from view to install
  • Attribution Data: Which marketing channels drive installs
  • Session Analytics: Complete user journey tracking

Without BigQuery export, this data stays locked inside Google Analytics.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

  • GA4 tracking set up on your Shopify app listing
  • A Google account with access to both GA4 and Google Cloud
  • 10-15 minutes to complete the setup

Step 1: Create a Google Cloud Project

If you don't already have a Google Cloud project, create one now.

1.1 Open Google Cloud Console

  1. Go to console.cloud.google.com
  2. Sign in with your Google account

1.2 Create a New Project

  1. Click the project dropdown at the top of the page
  2. Click New Project
  3. Enter a project name (e.g., my-app-analytics)
  4. Click Create
  5. Wait for the project to be created (takes a few seconds)

1.3 Select Your Project

  1. Click the project dropdown again
  2. Select your newly created project
  3. You should see the project name at the top of the page

Step 2: Enable Billing

BigQuery requires billing to be enabled, but don't worry - most usage stays within the free tier.

Free Tier Includes:

  • 1 TB of query processing per month
  • 10 GB of storage
  • Most Shopify apps never exceed these limits

2.1 Set Up Billing

  1. In Google Cloud Console, click the hamburger menu (☰)
  2. Go to Billing
  3. Click Link a billing account (or create one if you don't have one)
  4. Follow the prompts to add a payment method

2.2 Set Budget Alerts (Recommended)

Protect yourself from unexpected charges:

  1. Go to Billing → Budgets & alerts
  2. Click Create Budget
  3. Set a budget amount (e.g., $1 or $5)
  4. Enable email alerts at 50%, 90%, and 100%
  5. Click Finish

You'll be notified if you approach your budget (which is unlikely for most apps).

Step 3: Link GA4 to BigQuery

Now connect your Google Analytics 4 property to BigQuery.

3.1 Open GA4 Admin

  1. Go to analytics.google.com
  2. Select your GA4 property (the one tracking your app)
  3. Click Admin (gear icon in the bottom left)

3.2 Find BigQuery Links

  1. In the Property column (middle column), scroll down
  2. Click BigQuery Links under "Product Links"

3.3 Create the Link

  1. Click Link
  2. Click Choose a BigQuery project
  3. Select your Google Cloud project from the list
  4. Click Confirm
  5. Click Next

3.4 Configure Data Streams

  1. Select which data streams to export (usually just one - your app tracking)
  2. Click Next

3.5 Configure Export Settings

Choose your export options:

Frequency:

  • Daily - Data exports once per day (recommended, free)
  • Streaming - Near real-time export (costs more, usually not needed)

Recommended settings:

  • Enable Daily export
  • Enable Streaming only if you need real-time data and are OK with higher costs

Include advertising identifiers:

  • Leave unchecked unless you specifically need this data

3.6 Complete the Link

  1. Review your settings
  2. Click Submit
  3. You'll see a confirmation that the link was created

Step 4: Wait for Data Export

After linking, GA4 will start exporting data to BigQuery.

Timeline

  • First export: Within 24 hours
  • Daily tables: Created each morning (named events_YYYYMMDD)
  • Intraday tables: Created throughout the day if streaming is enabled

Verify the Export

After 24 hours, check that data is flowing:

  1. Go to console.cloud.google.com
  2. Select your project
  3. Go to BigQuery (search for it or find in the menu)
  4. In the left panel, expand your project
  5. Look for a dataset named analytics_XXXXXXXXX (where X's are your GA4 property ID)
  6. Expand the dataset - you should see tables like:
    • events_20250118 (daily table)
    • events_intraday_20250118 (if streaming enabled)

If you see these tables, your export is working.

Step 5: Find Your Dataset Information

You'll need these details to connect Ranksy:

Project ID

  1. In Google Cloud Console, look at the top of the page
  2. Your project ID is shown (e.g., my-app-analytics-12345)
  3. Note: This might differ from your project name

Dataset ID

  1. In BigQuery, expand your project
  2. The dataset name is your Dataset ID (e.g., analytics_123456789)
  3. This is the analytics_ prefix followed by your GA4 property ID

Troubleshooting

No Dataset Appears After 24 Hours

Check these:

  1. GA4 is collecting data: Go to GA4 → Reports → Realtime to verify events are being tracked
  2. Link is active: Go to GA4 → Admin → BigQuery Links and verify the link shows "Active"
  3. Correct project: Make sure you're looking at the right Google Cloud project
  4. Billing enabled: BigQuery requires billing - check it's set up

"Permission Denied" Errors

Fix:

  1. Make sure you're signed into the correct Google account
  2. Verify you have Owner or Editor access to the Google Cloud project
  3. Try signing out and back in

Dataset Name Doesn't Match Expected Format

The dataset should be named analytics_XXXXXXXXX. If it's different:

  1. You might have multiple GA4 properties linked
  2. Check your GA4 property ID (Admin → Property Settings) and match it to the dataset number

Data is Missing or Incomplete

Possible causes:

  1. Too soon: Wait a full 24-48 hours for the first export
  2. GA4 not tracking: Verify your GA4 tracking code is installed correctly
  3. Wrong data stream: Make sure you selected the correct data stream when linking

Important Notes

Data Timing

  • BigQuery export is not retroactive - it only exports data from the moment you create the link
  • Historical data in GA4 will not appear in BigQuery
  • Set up the export as early as possible to capture more data

Cost Considerations

Typical costs for Shopify apps:

Usage Level Monthly Cost
Low traffic app $0 (free tier)
Medium traffic app $0-5
High traffic app $5-20

Most apps stay well within the free tier.

Best Practice: Dedicated GA4 Property

Use a dedicated GA4 property just for your Shopify app listing. This:

  • Keeps data clean and focused
  • Reduces BigQuery storage and query costs
  • Makes analysis easier in Ranksy

Don't mix your app store tracking with other website tracking.

Next Steps

Now that BigQuery export is set up:

  1. Wait 24 hours for data to appear
  2. Connect BigQuery to Ranksy - Grant Ranksy access to your data
  3. Start analyzing - View traffic, attribution, and conversion data

Need help? Contact [email protected] or use the chat widget. Include your GA4 property ID and Google Cloud project name.