Google has announced that its current flagship data analytics tool Universal Analytics (or Google Analytics 3) is on the verge of being phased out in favor of the arrival of Google Analytics 4, described by its owner Google as the next-generation measurement solution.
Starting July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new results, and new data will only be sent to Google Analytics 4 properties. Therefore, it is highly important to transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) as soon as possible to avoid any risk of data loss, begin making necessary changes, and adapt accordingly. However, Universal Analytics reports will remain available for a period after July 1, 2023, allowing you to access your data during the transition and make comparisons between the two systems.
The migration to Google Analytics 4 is a significant task and raises important questions, which we will address in this article.
What is Google Analytics 4?
Contrary to what one might initially think, Google Analytics 4 is not new. Its beta version was first introduced in 2019 under the name App + Web before becoming Google Analytics 4 in October 2020, announced as the new default property and replacement tool for Universal Analytics.
If you are unfamiliar with Google Analytics in general, the platform is an essential tool for monitoring organic traffic, paid traffic, conversions, engagement, etc., and deriving performance reports.
How is GA4 different from Universal Analytics?
Indeed, Google Analytics 4 is not an upgrade of Universal Analytics. It is a new tool that completely changes how the system works with a new approach to data focused on user engagement. Although the differences are numerous to list, three key changes illustrate the importance of transitioning to GA4:
1) From a ‘session-centric’ to an ‘event-centric’ approach
The new Analytics provides user-centered (customer) measurement instead of fragmented measurement by device or platform based on the session concept. The goal is to provide in-depth analysis of engagement.
This gives a more comprehensive view of the customer journey and user experience, i.e., how your customers interact with the interface. You will gain a better understanding of customers throughout their lifecycle, from acquisition to conversion and retention. For example, you can see if customers first discover your business through a web ad, then install your app and make purchases. Such an approach is crucial and more sensible in a context where people’s needs evolve so rapidly that you need to make real-time decisions to acquire – and retain – new (current) customers.
Still in this perspective of commitment, the often requested bounce rate by users of Analytics no longer appears relevant. It is considered irrelevant for some users since it corresponds to the absence of interaction with the content of a page after viewing it – in other words, after opening a session. While this measure seems quite interesting, which is already the case, it may not necessarily be suitable for some sites where no action is required, such as blogs or directories that provide a direct response to the user’s query from the first page and therefore naturally display a high bounce rate. On the other hand, the metric that would be more relevant to consider is the time spent on the page.
To address this, Google Analytics 4 replaces the bounce rate with an engagement rate that leads to other indicators such as engaged sessions, engagement rate, engagement time, sessions engaged per user, etc.
2) More relevant insights
The search for relevant insights is at the heart of Google Analytics 4. The Google Analytics 4 property relies on your data and advanced machine learning models to design predictive models that anticipate user behavior and make action recommendations to improve conversion. For example, it calculates the likelihood of unsubscribing to help you invest more effectively in customer retention. This type of information is intended to improve decision-making from a marketing, financial, and strategic perspective to achieve a better return on investment.
However, this advancement requires a substantial volume of data to maximize model reliability. Through alert settings, it automatically notifies you of significant observed trends and, if necessary, significant data fluctuations detected such as an abnormal decrease in visits, high demand for a product, etc.
3) More privacy for a sustainable future
Google Analytics 4 has chosen to focus on privacy for a sustainable future in the face of multiple regulations in this direction. It’s decided! GA4 does not use third-party cookies. It only uses internal cookies to track users across sessions and fills gaps resulting from the absence of third-party cookies using machine learning.
Overall, GA4 is easier to pick up and use for beginners. The platform is essentially designed for funnel analysis, conversion paths, and customer journeys.
Is it necessary to migrate to Google Analytics 4?
Earlier this year, Google announced that all standard Universal Analytics accounts will stop processing data on July 1, 2023, followed by Universal Analytics 360 properties on October 1, 2023.
After these dates, Universal accounts will no longer collect data, and shortly after these dates, you will no longer be able to access previous data either (Google estimates about six months).
It’s a bad idea to wait before migrating. Google Analytics 4 is a completely different system from Universal Analytics, and most of your UA data is not compatible with the new property. You do not export your existing data to GA4 but start fresh and collect new data going forward. So, the sooner you start doing this, the better.
If your UA data is so valuable, you also have the option to export it to a third-party platform for future reference, but this will not help with the migration to GA4.
How do I migrate to Google Analytics 4?
Below are the main steps to successfully complete this migration while answering some of your most common questions. Feel free to consult the detailed guide published by Google: Move to Google Analytics 4 – Google Analytics Help. Ultimately, they are best placed to tell you everything.
The migration to Google Analytics 4 involves five key steps:
1) Basic Setup
Create a new Google Analytics 4 property and run it alongside your existing Universal Analytics property to collect data. Maintaining dual tracking allows you to take the time to familiarize yourself with this new tool (new features should quickly appear) and compare the data from your two tracks to detect potential gaps and adjust your GA4 tracking. Of course, in order to be able to track data, it is necessary to create a data stream in this new property and activate it.
Your Universal Analytics property remains unchanged and continues to collect data as usual. However, as mentioned earlier, the new Google Analytics 4 property does not include historical data. It only collects upcoming data. To view historical data, use reports from your Universal Analytics property.
2) Setting up Events and Goals on GA4
Add events to your new account to track key user actions on your website, such as CTA clicks, cart additions, form interactions, video views, etc., depending on your activity, performance indicators, and goals.
Then, create goals related to the platform via GA events (if applicable) to track the progress of your efforts and their achievement. The new engagement-centered logic will help you see more clearly in this direction.
3) Audience Configuration on GA4
Add audience configurations to collect and display data for different audience types and profiles, such as organic traffic, new visitors, retention rate, buyer personas, etc.
4) Confirmation
After the initial setup process, let your new GA4 property run and verify that it collects data as expected after the first month.
Other Changes?
On April 4, 2022, Google also announced that the Google My Business app will soon no longer be available. It will be replaced by Google Maps & Search, and businesses will manage their Google Business profile(s) directly from the Google Maps app.
