Google Analytics 4 – What you Need to Know
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a powerful tool for understanding website traffic and how users behave on-site. It was rolled out in October 2020 and consolidates data from both websites and mobile apps in a single set of reports, allowing site owners to perform cross-platform analysis. Pretty smart, right? But how does the update, which everyone is now familiarising themselves with, differ from the original Universal Analytics (UA)? Find out more in this Google Analytics 4 guide designed to help you navigate the changes.
What’s New?
Google doesn’t make updates lightly. There has to be a good reason for change, and GA4 comes with many updates to streamline the reporting process. The first major difference is how users are tracked. In UA, users are tracked via sessions (or set periods that encompass everything a user does on your site). GA4, on the other hand, records all events they complete. This allows Google to more accurately analyse what users do on your site, rather than just caring that they got there in the first place.
The second difference comes in the form of how the reports are presented. GA4 only has top-level reports built in and if you want to delve into specifics you can head to the analysis tab. This allows you to drill down into the data that matters to you and your business. The third difference is that GA4 allows for cross-platform analysis, consolidating data from desktops and apps to create a clearer picture of how users behave.
Should I Switch to GA4?
From now on, any new Google Analytics platform will be GA4, with old versions of UA gradually being depreciated. If you’re already using UA, there are several reasons why making the switch early on could prove beneficial.
#1 It’s the Future of Analytics
Google is now focussing its attention on GA4 and therefore UA has a limited future. Any new tools and standard features will be added to GA4 and so it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the latest analytics format.
#2 GA4 Doesn’t Backtrack
GA4 won’t import data from past UA properties so to have more data at your disposal it’s a good idea to make the switch sooner rather than later.
#3 Upgrading is Easy
Don’t worry, upgrading to GA4 is not difficult or time-consuming. If you’re using UA on your website, simply go to google.com/analytics and navigate to your preferred account. Under the property column, select ‘Upgrade to GA4.’
#4 You’ll Have Greater Flexibility
Google Analytics 4 allows and even encourages users to create custom reports for the data they need. This reduces the number of irrelevant reports made and helps to keep your dashboard neat and uncluttered.
#5 GA4 Fills in Missing Data Gaps
With GDPR in place and the appreciation of user privacy, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to track users as they travel across multiple platforms, using multiple devices. GA4 is a forward-thinking solution using enhanced machine learning techniques to help fill in the missing data gap. It creates a single user journey for all data linked to the same identity.
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