Google Analytics 4 (GA4) - What You Need To Know

Currently, Universal Analytics is a way of tracking website traffic, but it was designed with desktop web use in mind. It focuses on independent sessions, data from cookies and it keeps mobile properties separate. As things have changed, and more people use mobile devices, it’s quickly becoming obsolete. GA4 is set to replace Universal Analytics this year, and marketers need to be prepared for the switch.

What is GA4?

Launching in July, GA4 is the latest update of Google Analytics, and it’s a new version of the tracking software. Google Analytics is a free way to track website traffic and engagement, as well as the same metrics on apps. GA4 will become the default version of Google Analytics, and it will be the only option for tracking analytics from the summer. GA4 has been developed as a way to better focus on customer privacy, especially in light of GDPR changes. It has different metrics compared to the current version of Google Analytics, with a bigger focus on cross channel data measurement and AI predictive analytics.

When Does GA4 Launch?

GA4 will launch in July, and so marketers will need to set everything up beforehand. This will ensure that you are ready for the changeover, as Universal Analytics will stop gathering data from the launch.

How to Set Up GA4?

Setting up GA4 is a lot simpler than many marketers realise, and it shouldn’t take too long. Once you have logged into your Google Analytics account, click on the ‘Start Measuring’ button and then provide a ‘Property Name’. You will also need to select the correct ‘Reporting Time Zone’ and ‘Currency’. Next, select ‘Show Advanced Options’ and turn the toggle on. You can then add a website URL and select to create a ‘GA4 and Universal Analytics Property’. From there, you can add relevant information about the business.

If you already have a Universal Analytics Property and you want to change it to GA4, you can do this using the ‘GA4 Setup Assistant’.

What is the Difference Between Universal Analytics and GA4?

Whereas Universal Analytics tracks screen views in separate properties linked to mobile devices, GA4 combines everything into one property. This includes both web and app data.As we are more reliant on mobile apps and machine learning, GA4 is set up to let you track analytics on both websites and applications at the same time. With Universal Analytics, this was not possible. GA4 also uses a different measurement model, one that measures events and parameters with new metrics, whereas Universal Analytics was somewhat limited.

GA4 is going to be a key part of digital marketing going forward, and the Profici team is here to help. Contact us today to find out more about our digital marketing services.