Store Analytics Dashboard: GA4 + Search Console

Store Analytics Dashboard: GA4 + Search Console — store analytics on the OpenCart dashboard

Store Analytics Dashboard: GA4 + Search Console is a module for OpenCart and ocStore that adds a convenient store analytics widget to the administrator's main dashboard.

The module retrieves data from Google Analytics 4 and Google Search Console and displays key store metrics without requiring you to open separate Google Analytics or Search Console reports every time.

The widget is designed specifically for online stores. It displays traffic, sessions, users, orders, revenue, conversions, sales channels, traffic sources, products, the store funnel, and Search Console SEO metrics such as clicks, impressions, CTR, and average position.

Main module features

• Analytics displayed directly on the OpenCart administrator dashboard
• Google Analytics 4 integration through the Google Analytics Data API
• Google Search Console API integration
• Display of key store ecommerce metrics
• Comparison with the previous period
• Interactive charts with tooltips when hovering over or clicking data points
• Selectable analytics period
• Custom date range selection
• Configuration of the lines displayed on charts
• Data caching to reduce the number of Google API requests
• Authorization using a JSON service account
• No Composer or external PHP libraries required

Google Analytics 4 metrics

The module displays the main GA4 metrics most commonly needed by an online store owner or administrator.

• Users — the number of active users during the selected period
• Sessions — the number of visitor sessions
• Orders — the number of purchases / transactions
• Revenue — total revenue for the selected period
• Conversion rate — the ratio of orders to sessions
• Conversions — the number of key events in GA4
• Key event rate — the ratio of key events to sessions
• Average order value — average revenue per order

Comparison with the previous period

For each main metric, the module displays not only the current value but also the change compared with the equivalent previous period.

For example, if the last 7 days are selected, the module automatically compares them with the preceding 7 days. This makes it easy to understand whether traffic, sales, revenue, and conversions are increasing.

Analytics periods

The dashboard allows you to quickly switch the period for which statistics are displayed.

• Today
• Yesterday
• 7 days
• 30 days
• This month
• Last month
• Custom period

Interactive charts

The module builds daily charts for the selected period. Individual lines can be enabled or disabled to avoid overloading the chart with unnecessary data.

Hovering over or clicking a chart point displays a tooltip with the date, metric name, and value.

GA4 chart lines

• Sessions
• Orders
• Conversions
• Revenue

Search Console chart lines

• Clicks
• Impressions
• CTR
• Position

Top channels

The Top channels section shows which channels bring visitors and sales to the store.

• Channel name
• Number of sessions
• Number of orders
• Number of conversions
• Revenue

This section helps you quickly assess the performance of Direct, Organic Search, Referral, Organic Social, and other channels.

Traffic sources

The Traffic sources section provides more detailed information by source / medium.

• Source / medium
• Sessions
• Orders
• Revenue

This allows you to see not only the general channel but also the specific traffic source, such as google / organic, direct / none, referral websites, and other sources.

Top products

The module displays the products that generated the most revenue during the selected period.

• Product name
• Number of purchases
• Product revenue

This section helps you quickly identify which products are actually selling and generating store revenue.

Store funnel

The Store funnel section displays key ecommerce events that help evaluate the user's path to purchase.

• view_item — product views
• add_to_cart — products added to the cart
• begin_checkout — checkout started
• purchase — purchases

For each step, the number of events and the percentage relative to the first funnel step are displayed.

Google Search Console data

When a Search Console property is specified in the module settings, a separate section with SEO metrics appears on the dashboard.

• Clicks — visits to the website from Google Search
• Impressions — the number of times pages appeared in search results
• CTR — the ratio of clicks to impressions
• Position — the website's average search position

Comparison with the previous period is also available for these metrics.

Top Search Console queries

The module displays the search queries users enter to find the store on Google.

• Search query
• Clicks
• Impressions
• CTR
• Position

This section is useful for SEO analysis, identifying promising queries, and understanding how the store appears in organic search results.

Top Search Console pages

The Top pages section displays the website pages that receive the most clicks and impressions in Google Search.

• Page URL
• Clicks
• Impressions
• CTR
• Position

This helps you quickly identify pages that already receive organic traffic, as well as pages whose title, description, or content needs improvement.

Chart settings

The module settings allow you to select which lines are shown on charts by default.

• GA4 chart lines
• Search Console chart lines
• Separate enabling / disabling of sessions, orders, conversions, and revenue
• Separate enabling / disabling of clicks, impressions, CTR, and position

Lines can also be temporarily enabled or disabled directly on the dashboard without opening the settings.

Data caching

The module supports caching Google API responses. This reduces the number of external requests, speeds up dashboard loading, and helps conserve API quotas.

• Cache duration can be specified in minutes
• A button is available to force data refresh
• The cache takes the selected period, settings, and connected services into account

Authorization using a service account

The module uses a JSON service account. This is a server-side authorization method that does not require manually signing in to a Google account through OAuth in a browser.

A single service account can be used for both GA4 and Search Console when it has the appropriate access permissions.

What must be configured in Google

• Create a Google Cloud Project
• Enable the Google Analytics Data API
• Enable the Google Search Console API
• Create a service account
• Create a JSON key for the service account
• Add the service account client_email to GA4 Property access management with the Viewer role
• Add the service account client_email as a user of the Search Console property

Module settings

The module settings contain the main options for connecting and displaying analytics.

• Module status
• Dashboard widget width
• Sort order
• GA4 Property ID
• JSON service account
• Default period
• GA4 chart lines
• Search Console chart lines
• Cache duration
• Google Analytics link
• Search Console siteUrl

Built-in instructions

The module settings include brief instructions for connecting Google Analytics 4 and Search Console.

They help the administrator quickly understand which APIs must be enabled, where to obtain the JSON service account, where to add the client_email, and how to correctly specify the Search Console property URL.

Benefits

• Key store analytics are available immediately after signing in to the admin panel
• There is no need to open GA4 for every quick check
• There is no need to open Search Console separately for basic SEO metrics
• Sales, traffic, and SEO can be viewed conveniently in one place
• Performance changes can be quickly assessed against the previous period
• You can see which channels and sources generate orders
• You can see which products generate revenue
• You can evaluate the basic ecommerce funnel
• Search Console SEO data is available alongside sales data

Compatibility

• OpenCart 3.x
• ocStore 3.x
• Tested with OpenCart / ocStore 3.0.4.x
• PHP 7.2 or a newer compatible version

System requirements

• PHP cURL or permitted HTTPS requests through file_get_contents
• PHP OpenSSL
• Ability to make outgoing HTTPS requests to Google APIs
• An active Google Cloud Project
• Google Analytics Data API enabled
• Google Search Console API enabled when SEO data is required
• A service account with access to the required GA4 property
• A service account with access to the Search Console property when Search Console is used

Important limitations

• The module retrieves data from Google APIs, so the server must be able to make external HTTPS requests
• GA4 and Search Console data may be displayed with a delay because processing depends on Google
• Search Console requires the exact property URL or a domain property in the format sc-domain:example.com
• If GA4 ecommerce events are not configured, some store metrics may be empty or zero
• The module does not configure GA4 ecommerce tracking on the website; it only reads data already collected by GA4
• The module does not modify the website's SEO settings; it only displays Search Console data

Installation

1. Upload the module archive through Extensions → Installer
2. Go to Extensions → Extensions
3. Select Dashboard as the extension type
4. Install the Store Analytics Dashboard module
5. Open the module settings
6. Enter the GA4 Property ID
7. Paste the JSON service account
8. Specify the Search Console siteUrl when required
9. Configure the period, caching, and chart lines
10. Enable the module and save the settings