Setting up GA4? Migrating from GA to GA4? Wondering: what on earth is the difference between GA and GA4 and how do I set it up properly? Step-by-step guide for a smooth transition to Google Analytics 4
If you're still using the old Google Analytics platform, it's time to take action. Google has announced that on Feb. 28, all users will be forced to switch to the new GA4 solution.
This means that if you do nothing, you will no longer have access to your current reports and dashboards and will no longer be able to collect data for your website.
To avoid getting into trouble, take action now and prepare for the transition to GA4.
It is best to do this as soon as possible so that you are ready in time for the change.
It is true that some consumer insights may be lost in the transition to GA4. However, it is not yet entirely clear exactly which specific reports are affected, as GA4 is still under development and the available reports may change.
The reports that provide consumer insights in Google Analytics Universal include:
So don't delay any longer, start preparing your transition to GA4 now. Make sure you are ready on time and stay on top of any updates or changes from Google.
Suppose you don't have time you can then take advantage of the Feb. 28 opt-out deadline. In this blog, you'll learn how to safely transfer your important data and retain lasting insight for effective retargeting campaigns.
Google is replacing Universal Analytics with GA4 because they want to improve the technology and provide more advanced analytics and privacy features. This helps companies better understand their customers and better protect their data.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a new platform with a new data model, functionalities and features. The platform can now better follow customer journeys due to the new functionalities. GA4 is more focused on privacy and sustainable for the future. It uses machine learning to predict certain behaviour of customers.
It's like playing a game and you want to know how well you're doing. The reports are like the results of the game, so you know how often you won, how many people are competing and what you can do even better to win the game.
In addition to the new name, GA4 also offers improved features and an updated look. Here are four valuable improvements in a row:
GA4 now allows you to send multiple data streams to Google Analytics. This means you can track not only your web traffic, but also that from mobile devices. This makes it easier to measure events and perform cross-platform analysis. These new features allow you to better understand how your users interact with your website on different devices. Should you want to know more about this, click here.
GA4 allows you to collect and analyze more versatile data, including forms, downloads, clicks and videos. Unlike the old Google Analytics, where you had to manually create events for specific actions, GA4 has an entirely new approach. Here, everything is placed under one concept called "event." This means you are no longer limited to boring metrics like pageviews/session, transactions and social interactions, and you have many more options to define and analyze events.
The type of hits in GA4 is event-based (events), any event can now basically be captured. Whereas previously with Universal there are different types of hits (page views, social, transaction etc.) they are seen as events in GA4.
GA4 has been available for some time and it is better because it is more event-oriented, among other advantages. Now that "event" can be anything, it's a lot harder to make assumptions about what's coming in. Hence, you see a less standard report, at least right now, within Google Analytics GA4. That's why we use the 'instant response' which is very flexible and you can quickly do ad hoc analysis.
With GA4 the move is made to be less like a reporting interface where you just view data, to more like a platform where you get the tools to build your own reporting from scratch! Over time, you will start building GA4 events, parameters and perhaps user properties, triggered by the conditions you want. In GA4, *every* hit is an event, not messy multiple hit types like you find in UA. Google's types are really the best sources for GA4 and GTM. New to event and conversions GA4 or want to switch to GA(3) Universal and have questions? Easily book a 1-1 with me.
Universal Analytics 3 had a wide range of reports that answered many of the questions about your data. However, the report design in the past was boring, consisting of a dashboard with a table of data. GA4 now offers a new, visually appealing design that displays data as maps. Moreover, you can set the navigation in Google Analytics to your liking.
The new Google Analytics 4 offers a revolution in data analysis through its flexible data model. This allows you to drive more information into the system and provides a new approach to how data is represented in the digital world.
By installing Google Analytics 4 on time, you make sure that is already retrieved from your website. Tags need to be reinstalled. In addition, it's good to dive into this so you can quickly become familiar with the new experience. You can run both Analytics side by side, until July 1, 2023 data will be retrieved from Universal. After this, it is still briefly in
Important to know: more and more new options are added to GA4. Maybe you are missing some functionalities that you had before in Universal. It is probably just a matter of time until GA4 is completely user friendly.
Use this tool to import your goals from Universal Analytics 3 into GA4. That choice is really up to you, and should reflect your business needs and priorities. However, before you start implementing fully customized events, I highly recommend you take a look at the "recommended events" by Google, and follow the event recommendations.
See, we are just now beginning to really understand GA4. And like every other Google product, it changes every day! There is still so much to learn and discover in GA4, and this process will look different for everyone. We encourage everyone to try out GA4 and play with it. It may be uncomfortable, but I assure you it's much more like UA than you think, just a little more advanced. Extra tools is never a waste, right?
Is there a migration tool for moving data from Google Analytics (GA UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?
Yes, Google provides a migration tool to help users move from Google Analytics (GA UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This tool can be found through the Google Analytics Admin page, where you can select the GA4 property you want to migrate to and follow the prompts to transfer your data. Please note that not all features and settings from GA UA are transferred to GA4, so it is important to review the migration process carefully before you begin.
Here's how it works. With the goals migration tool, you can quickly recreate relevant goals from your linked Universal Analytics property as conversion events in your Google Analytics 4 property.
What are the event types available for digital marketing in GA4?
In GA4, events can be split into 4 categories:
If you want to go further and add custom events, take inspiration from the naming standard and recommended events for naming yours.
I'm happy to give some feedback or advice. You might even find it helpful. Just send me an email: mohamed@groove-digital.nl
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