The WordPress way to install GA4 is clunky
Your site has no analytics. You can't tell which blog post converted best, what device people actually use, or when traffic spiked.
The canonical WordPress paths are: install an analytics plugin (comes with admin pages, updates, subscription nags), paste the snippet into functions.php (breaks when you switch themes), or set up Google Tag Manager as middleware (overkill for one pixel).
What most people do instead
A better way: one command, one ID, tracking live
Run enable ga4 with your Measurement ID. The command auto-registers as a startup command so the tracking snippet outputs on every page load. No theme edit, no plugin, no GTM middleware.
Consent-aware flag included. Pass -consent_aware=true and the pixel only fires when your cookie-consent plugin's gate has been accepted. Works with any standard WP consent plugin that sets a cookie flag.
How it works
The command hooks wp_head with the Google-provided tracking snippet, then auto-registers itself in Startup Commands so the tracking stays active across requests. Re-running with a different ID updates the existing entry. Disable from Startup Commands to remove.
enable ga4 -mid=G-XXXXXXX| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
-mid(required) | Measurement ID (format: G-XXXXXXX) |
-consent_aware | true to only fire after cookie consent (checks standard consent cookie) |
| Scope | Auto-registered as startup command — runs on every frontend page load |
| Where to find the ID | Google Analytics → Admin → Data Streams |
| Can be used in |
Real example
Your marketing director wants GA4 on the site by Friday. Without this command, you'd install Site Kit (requires Google account auth dance) or MonsterInsights (premium features gated). Instead, you grab the Measurement ID from Google Analytics, run enable ga4 -mid=G-ABC123, done. Traffic starts hitting GA4 within minutes.