G4 is coming, are you ready?
Google Analytics 4 (G4) is the future of data reporting, and Universal Analytics (UA) is on its way out. Switching to G4 is easy and offers better tracking and reporting. Here’s the differences you need to know and my quick-start guide on migrating and helping you update to G4.
Check out the official Google Analytics Help Center for more information on how to make the switch.
Google has 2 versions of data reporting for website traffic: Universal Analytics (UA) and Analytics 4 (G4). If you didn’t know already, Universal Analytics is going away and the deadline is July 1, 2023. At this point, UA will stop collecting hits/data and you will need to switch your tracking to a G4 account. Trust me, it’s not as scary as you think.
Differences when you update to G4:
Data Model: The main difference between the two is the data model used to collect and organize data. UA organizes data into accounts, properties, and views, while G4 focuses on user interactions and events.
Simplified Tracking Code: G4 uses a simplified tracking code that allows you to collect data with just a few clicks. You only need to set up the measurement code to your website using something like Tag Manager and G4 will automatically collect data on all users and events.
Automatic Event Tracking: G4 tracks user interactions and events automatically, no manual set up required as in UA.
Cross-Device Tracking: G4 tracks user behavior across devices, including smartphones, tablets, and desktops, better than Universal Analytics.
Implementation: G4 has easy setup with simplified tracking code for data collection in just a few clicks. Universal Analytics, on the other hand, requires more customization and coding to implement.
Reporting: The reporting capabilities of G4 are more advanced compared to Universal Analytics, with a greater emphasis on predictive analytics and machine learning. G4 also includes new reports such as the Engagement and User Lifetime reports, which can help you better understand how users interact with your website over time.
Integration with Google Ads: G4 integrates with Ads, so you can easily track the performance and optimize your campaigns. This allows you to see how your ads are driving traffic, user behavior, and make data-driven decisions to improve your ROI.
Overall, G4 is a more advanced and modern version of Google Analytics, with better reporting and tracking capabilities. However, you still need to configure some events and reports to your organization’s specific needs.
Quickstart Guide to Migrating to G4
- Set up a Google Analytics 4 property: First, you’ll need to create a new G4 property in your account. Here’s Google’s guide on how to do it: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9744165
- Set up data streams: Once you’ve created your new property, set up data streams to collect data from your website or mobile app: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9358801
- Install the global site tag: To start tracking data with Google Analytics 4, you’ll need to install the global site tag on your website or mobile app. Here’s a guide on how to do it: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1008080
- Set up custom events and parameters: Google Analytics 4 uses a new data model that allows you to track custom events and parameters. You’ll need to set up any of these custom events on your own and identify the data that’s important to you. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9267733
- Analyze your data: Once you’ve set up property and started collecting data, you can start analyzing in the G4 interface. https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10089681
Here’s a link to the official Google Analytics Help Center, which has more detailed information on how to migrate from Google Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4: https://support.google.com/analytics/topic/9363729
I hope this helps!
