Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics. It is more comprehensive and flexible than previous analytics platforms and can be used to track website and app traffic, measure user engagement, and understand customer behavior. Google Analytics 4 is the next level of analytics. It is the newer variation of the tool and offers more features and metrics. Starting July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics will be replaced by Google Analytics 4. Switching to GA4 as soon as possible is important to prepare your business for success with the new system, and we are here to show you how to do it.
What Does GA4 Offer?
GA4 is a substantial upgrade from previous versions of Google Analytics. It offers several new features and capabilities such as event-based tracking, cross-platform tracking, and a privacy-focused design. GA4 can track users across all of their devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. This gives businesses a more complete view of how users are interacting with their website or app. The advanced system also uses event-based tracking instead of session-based tracking. This means businesses can track individual events, such as page views, clicks, and downloads. This gives businesses more granular insights into how users are interacting with their website or app. Following the trends of many platforms, GA4 uses machine learning to provide insights that would not be possible otherwise. For example, GA4 can identify patterns in user behavior and predict future trends. Finally, it offers a new privacy-focused design to protect its users. Features like anonymization and differential privacy help make that possible. GA4 is a powerful analytics platform that can help businesses of all sizes understand their customers and improve their marketing strategy.
How to Set up Google Analytics 4:
- Set up a Google Analytics 4 property.
To set up a GA4 property, you will need to go to the Google Analytics website and sign in to your Google account. Once you are signed in, you will need to click on the “Admin” tab and then select “Create Property.”
On the “Create Property” page, you will need to select the “Google Analytics 4” option and then click on the “Create” button.
You will then be prompted to enter a name for your property and select a tracking ID. The tracking ID is a unique identifier that is used to track your website or app traffic.
Once you have entered a name and tracking ID for your property, you will need to click on the “Create” button to create your GA4 property.
- Install the Google Analytics 4 tracking code on your website or app.
Once you have created your GA4 property, you will need to install the tracking code on your website or app. The tracking code is a small piece of JavaScript code that is used to collect data about your website or app traffic.
To install the tracking code on your website, you will need to copy the tracking code from your GA4 property settings and then paste it into the header of your website’s HTML code.
To install the tracking code on your app, you will need to follow the instructions provided by your app’s development platform.
- Start collecting data in Google Analytics 4.
Once you have installed the tracking code on your website or app, you can start collecting data in Google Analytics 4. Data collection will begin immediately after you have installed the tracking code.
You can view your data in GA4 by going to the “Reports” tab and selecting the “Acquisition” report.
The “Acquisition” report shows you how users are finding your website or app and how they are interacting with your content.
- Explore Google Analytics 4 reports.
Google Analytics 4 offers a variety of reports that can help you understand your website or app traffic, measure user engagement, and understand customer behavior.
You can explore Google Analytics 4 reports by going to the “Reports” tab and then selecting the report that you want to view.
For example, you can view the “Audience” report to see information about your websites or app visitors, such as their location, gender, and interests.
You can also view the “Acquisition” report to see information about how users are finding your website or app, such as the keywords that they are using to search for your website or app.
- Compare data from Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.
If you are still using Universal Analytics, you can compare data from Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 by going to the “Data Comparison” report.
The “Data Comparison” report shows you how data has changed between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.
This can help you understand how your data may change over time and how you can make the most of Google Analytics 4.
- Make a plan to switch to Google Analytics 4.
Google Analytics 4 is a significant upgrade over previous versions of Google Analytics. It offers several new features and capabilities that can help you improve your marketing performance.
If you are not already using Google Analytics 4, we recommend you try it and make a plan to switch. The replacement date is not far away, and we want you to be prepared.
Benefits of Making the Switch
Universal Analytics was designed for a world where people primarily used desktop computers to access the internet. However, today, people use a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs. Google Analytics 4 is designed to measure activity across all of these devices. Systems like Universal Analytics only measure a limited number of user engagement metrics, such as page views and sessions. Google Analytics 4 measures a wider range of engagement metrics, such as time spent on pages, scrolls, and clicks. This gives businesses a better understanding of user behavior. For some, Universal Analytics can be difficult to use, especially for beginners. Google Analytics 4 is designed to be more user-friendly and intuitive. It is built on a new architecture that is more scalable and flexible. This will allow Google to continue to innovate and add new features in the future. Businesses that switch to GA4 early will be ahead of the curve and will be better positioned to succeed in the future.
The Key Differences Between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4
Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) are two different versions of Google’s analytics platform. UA has been around for over 15 years, while GA4 is a newer platform. The key differences to note are the data model, reporting, machine learning, and privacy.
- Data model: UA collects data about users’ sessions, while GA4 collects data about individual events.
- Reporting: UA has a more traditional reporting interface, while GA4 has a more interactive and customizable reporting interface.
- Machine learning: GA4 uses machine learning to provide insights that UA cannot.
- Privacy: GA4 was designed with privacy in mind, with added features that assist in protecting its users.
What This Means for Digital Marketing
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a significant upgrade over previous versions of Google Analytics. It offers several new features and capabilities that can help digital marketers improve their campaigns. One of the most important changes in GA4 is the move to an event-based data model, as we mentioned previously. This means that GA4 tracks individual events instead of sessions. This gives digital marketers deeper insight into how users interact with their websites. Machine learning provides capabilities that help identify patterns and predict trends. It goes far beyond any previous analytics platforms. Previously, we touched on the privacy element. This feature is extremely important for digital marketers. It allows us to comply with data privacy regulations. Making the switch to GA4 is a positive transition for digital marketing efforts. It offers several new features that will help your business improve campaigns and gain a better understanding of your audience.
Final Thoughts
Overall, GA4 is a more powerful and flexible analytics platform than UA. It is designed to meet the needs of businesses in the modern world, where people use a variety of devices and interact with websites and apps in different ways. If you are still using UA, we encourage you to start planning your switch to GA4. It is a big change, but it is worth it in the long run. We know big changes like this can be overwhelming. If you are looking to grow your business and utilize platforms and SEO updates in the most effective way possible, contact us. Our team is happy to help you implement these changes and create a successful digital marketing strategy.