Google Analytics 4, also known as GA4, is Google’s replacement for Universal Analytics. UA will cease to collect data after July next year.

GA4 will soon be the only way to collect user data, whether we like it or not. But why close down Universal Analytics?

Why is Google Forcing Us To Upgrade to GA4

In the past few years, individuals have become more aware of what data companies are doing with their data.

Although legislation has been passed, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), many people still worry about their data and how it is being used. This anxiety can be seen in the increase in VPN services that advertise private, untraceable browsing.

Google announced that it will also remove third-party cookies next year, just like Safari and Firefox. This means that more than 80% of browser traffic won’t involve third-party cookies and that UA won’t be able to track them accurately.

Google won’t create identifiers for people to follow while they browse the internet.

GA4 is designed to work without cookies. GA4 can use machine learning to compensate for data loss. GA4 was able to retrieve 70% of user journeys during a 6-day trial. As Google improves GA4, it will get better accuracy.

These third-party cookie changes will have a huge impact on advertising’s future operations – the ability of site visitors to remarketing is expected to change dramatically.

How does GA4 differ from Universal Analytics?

Although there are many differences between GA4 and UA, the most significant difference between GA4’s functionality and UA’s is its event tracking.

Anyone who has ever used UA knows the importance of tracking visitor sessions. The session begins when a visitor visits your site. It ends after 30 minutes or after midnight. If the visitor returns through a different campaign, a new session will be initiated.

GA4 uses events instead of sessions so a page view event will fire each time someone visits, regardless of the time frame or time between sessions.

Your user can click on buttons to access pages or fill out forms during a session. These events can be converted into conversions, which replace goals used by UA.

GA4 will not include many of the reports that are available in UA without session tracking. GA4 lets you create custom reports to replace the standard reports. Explorations allow you to create sales funnels or sessions based on events. You can then compare journeys between different users by using this tool.

It is now more important to set up audiences and events. These will be used for building a picture of how visitors use the site, and what issues might be driving conversions.

To build a complete picture, an ecommerce site might use several events such as’session_start, view_producer’t, add_to_cart, and? purchase’. One of these events may be ‘purchase’, which is the only one that can be tracked as a conversion.

The new system will allow GA4 accounts to have more events than UA.

Remember that GA4 allows only one property per site. If you create your account incorrectly, you won’t be able to open a new property. It is important to make sure your test property is running before you transfer to your real property.

Your GA4 checklist

Although July 2023 might seem far away, organizations must act quickly to avoid losing year-on-year comparisons that are crucial for identifying market trends and giving you better context about how your website performs relative to previous performance. This risk can be mitigated by following the steps below.

Create a GA4 account test account as soon

Although it may seem that you have plenty of time to prepare for the switch GA4 requires time and effort to properly set up. Start a test account and learn the new interface. Before you transfer to a live account, make sure everything works as it should.

GA4 allows only one site property. You cannot rush to set up this site or make mistakes in your live account. They will impact your already limited data.

Create a Measurement Strategy

It is important to think about how you will track visitors through events. You can choose from many different types of events that map user journeys. They should be customized to your business’s requirements. Any custom reports will need to be set up.

Your GA4 Account Must Be Running Together With UA

Currently, you can only transfer your UA data from GA4 by obtaining a paid account at Analytics 360. This could depending on your site’s size, cost you upwards of PS100,000. 

You can ensure a smooth transition by setting up GA4 as soon and having it running alongside UA. You’ll have at least one year of data when UA goes into the sunset.

Make sure your current tracking is compatible with GA4

Ask other tracking companies how they are adapting GA4. Avoid those who are hesitant to answer the question. You don’t want to be left without tracking.

Review

Before you move your GA4 setup to a property, make sure it is running smoothly. You only have one site for your GA4 setup and one chance to make this transition flawlessly. Don’t move until everything is tested and you are sure that this is the setup that you want to live with for the long term.

Export your UA Data

Although Google hasn’t stated explicitly that they will remove UA data from their servers, there are hints they won’t store it forever.