Author: Laura Moreno

Google Analytics is a great free website analytics tool that gives you numerous amounts of information about your website. But what if you could get more information such as bounce rate, social tracking, mobile tracking, and channels? That's where Google Analytics Universal (GA4) comes into play. With this updated version of Google Analytics, it combines the two different versions of Google Analytics together and adds much more information. This blog will look at what Google Analytics Universal is, why you need to update before July 2023, and how to update.

Why a website owner should use Google Analytics:

  1. Understand website traffic: Google Analytics provides you with insights about their website traffic, including the number of visitors, how they found your website, how long they stayed on it, and which pages they visited. These insights can help you to understand your audience better and improve your website's user experience.
  2. Track conversion rates: Google Analytics can track conversion rates, which are the percentage of visitors who take a specific action on the website, such as making a purchase or filling out a contact form. This can help you to identify which pages are most effective at converting visitors and make adjustments to improve conversion rates.
  3. Identify top-performing content: With Google Analytics, you can see which pages and content on their website are performing the best, such as which pages have the most views, the most engagement, or the longest average time on a page. This information can help you to create more of the content that your audience enjoys and engages with the most.
  4. Monitor website performance: Google Analytics provides you with data on website performance, including page load times and bounce rates. This information can help you to identify areas for improvement and ensure that your website is running smoothly.
  5. Make data-driven decisions: By using Google Analytics, you can make data-driven decisions about your website, rather than relying on guesswork. The data provided by Google Analytics can help you make informed decisions about your website's content, design, and functionality, leading to better user experiences and higher conversion rates.

Google Analytics Universal (GA Universal) is a widely-used tool for website analytics, but it has limitations in terms of providing insights into user behaviour and customer journeys across multiple platforms and devices. To address these limitations, Google has developed a new version of Google Analytics called GA4.

Why we should update to GA4 before July 2023:

  1. Data loss prevention: After July 2023, Google will no longer support GA Universal, which means that website owners who continue to use it will be unable to access their historical data or any new data generated after that date.
  2. Improved user tracking: GA4 is designed to provide more accurate and comprehensive tracking of user behaviour across different platforms and devices, including mobile apps and offline interactions.
  3. Enhanced reporting: GA4 offers more advanced reporting capabilities, including predictive analytics and machine learning, which can help you to gain deeper insights into your customers' behaviour and preferences.
  4. Integration with other Google tools: GA4 is fully integrated with other Google tools, such as Google Ads and Google BigQuery, making it easier to manage and analyze data across multiple platforms.

Overall, upgrading to GA4 before July 2023 can help website owners avoid data loss, gain more accurate insights into user behaviour, and take advantage of advanced reporting and integration capabilities.

So, how to do that?!

Here you have a few options;

If you using WordPress - get the Google Site Kit plugin;

  • Go to 'Plugins' > 'Add Plugins' > and type on the search box (right side) "Google Site Kit"
  • Then, follow their instructions to set up all.

If you using Squarespace, here is a blog post from SquareSpace to update your data:

https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205815608-Using-Google-Analytics-with-Squarespace

If you are using Wix, here is a blog post from Wix to update Google Analytics data:

https://support.wix.com/en/article/tracking-events-on-your-wix-site-with-a-google-analytics-property

If you are using another platform, follow this tutorial.

https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10089681#start

And if you don't have time to do this or tech bits are not your strength, I will be happy to help you;

Today between work, training and updates, I bring you a trick, one of those that save your ass. in my case, I screwed up, you will see why, and now since I implemented this trick, I don't screw up anymore.

If you have Gmail or Google Workspace (previously known as G Suite), email software, you will be pleased to see that it has an option to 'undo' = 'undo' or 'cancel' having sent an email.

And that could save your ass or don't make you look bad, as it did for me.

I happened to have it enabled, but only to undo it after 5 seconds. And no, I didn't have time to realise what a big mistake it was to send two PDFs of a quote to a potential client.

I sent two, a draft version without correcting mistakes or errors and the other the final one.

I was horrified when I saw my account, and worse, not being able to 'undo' it in time 😱.

Now, I have this great Gmail feature to undo in 10 seconds!

And I'm one of those who check and check one more time, but sometimes that's what happens. And that's it. Now I have enough time to undo sending an email.

A very useful thing in those moments of sending someone to the '****' for a reason, any reason, and you regret what you said 😅

And how do you do that?

It's effortless. If you use Gmail, go to your settings, top right and click on 'view all settings'.

And from there, in the first tab, General, before scrolling down the page, you will see an option to 'Undo send' - usually 5 seconds (which doesn't give you time to realise what you shouldn't be sending! ) - you can change it to 10, 20 or 30 seconds.

And that's it! If you already knew that, fine! Change it to 10 or more so you don't get caught sending something 'wrong', and if you didn't know, you know something else!

I share more tricks, news and tech hacks in my email newsletter. Don't miss anything; you can sign up below ↓

Did I tell you how much I love tech and digital tools?

Maybe you know by now if you listen to some of my podcasts or follow my blog or social media.

If not, it is my pastime, yes. I find a new tool; I sign up. I play with it and find out possibilities for me, my business and, as a result, for my clients and you.

So today, one tool I discovered while searching to optimise a workflow for a client.

Gmass: it is a service that allows you to send mass emails and emails campaigns inside Gmail.

Tell you more in my latest podcast;


If you try, let me know for thoughts, and If you want to try and don't know how to connect to your Gmail or start, book a free call with me >, and I will help you.

Part 3 of The tools of the trade for entrepreneurs

In this part 3, I will talk about the essential tools and skills you need to grow and scale your business.

And last Friday, I missed to posts my podcast, yes, life happens, and sometimes we just need to go with the flow. Even I have a plan when posting and publish content; I'm very realistic with life. So I couldn't post my content as usual last week, and that it's ok.

If you didn't listen to the previous series, here:

Part 1: The only three digital tools you need when starting a business >

Part 2: 8 essential digital tools to run your business with confidence >

Friday's Tech Tip - Episode 10

Tools of the trade to grow and scale your business

Here is the list of tools and skills to grow and scale your business:

  1. A cloud service:
    I use few of them, Dropbox for both personal and business, Google Drive mainly for business and Livedrive for just personal.
    Essential to have all your important business files accessble everyone and easy to share ith your clients when they need a file or sign a document
    Dropbox >
    Google Drive >
    Livedrive >

  2. Copy: learn how to right a good copy for your business is essential. Learn the basis and then delegate when you can.

  3. Know your process: how do you do things, processes in your business?
    In one of my blog post: How to have more time for you and your business > I talked about the important to track your processes and check what is working and what is not.

  4. Automate: after check what is working in business, and how to do your processess, then you can next the next step and automate as many as you can. Emails responds, check payments, onboarding emails for clients...
    I use Zappier and Automate for some of my process, and MailerLite automations for email and emails onboarding for clients.

  5. Check your data: get to know your data form your website and social media communications channels to plan your next steps.

  6. Have a plan: yes, having a plan help you to get clear in your next steps.

  7. Digitallize your notes: my last tool adquisisiont and a way to keep all my files in one place, I'm not losing my papers any longer. Remarkable 2 is a really remarkable! (the referral link give you 40€ off.

Would you like to have this part 3 series about The Tools of The Trade for Entrepreneurs in a PDF?
Leave a comment below, and I will send it over to you!

Many of these links are affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the fees of these resources has been increased to compensate me. In fact, many of the creators of these tools have given me special discounts that I get to extend to you!

In my last podcast, I talked about the 3 only tools you need when starting a business or test a business idea. You can check it out here >

Today I bring you the part 2 of 3 of Tools of Trade in digital tools to empower your business.

Part 2. Essential digital tools to run your business with confidence and don't crash half way there.

#1. Google Drive

Get the space upgrade and start to use this fantastic tool to save, organise and keep all your files for your brand and clients. It's too easy to share files between people and a team, keep track of all the changes and updates, and you can access them via your mobile if you need to.

#2. Automations with email marketing

If you don't use it yet, start today. Create automation inside your email marketing tool; MailChimp, Mailerlite and many others offer automation for welcome email when someone subscriber, a follow up after a purchase, a client journey as series of email for the onboarding process and more.

#3. Calendar

If you already have Google Suite, use Google Calendar and sync all your work, family, and team calendars in one only. You can add many calendars to Google Calendar and subscribe to other's people and projects calendars.

#4 Task manager

Get on top of your task. I'm not talking about a to-do list, but more about the task you know you need to do for a project, or part of your business carry on.


Here you can use Google Tasks that it's nicely integrated with Google Calendar, and from Gsuite Email or Gmail, you can make a task from email.


Or, if you already have a team or a person helping you in your business, check out Trello or TeamWork (visual project managers) to help you keep track of your business.

#5 Designer app

Here you have few options.

  1. Canva Pro, great features to keep your brand consistently and optimised your time as 'resize for social media' feature and teamwork
  2. Affinity Apps: if you are more advanced in design, try Affinity, professional creative software that doesn't cost the earth! And I love it! Actually, check them out as they give 90 free trials and are currently with a 50% off offer.
  3. Pay for someone to do your graphics and designs: if you don't have the time, and design bits are one of your weaknesses, it will be worth paying someone to do it and more cost and time effective.

#6 Whatsapp or a business phone line

If your business is growing and you want to do work even more, it's time to have a business phone line (a new sim card) or WhatsApp for business, which it's free. So you can customise automatic reply messages when you are not 'reachable' and be clear of your business hours.

#7 A domain with your brand name

In case you don't have it yet, it's time. Having a domain (that URL on the top of the browser, mine is 'lauramoreno.net') shows you are professional and have a good business. And get an email under that domain, as 'hola@yourdomainname.com'. Having a professional email will show more trust and credibility for your brand.

#8 Website

As an established business and have clients, it's time to have a 'decent' website. A website is your business card to the world; it's how you present yourself. Here you have two options only:

  1. Do it yourself; so thinking well and choose a tool you can handle as WordPress, Squarespace or other,
  2. Or you choose a professional to do a website for you.

Next podcast, I will share a PDF with all the digital tools and link to each one.

Any tool you use and want to share in the comments? Tell me!

There are many digital tools to use.

Sometimes it is hard to choose which is 'right' and more, which one will work for you.

So my aim on helping you on making digital tools easy and make them digestive; I'm creating a list of my tools of the trade.

Actually, I'm creating three different lists because the tools I use maybe not be the tools you need. So depending on the stage of your business and what you should focus on.

In today episode, I will list the 'starting stage tools'. So if you are starting a business or you have a business idea, and you don't have much time and money to invest, or maybe you have time but no money to invest.

Tools for a starting a business stage:

#1 Email marketing tool

MailerLite or Mailchimp to capture email address for potential and offer a freebie in exchange for their email.
With this tool, you can even create a mini-website or landing page to collect email addresses.

#2 A surveys tool

Google forms or Typeform - to survey potential clients about the product or service you want to offer - testing before investing!

#3 A Design tool

Canva: to do graphics for your social media account and create a nice freebie - PDF, infographics, recipes.

Listen to full episode below:

Episode 7 of Friday's Tech Tip!

Let's make our lives easy with digital tools, how?

Group them!

#1 Groups your emails accounts

I use Gmail (or google Suite) to group all the emails I have access to and I own, so in one email account, I can check and send from, without the need to check other apps or go the browser to open that email account.
Under Gmail, go to the top left, cogs symbol, and click 'settings' > 'see all settings', there you will find a tab for 'Accounts' - there you can find where to add other emails account to 'send email as' and 'check email from other accounts.

In one mail account, you can access all other emails and send them on behalf of that email account without login in somewhere else. This functionality is not only in Gmail; many other email apps and services provide the same functionality.

#2 Group your calendars

As similar to the emails accounts, I use one Calendar app or browser tab to see all my other calendars; how? I subscribe to those via a link or via email access. That prevents me from opening a browser tab to check one specific calendar or an app on my mobile. And one view, I can see all the meetings and appointments that come up.

#3 Groups your bank accounts

I use the app Fintonic to check my bank accounts, which are in a different bank, instead of opening each bank app or opening my bank account in the browser to check balance and outgoing payments.
To simplify your life, group accounts, email, calendars, bank accounts in one app or account and make the technology for less but better.

Leave me a comment if you want to group few similar accounts and you don't know which app/service to use. Or, if you use this method, tell me below which accounts/service for! I would love to hear from you.

You can listen to the full episode here:

Almost every app on our laptop and sometimes on our mobile and other devices has shortcuts.

The first time I discover and start to use shortcuts was when I was learning Photoshop 3 (yes, years ago, I think about 20 years ago.. ), and it opens a world for me.

I could do repetitive and daily tasks faster, like open a new document, safe, close, take a tool from the toolset. I was using so many shortcuts that sometimes I don't use the mouse or trackpad at all, only the keyboard.

The shortcuts I use the most days are Gmail; compose an email, read and archive emails, make it snooze, make it as tasks, delete.
Also, I use shortcuts for almost everything on my laptop, looking for files, open programs, closing, clone files.

So, how can you use this shortcut tip?

Few questions to help you in this;

  • Which Software are you using every day?
  • Which tasks do you use on that Software every day?

Then find the shortcut for that; just Google, the name of the "Software + shortcut", e.g. 'Gmail shortcuts' and you, will find the list on the net.
If you want to use the Gmail shortcut, be sure to activate the functionality under 'Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts on

If you want to use Gmail shortcut be sure to active the functionality under 'Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts on.

Another shortcut I use every day is the 'Spotlight Search' on my MacBook, which just with two keystrokes, command and space bar, I can open app, latest files or folders in few seconds, instead of looking at them on my computer using a mouse or trackpad.

Listen to the latest podcast here (2.56min):

And you? Are you using any shortcuts? If yes, which ones? If not, which app you will start?

Do you feel overwhelmed with technology and digital tools?

You are not alone! I feel like that too.

Let me tell you the secret; sometimes we feel overwhelmed as we want to do things quickly, know to an app work since day one and finally, we don't have the patience for it.

So, what you can do about it?

1# Start Small

Don't try to do 'all'. Start with one app only. Learn one thing at the time

2# Small steps


If you feel overwhelmed with technology and digital tools, just take one step at a time. Learn how to use it day by day, one hour maximum at a time.

3# One thing at the time

Focus on doing one task at a time with the app or technology you want to conquer—just one thing. Then you learn that one you can do one more.

Questions you can ask about the app or digital tool you want to use or learn?

  • Do I need this app?
  • Am I going to use it now?
  • Is this going to help me?
  • If not, which app can help me better?

Ask around, google it.

And if you still have doubts, send me an email, I will be happy to help you.

Listen Episode 5 (2:38 minutes):

Productivity is the holy grail for a female entrepreneur! Or that what I believe.

Everyone has their own definition of what means productivity, ask your friends and family to define what is for them to be productive.

For me, it's not working 10 hours a day not stop and produce tons of things, actually the opposite. For me, being productive is to focus on one project a day or a week (my ideal) for 3, maximum of 4 hours, carry on with my project goals (the realistic ones) and don't get myself stress about it.

We have the misconception of productivity in this area, and it does not produce a lot of things, but just the right things for you are working now. And be in your flow or genius, as what you do best.

After many years being a freelance and entrepreneur, more than 15 years now, I have learned, sometimes on the hard way, how to be productive, and what works for me.

We are unique, let's be clear, so here I'm present you few basics and few things to improve, and what works for me, still the best will be for you to try, test and track what works for you.

Basics to be productive

The best machine to be productive and have focus is your body; take care of it!

  1. Sleep well (find your optimal sleep time - 7 - 8 hours)
  2. Eat healthy food and for your brain (fatty fish -omega 3- nuts, chocolate, broccoli.. ) https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower
  3. Regular exercise - it has been scientifically proven that doing regular exercise will improve your memory, thinking skills and focus > https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills
  4. Recover - breaks, naps, holidays… Do you experience getting great ideas while on holidays or having a walk around nature? if not, it's time to do it!

Optimise your environment

One of the things I learned the hard way, as a hyperactive person, is to learn to have the less distraction and triggers around me as possible. I can distract so easily, go down the kitchen, see the dish dirty and start to clean them, do laundry, start one thing and open one email so left the previous project halfway... So I have to train myself to avoid all this type of distraction, and it hasn't been easy. I have been working from home for the past 10 years, so it's all about discipline and consistency.

  1. Avoid friction and distractions - clothes ready the night before, clean desk, mobile notifications off, only open the project you are working on. On my latest podcast, I talk about few tools you can use to keep a distraction-free zone while working: https://lauramoreno.net/resources/how-to-increase-your-productivity-using-technology
  2. Find your peak hour/block - everyone has a flow/peak hour, do you know yours?
  3. Try and test, record and review - try and test productive structures, tips and ways, I have been tried so many since I started this self-employed journey, and there is no 'one size fit all' - try, test and review to create your own productivity hack
  4. Take breaks: when you don't find the focus or get stuck in something, get out of your desk, or walk out and have a 5-minutes break, have a tea or dance!

Things that work for me

So what it works for me that you can try:

  • Morning routine: I wake up every morning around 6/6:30 am and I do yoga and core exercises, meditation and write in a journal, and if I have more time I studied or read a book
  • Plan my week: I plan my week every Sunday evening, which project I will mainly focus on, which calls I have, what is going on that week.
  • Break down your goals/task: I created trimestral goals for my business and I break them down into smaller tasks - more digestive 😉
  • Be realistic: yes, don't put more on your plate than you can eat! Be honest with yourself.
  • Know your WHY! - My motivation for what I do everyday is knowing my deep WHY
  • Know what I'm good at: so I focus on that and try to delegate the rest 🙂
  • Keep learning, testing, trying new things: I keep trying things, keep learning and be open for other stuff.

And to close this post, one tool I use from time to time is the 'Eisenhower Matrix' - a great way to filter your tasks and duties. Here one graphic of the Matrix to help you filter your tasks

Do you like it?
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© 2004 - 2023 Laura Moreno Alvarez. All rights Reserved
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