We will be discussing how to upgrade Google Analytics 4.

Google Analytics allows you to track any type of traffic or event that is related to your channels. They now offer a new property called Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

This is the latest version of Google Analytics, following Universal Analytics (UA), which was used frequently. Google Analytics makes changes to its property using GA4.

We will be revealing:

• What is GA4?
• There are differences between Universal Analytics and GA4.
• When is it time to upgrade to GA4
• How do you upgrade to Google Analytics 4

What is GA4?

Google announced that Universal Analytics would be retired and Google Analytics 4 will become the sole performing property.

UA will cease collecting and processing data after 1st Jul 2023. However, you will still be able to access your historical data until that date. Your new data will be stored in GA4 properties starting from that date.

The best feature of the GA4 upgrade is that it combines data from mobile apps and websites into one Google Analytics property.

Google Analytics shifts its focus to customer privacy with GA4. It focuses on current privacy laws such as General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), and The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

The GA4 upgrade also allows you to track your traffic with high privacy priority. It’s also known as the “privacy first” approach. This includes cross-channel data collection, measurement, and analysis. It is also an upgrade from session-based data in UA to event-based data in GA4.

Another important point is that it allows you to perform accurate predictive analysis using the machine-learning capabilities provided by Google. Machine learning allows you to fill out data about traffic to your app or website and understand user behavior better.

It records visitors’ behavior from their first visit to their last click. All of these make it possible to track user journeys more efficiently and broadly. This is what Google Analytics 4 aims to do.

There are differences between Universal Analytics and GA4.

Technology advancements that are occurring every day have led to the differences in GA4 and UA.

Machine learning has been made easier by mobile apps. Google Analytics has had to update its properties due to new privacy laws. GA4, the latest property from Google Analytics, was designed by these updates and current analytics needs.

GA4 can bring up multiple changes. These are the five major differences between GA4 & UA.

Data analysis from Web and Application

While UA collects data only from your website, GA4 allows you to gather and analyze data from both your website and your application.

It unites all data into one collection, making it easier to track and analyze your users’ journeys across all devices.

Machine Learning

GA4 promises that prediction based on user behavior will be one of the major upgrades to GA4. It uses machine learning predictive metrics for tracking and analyzing user journeys to provide you with predictions about your next steps.

The tool is a customer-behavior-based property, and it traces the steps of your customers from beginning to end. The tool analyzes all user behavior and predicts consistent prospects using machine learning. For more information on machine learning, please visit our AI & Miami Digital Marketing article.

Data Streams

Data streams are another important difference between the GA4 upgrade UA.

Data streams combine data from different sources to create one property. UA collects data from different sources and filters them according to your needs. GA4 allows you to connect all data sources, such as websites and apps, into one property.

Event-Based Data

Event-based data is a significant difference between GA4 & UA.

UA uses a session-based model. This model tracks user behavior using sessions that are started with a cookie stored in the visitor’s browser.

GA4 now adds events to sessions. While session-based data can still be viewed and used, cross-device reporting will be possible with the event-based model.

Privacy Consent

Organizations have faced some problems collecting data from individuals who don’t consent to it, due to privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.

GA4 upgrade brings some privacy changes to users. GA4 anonymizes IP addresses automatically and has a privacy consent mode that can reduce the GDPR effects.

This mode allows you to report content, conversions, and attribution, even if it is impossible to reach users or cannot directly identify them.

GA4 uses this model to reduce missing data that is based on privacy regulations.

How do you upgrade to Google Analytics 4?

It’s not difficult to upgrade to GA4. Here are the steps to upgrade to Google Tag Manager if you’re using it:

• Log in to your Google Analytics account first.
• Next, navigate to the Admin panel.
• Click on “GA4 Setup Assistant”.
• Next, click on “Get Started.”
• Click on “Create Property” to finish.
• Your GA4 property has been completed.

Log in to your Google Analytics account.

Log in to Google Analytics. Log in to find the Admin panel.

Go to the Administration panel.

The ‘GA4 Setup Assistance’ will be at the top right of the admin panel’s ‘Property Column’.

Click on “GA4 Setup assistant”

You can launch the upgrade by clicking this button. You will then see two options.

Create a new GA4 property

Connect to an existing GA4 property

Click on “Get Started”

You can tap the Get Started button under Create a new GA4 Property’ if you already have a UA asset.

The wizard will give you factual information at this point.

– Your historical data will not be included in your new GA4 property

– The GA4 property copies only basic settings

– It allows for enhanced measurement

Click on “Create Property”

Next, click on “Create Property”. Voila! You have created your GA4 property. Next, add the tag to your website.

Your GA4 property has been prepared

To view your property, click ‘See Your GA4 Asset’. Now you can customize it to your liking.

Add your GA4 tag on your website or app. Next, adjust the data stream to which you wish to apply triggers. You can also confirm data flow by using the Tag Assistant reporting feature in the ‘DebugView” segment. More information on upgrading to GA4 can be found here. 

When should you upgrade to GA4?

Upgrade to GA4 is possible until July 2023. It is best to upgrade your computer quickly to get familiar with all the options GA4 offers. There are some things you need to keep in mind.

Your historical data will not be transferred to this property when you upgrade to GA4. All of your historical data will be kept safe in your UA account. However, UA won’t collect any new data starting from this day. You will have a clean and empty history of data in GA4.

Any organization needs historical data to gain insights and make informed decisions. It allows you to compare events and provides insight into the past.

We strongly recommend that you keep both properties to have access to your historical data. You can then switch between them to link your historical data.

You can also use GA4 to create historical data for this property for at least one calendar year if you upgrade as soon as you can. This will provide a competitive advantage for your company.

Don’t wait until July 2023 for GA4 to upgrade, so that you can begin collecting historical data about this property.

The Key Takeaways

GA4 offers many innovative features that will make it easier to collect data and allow you to get more precise and accurate insight into your business.

It’s more functional than UA in cross-channel data collection and the productive use of machine learning.

Which is better, now or later? It is easy to answer. While you can transfer to GA4 for understanding and familiarization, you should continue to use UA to access your historical data.