Google Analytics 4 – It’s Time to Make the Switch

16, March 2023 | Category: Blog

If you’re using Google Analytics (GA) to track your website’s performance, you may be familiar with Universal Analytics (UA), the traditional version of the tool. However, in October 2020, Google released a new version of GA called Google Analytics 4 (GA4). GA4 represents a significant shift from UA, offering new features and benefits that make it a superior choice for businesses looking to gain insights into their website’s performance. Many SEO experts have already started to explore it.

What is GA4?

Google Analytics 4, or GA4, is the latest version of Google’s web analytics tool. It uses an event-driven data model that collects data based on user interactions rather than the traditional pageview-based model used in Universal Analytics. This means that GA4 can capture more granular data about user behaviour, allowing businesses to gain deeper insights into how users interact with their sites.

In addition to this, GA4 also includes several new features that make it a valuable tool for businesses. These include:

BigQuery Integration

One of GA4’s most intriguing features is its integration with BigQuery, Google’s data warehouse that allows processing of SQL queries at very high speeds. This means you can export your GA4 data into BigQuery and store and analyze it there. This is a big benefit for two reasons: first, it provides unlimited storage for your data; and secondly, it opens up a whole world of advanced analysis possibilities that were just not available with Universal Analytics without an external connector.

Integration with Google’s Machine Learning Technology

GA4 integrates with Google’s machine learning technology, which enables businesses to gain more accurate insights into user behaviour, as well as predictions for future trends.

Cross-Platform Tracking

Website and app engagement were always measured separately with Universal Analytics. However, GA4 now integrates Firebase Analytics data from apps and Google Analytics data from websites into a single property. This implies that getting a holistic picture of engagement across your platforms no longer needs to be a time-consuming and manual effort.

Emphasis on User Privacy

With the increasing concern around data privacy and security, GA4 provides more transparency and control over user data. It includes features such as data deletion on demand and opt-out mechanisms, which help users to maintain control over their personal data. This is important for businesses that want to build trust with their customers and ensure that they are using data in a responsible way.

Why you should Move to GA4 Right Now?

Now that we’ve covered what GA4 is, let’s explore why you should make a switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics GA4 right now.

GA4 is the Future of Google Analytics

Google has made it clear that GA4 is the future of GA, and it will continue to invest in developing new features and functionality for the tool. As such, businesses should start using GA4 now to stay ahead of the curve and take advantage of the latest technology.

Improved Data Collection

GA4 uses an event-driven model that collects data based on user interactions. This means that it can capture more granular data about user behaviour, allowing businesses to gain deeper insights into how users interact with their sites. This can help businesses identify improvement areas and make data-driven decisions to boost their website’s performance. Some of the key improvements in data collection in GA4 include the following:

• Cross-Device Tracking: GA4 can track users across devices, allowing businesses to understand user behaviour completely.
• Streamlined Tracking Setup: GA4’s tracking setup is simpler and more streamlined than Universal Analytics, making it easier for businesses to get started.
• Automatic Event Tracking: GA4 automatically tracks certain events, such as page views and scroll depth, without requiring any additional setup.

Enhanced Reporting Capabilities

Google Analytics 4 includes a range of new pre-built reports that provide more detailed information about user behaviour, engagement, and retention. These reports can be customized to fit specific business needs, making tracking and analyzing key metrics easier. Additionally, businesses can create custom reports and dashboards to focus on the data that matters most to them. Some of the key reporting enhancements in GA4 include:

• Engagement and Retention Metrics: GA4 provides new metrics that allow businesses to track user engagement and retention over time.
• Funnel Analysis: GA4 includes a new funnel analysis report that allows businesses to track user behaviour through a specific conversion process.
• User Acquisition Reports: GA4 provides more detailed information about how users acquire and engage with a site, including data on channels and campaigns.

Integration with Google’s Machine Learning Technology

GA4 integrates with Google’s machine learning technology, which enables businesses to gain more accurate insights into user behaviour and predictions for future trends. Some of the key benefits of GA4’s integration with machine learning include:

• Predictive Analytics: GA4 can use machine learning to predict which users will most likely convert, allowing businesses to target their marketing efforts more effectively.
• Automated Insights: GA4 can provide automated insights into user behaviour, making it easier for businesses to identify trends and patterns.
• Analysis Hub: GA4 includes an analysis hub that allows businesses to explore their data in new ways, including predictive modelling and cross-channel analysis.

In summary, GA4 represents a significant upgrade from UA, offering improved data collection, enhanced reporting capabilities, integration with machine learning, and a stronger emphasis on user privacy. So, if you are planning to optimise your website’s performance and stay abreast of the technology, it is crucial to move to GA4 right now.

Keep in mind that you can only use and collect new traffic data in your existing Universal Analytics account only till July 1st, 2023. So, we recommend you move across Google Analytics 4 at the earliest so that you can familiarize yourself with the dashboard and the new options available. Our team of SEO experts at Aiwa Digital can help you every step of the way and make sure your website is future-ready with the new GA4 integration.