How to Set Custom Email Alerts in GA4

At one point, our team was struggling to keep up with the real-time insights that could impact our website performance. Even though Google Analytics provides an overwhelming amount of data, the problem was: we didn’t know something had gone wrong until it was too late. That’s when we realized the power of setting up a Custom Email Alert in Google Analytics.

Today, we want to walk you through the same journey—what didn’t work, what finally did, and how you can set up your own alerts quickly and effortlessly. Whether you’re managing one website or many, custom alerts can save your day by keeping you informed without you having to babysit your analytics dashboard.

Let’s get into it.

Why you need Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.” We used to miss key data changes—like a drop in traffic after an update or a sudden spike due to a campaign doing better than expected. Because no one was looking at the reports 24/7 (and let’s be real, no one should), we were reacting instead of acting.

That’s where Custom Email Alerts helped. These alerts notify you when something unusual happens—be it good or bad—so you can take immediate action. They’re like having a digital assistant who taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hey, something’s up!”

What is a Custom Email Alert?

A Custom Email Alert in Google Analytics is a notification you receive when specific changes occur in your website data.

For example:

• Traffic drops below a certain level
• Conversions spike beyond your usual average
• Bounce rate increases unexpectedly
• Users from a specific location suddenly rise

You can set the parameters yourself, so the alert is tailored to your business needs. These alerts are crucial for marketers, business owners, and SEO professionals who want real-time updates without the need to constantly monitor analytics.

Method 1: Get Custom Email Alerts using a Google Analytics Plugin

If you’re managing a WordPress website and using Google Analytics 4 (GA4), this method is by far the most convenient. Setting up custom alerts directly in GA4 can be confusing — and honestly, it’s not even possible natively anymore. That’s why we turned to MonsterInsights, the most trusted Google Analytics plugin for WordPress.

With MonsterInsights, not only do you get a fully integrated GA4 experience inside your WordPress dashboard, but you also gain access to features like email summaries and exception tracking that help replicate the missing alert system in GA4.

Let’s break it down step-by-step so you can set it up yourself with ease.

Step 1: Install and Activate the MonsterInsights Plugin

The first step is to install the MonsterInsights plugin on your WordPress site.

1. From your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins > Add New.

2. Type MonsterInsights into the search bar.

3. Click Install Now on the plugin card, and once installed, click Activate.

At this point, MonsterInsights Lite will be installed, which gives you basic tracking. However, to unlock powerful features like custom email summaries, exception tracking, and advanced reports, you’ll need the MonsterInsights Pro version. It’s a worthwhile upgrade, especially if your goal is to get deeper insights and set up effective email notifications.

Step 2: Connect MonsterInsights to Your Google Analytics Account

After the plugin is activated, the next step is to connect it to your Google Analytics account. The beauty of MonsterInsights is that it handles this integration seamlessly without requiring any code.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to Insights > Settings in your WordPress dashboard.

2. Click on the button to Launch Setup Wizard.

3. Follow the prompts to sign in with your Google account.

4. Choose the correct Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property for your website.

5. Authorize MonsterInsights to access your data and complete the connection.

Once connected, MonsterInsights will automatically add the GA4 tracking code to your site, and your Analytics data will start flowing into the dashboard without you lifting another finger.

This means no messing with scripts or tags — just plug and play.

Step 3: Set Up the MonsterInsights Exceptions Addon

To get alerts for issues that can negatively impact user experience — like 404 errors, missing content, or failed interactions — MonsterInsights offers an Exception Tracking Addon.

This addon is especially useful because GA4 doesn’t provide native alerts for these types of technical problems, and missing them could mean lost traffic or revenue.

To set it up:

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Insights > Addons.

2. Scroll to locate the Exceptions Addon.

3. Click Install, and then Activate once installation is complete.

With this addon enabled, MonsterInsights will begin automatically tracking any JavaScript errors or page exceptions that users experience on your website. These exceptions are quietly logged in your reports and flagged for your review.

This functionality becomes your silent safety net, catching bugs that may be invisible otherwise.

Step 4: Monitor Exception Alerts through your Dashboard

While MonsterInsights doesn’t send instant email notifications for each error (like UA once did), it gives you visibility into exception events through your WordPress dashboard.

Here’s how you benefit:

• Navigate to Insights > Reports

• Check the Publisher Report and Behavior Section

• Any errors or broken page interactions will be clearly highlighted

You can make it a habit to review these reports weekly or after content updates, especially if you’re launching new campaigns, adding forms, or embedding third-party code.

This step alone helps you catch problems before users complain — or before they even notice.

Bonus Step: Set Up Weekly Email Summaries (Automated Performance Reports)

While GA4 no longer offers direct email alerts, MonsterInsights fills the gap with a built-in Email Summaries feature.

These summaries aren’t just alert notifications — they’re digestible snapshots of your website’s performance, delivered straight to your inbox. If something unusual is going on, you’ll catch it in these reports without needing to log in daily.

To enable email summaries:

1. Go to Insights > Settings > Advanced.

2. Scroll to the Email Summaries section.

3. Toggle the feature ON.

4. Add the email address(es) where you want the report delivered.

Each week, you’ll receive a visually rich email that includes:

• Total sessions and user count

• Top performing pages

• Best traffic sources

• Bounce rate trends

• New vs. returning visitors

Even if you’re not a data expert, these reports make it easy to spot red flags (like drops in traffic or engagement) or opportunities (like a blog post suddenly gaining traction). It’s as close to an “alert system” as GA4 currently gets — and it’s fully automated.

Why we Recommend MonsterInsights for Custom Email Alerts

Let’s be honest — GA4 removed a lot of the simple, helpful features we loved in Universal Analytics. Custom alerts were one of the biggest losses.

MonsterInsights makes up for this by:

• Making GA4 easier to use

• Offering helpful summaries via email

• Tracking exceptions automatically

• Delivering insights without needing to visit Analytics every day

We use it ourselves and haven’t looked back.

Whether you’re a blogger, marketer, eCommerce store owner, or small business, MonsterInsights helps you stay on top of what matters — and prevents you from missing critical issues or golden opportunities.

Method 2: Get Custom Email Alerts in Google Analytics Using Insights

After moving to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), many users quickly noticed that custom email alerts — a favorite feature from Universal Analytics were missing. We experienced the same frustration. While Insights doesn’t send traditional, real-time email alerts for every metric, it does offer automated and custom insights based on your data. These are surfaced right in your GA4 dashboard — and if configured well, they can help you catch major changes in traffic, performance, or user behavior.

Let’s walk you through how to use this feature effectively.

Step 1: Create Google Analytics Insights

Google Analytics automatically generates some insights for you using machine learning — these are called automated insights. They help surface unusual activity, like sudden traffic drops, spikes in conversions, or unexpected sources of traffic.

But if you want more control, you can create custom insights tailored to your business goals.

Here’s how:

1. Open your GA4 property by visiting Google Analytics

2. In the left-hand sidebar, click on Reports

3. Scroll down and look for Insights (the lightbulb icon) — usually located at the top-right of the Reports screen

4. Click on View all insights, then select Create under “Custom Insights”

Now you’re ready to create your own alert-like condition.

Step 2: Set Up Custom Google Analytics Insights

When creating a custom insight, you’ll need to define the conditions that should trigger it.

For example, you can set a rule like:

• “Alert me when users from India drop by more than 40% compared to the previous week”

• “Notify me when purchase events exceed 100 in a single day”

• “Flag when pageviews on a landing page fall below a set threshold”

Here’s how to set it up step-by-step:

1. Give your insight a clear name (e.g., “Traffic Drop – India”)

2. Choose your data stream (your website or app)

3. Select the metric you want to monitor (e.g., Users, Sessions, Conversions)

4. Set the condition: is it a % drop or spike? Over how many days?

5. Define the comparison period (e.g., compare to the previous 7 days)

You can also filter the alert by device category, country, page path, or traffic source to make it more specific Once finished, click Create to save your insight.  Now, GA4 will start monitoring this metric in the background and show alerts based on your conditions in the Insights panel.

Step 3: Manage Google Analytics Insights Alerts

Your custom insights are saved and tracked in the Insights section of GA4. Here’s how you can manage and review them:

1. Go to your GA4 Home or Reports section

2. Click the lightbulb icon in the top-right corner

3. This opens the Insights panel

Custom email alerts are essential for staying on top of website performance. Like many others, we struggled to monitor sudden changes until we found reliable solutions. Whether you’re using Universal Analytics or GA4, there’s a way to stay informed. With MonsterInsights, WordPress users can get weekly email summaries and real-time exception tracking. For GA4 users, Google Analytics Insights offers smart, automated monitoring tailored to your goals. While GA4 doesn’t support traditional alerts, these tools help fill the gap. Set them up today and never miss important changes again. It’s simple, effective, and gives you peace of mind.

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