The long-awaited Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has finally arrived! Google has announced that GA4 will replace Google Universal Analytics (UA). UA will also cease handling new hits starting in July 2023.
GA4 migration is now a mandatory requirement and not an option. You still have plenty of time to change your GA4 provider, but you should start planning now, especially if you are already using the service or have historical data. You can still save your data. Kobe digital experts will help you if necessary.
This complete guide will help you get started with Google Analytics 4.
- What’s Modified?
- Transition to GA4
- The pros and cons of switching to Google Analytics
- How to use Google Analytics 4?
GA4: What’s New?
Well, a lot.
GA4’s data collection logic and data structure are quite different. Everything is designed with users and events in view, as opposed to sessions in the past. This is a significant shift because the traditional session-based model, which categorized user activity over some time, did not apply to us.
Moving the focus from sessions and events to events is a great way for marketing and website designers to benefit, with cross-platform analysis and improved pathing capabilities. GA4 is more flexible and can predict user behavior better by switching to an event-based model.
Tracking App Activity for Mobile
GA4’s key feature is the ability to track both app and online activity. This gives you a better and more complete view of your consumer journey. Mobile apps are becoming more popular and will generate $935 billion in revenue by 20231. GA4 will close this gap between app activity and traffic, greatly improving your marketing data. This is great news for SEO agencies.
Less dependence on Cookies
When GA4 was developed, privacy concerns of the future and today were taken into account. It doesn’t store IP addresses anymore and it doesn’t rely solely on cookies. This feature complies with global data privacy laws, and it responds to rising consumer and brand demand for data management and security.
Powered By Data Attribution
Data-driven attribution allows you to assign credit along customer journeys while monitoring and analyzing the overall impact of your marketing efforts. These details will allow you to understand how your marketing impacts your conversions. You can also download reports from Google Ads or Google Marketing Platform media tools to maximize campaigns.
Google has changed the last-click attribute mechanism in Google Ads for new conversion activities to attribution-powered data, unless you have explicitly chosen not to opt-out.
What do I need to upgrade to GA4?
Do you need to upgrade to Google Analytics 4 urgently? The answer is yes.
Set up a GA4 property to be used with Universal Analytics. Even if you don’t plan to use it immediately, gathering data and improving your machine-learning (ML) models will increase the importance of your future investigations.
More intelligent marketing strategies can be achieved by better data collection
The pros and cons of switching to Google Analytics
Even though it may seem daunting to move to GA4, there are many benefits.
Optimizing AI- GA4 uses AI to analyze the data and forecast the future. It can also provide insights that are unique to your company. This will allow you to avoid problems and capture trends sooner. GA4 now includes engagement metrics, including session rate and time spent engaging. Other dimensions that can be tracked include attribution, demographics, and events.
This is a significant change but it will make it easier to track clients as they travel. GA used to believe page views were the best way to measure effectiveness. However, this is no longer true. While there will be some learning curves with the new parameters, you’ll have more information.
Improved reporting and insights – GA4 provides foresight and reports across multiple platforms and tracks devices by using a single user ID. A single User ID across all channels and devices allows for improved attribution.
Predictive analytics can have a significant impact on the repositioning strategies of most corporations. AI metrics include Likelihood to purchase, churn potential, and revenue prediction. These metrics can be used to build audiences based on their expected behaviors. These indicators can be used to improve websites’ performance. These indicators can be used to create unique funnels that cater to different audiences based on their preferences and behavior. The recommendations will improve as more information is collected.
Cross-Platform Monitoring – Using a single user ID across all devices and platforms, you can provide integrated tracking and reporting capabilities. It will be easier to save time, money, and frustration than having to fix the user’s journey across devices or platforms.
Any new product may encounter problems, especially during the initial phase. Here’s an alert:
Meet the new kid on block GA4 is still in the early stages. There could be bugs, missing capabilities, and version adjustments. You should be flexible, patient, and ready for any setbacks, as well as anticipating growing pains.
Loss in Historical Data- Google will stop collecting data from July 2023 (October 1st for 360 users). You cannot move the content from UA/360 or GA4 in any other way. If you want to retain historical data (data before GA4 was adopted), you will need to manually export it.
How to use Google Analytics 4?
Be adventurous. You can begin to explore the platform. The platform will teach you the basics and how to use it.
The Search Bar and Dashboard are your best friends.
GA4’s search feature gives you instant answers to your specific questions (e.g. “how many people this month? vs. previous years”), access to detailed statistics and property settings, as well as help materials.
You can explore the available information by doing a few searches such as how to generate reports or top visitors by area. As you get familiar with the new dashboard, the search board will prove to be very helpful.
Personalize your Reports Quick View
This feature is great because you can customize the report snapshot to quickly see the information that matters to your needs. GA4 will be easier to understand, which makes it easier to use.
View Recommended Audiences
Google Analytics now suggests new audiences. This information is crucial for expanding your user base and entering new markets. You provide Google information about your company and industry when you create a GA4 asset. Google uses the data to find new audiences for your company.
Google Analytics 4 is free?
Google Analytics 4 property types are also available for free, just like Universal Analytics. There are no fees for using one or more GA4 properties.
Is using Google Analytics 4 challenging?
GA4 can be customized in many ways, making it difficult to learn. Once you become familiar with it, however, you will be able to access additional insights that can be used to grow your business.
Summary
Google Analytics 4 provides valuable information about your audience. It offers many benefits, including cross-platform tracking, greater data control, and AI-driven insight. Although creating a GA4 property for your website or app is easy, it can be daunting at first. Kobe Digital can provide more information about the new Google Analytics 4 features and how to use data to create digital marketing in Los Angeles plan that works.
