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Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has been around for some while, yet even though new features are added frequently, many users found it lacking in particular areas or simply haven't had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the brand new interface.

However, as privacy concerns concerning the Google's Universal Analytics (UA) have been raised, along due to Google having set a date for when they will turn off UA, now is a more appropriate time to jump in and begin using GA4.

What exactly is GA4?

Google has succeeded in this feat by stepping up its game with machine learning, using models to "fill in the holes" in the event that users decide not to allow cookies. This is basically giving GA4 to continue providing insights around user engagement, while making their user data private.

Although it's not yet possible to download Universal Analytics, GA4 is in fact the default that will be used for new GA properties.

When Was GA4 the First to be Launched?

Google first announced the availability of GA4 earlier in July of 2019 (available for testing). The GA4 launch then followed by a full launch in October 2020, when it became the standard platform for all new properties.

Although GA4 has still yet to be accepted by the vast majority of marketers, businesses are now more aware of the importance of privacy and issues have been raised about how Universal Analytics (UA) deals with it.

How did Google Change Their UA in GA4?

Companies have relied on insights from Google Analytics for more than 10 years, analyzing the level of engagement with their users to gain an understanding of their website's performance. They also use the information to make educated decision-making.

While GA4 has the potential to provide similar insight, Google completely overhauled Universal Analytics and the data model that it is built upon, which means that it's impossible to transfer information from UA into GA.

There was an outcry among the online marketing industry because many site owners are collecting statistics and tracking the seasonal patterns for a long time. The idea of starting from zero is far from the ideal scenario.

GA4 is Google's answer to a future without cookies. GA4 states that it will allow companies to maintain tracking user interactions by using AI and machine-learning to "fill in the holes" for users who choose to not give their consent to be tracked.

What is this implying for GA users?

Google announced it would be discontinuing Universal Analytics on July 1st 2023. The company will be removing access to view historic data by the end of 2023.

Oh boy...this will cause headaches.

Universal Analytics (aka regular GA) will cease to exist in July 2023.

If you don't switch to GA4 you eventually won't track new hits and you'll lose historical data as wellhttps://t.co/vAwVNmBJ8c pic.twitter.com/tDf5YDC1qw

-- Dr. Marie Haynes (@Marie_Haynes) March 16, 2022

If you first started using Google Analytics after October 14 in 2020, you're likely you're using an GA4 property. Before that date is likely to be a UA property.

You're either ready for the transition to GA4 and are heavily reliant on UA, you should at least get started by opening an GA4 account in order to build up your historical records. At least one calendar year's worth of information allows you to compare your reports with those from the previous year, which is important for measuring seasonal trends.

GA4 Privacy

As websites continue to evolve and users become more conscious about privacy concerns, and even opting out of having their data analyzed, Google Analytics needed to make some big changes to provide pertinent information for website owners.

GA4 has addressed a few of these issues, using AI to create models that are based on the information they have order to give a clear understanding of how users who aren't tracked interact with websites.

Does GA4 GDPR Compliance Meet the Standards?

It is a concern that many webmasters are looking for answers to. While GA4 will take privacy more seriously than its predecessor, and comes with numerous privacy options which can be set to limit monitoring.

In fact an Twitter poll by SEO guru Aleyda Solis said that up to a third of the users might be considering ignoring Google Analytics altogether.

It was revealed today that Universal Analytics will stop processing hits from July 1, 2023 What are you planning to do?

-- Aleyda Solis (@aleyda) March 16, 2022

The Italian Data Protection Authority, Garante, found that Google illicitly transfer personal data of users to US, including IP addresses, browser details Operating systems screens, resolutions of the screen, selected languages, and the date and time of website visits. These websites are in breach of GDPR law.

What is the difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics?

Google first launched GA in 2005. while it has been updated over time, it remains based on the bases that simply aren't built for the web in the way we use it today.

Google Analytics 4 is a total overhaul of Universal Analytics designed with a focus on tracking all user interactions across various devices, allowing users to track their sessions as they move between mobiles, laptops and tablets. etc.

Data Models: What's New?

Data models serve to instruct Google Analytics on how to manage the information gathered from visitors to a specific site. One of the main differences between GA4 as well as UA is the way these data models work, and this is the reason Google isn't able to easily transfer users to UA into GA4.

The UA data model makes use of pages and sessions, both of which were first developed over fifteen years ago at the time that tablets and smartphones hadn't been fully developed.

The session-based model collects data by analyzing user interactions during a specified time. It has been in error, as users can be triggered by several goals within the same session. However, it is just one that is considered within UA.

The GA4 data model relies on variables and events, as well as the concept of cross-platform tracking in its foundation, which means you will see more precise reporting when customers switch between different devices.

What's the difference between my traffic What's the Difference GA4?

The methods used for collecting information from users have evolved, it's unlikely your traffic information will be consistent between the two variations that use Google Analytics, which is the reason there's no simple way to switch from UA GA4 to GA4. Similar to other metrics, including bounce rates and conversion rates.

Google Analytics 4 vs Universal Analytics Comparison of features

You may have noticed that GA4 includes some exciting new options, however certain UA features you know and love haven't been migrated to GA4.

GA4 Conversion Tracking

In UA the goal can be set up using events or Destinations. They can also be configured using Duration, Time, and. For example, you could make the goal "Form Submit" and associate it to an event that triggers when a user submits a form, or include a "Checkout Completion" goal, that is activated whenever a user arrives on the checkout page.

GA4, on its own, removed 'goals', and instead is tracking conversions, bringing the maximum number of conversions increased to the list to thirty. GA4 conversions must be generated using the event-based tracker that is built on Pages, Scrolls and Outbound clicks, Search on the site, Video engagement, and the download of files.

To set up conversion tracking in GA4 it is enough to link a particular event with a conversion.

GA4 also counts all conversion events, regardless of how many conversions happen for an individual user during a single session. This is why there are some differences when you compare GA4 information on conversions with UA.

How Do I Add Conversions In GA4

Begin by clicking Configure then Events from the left menu. Select every event you want to track as conversions, marking the events as conversions.

Then click Conversions to display the list of conversions that you have added.

Similar to UA conversions, GA4 converts can only be tracked from the time they're created. So you won't see new conversions in your historical data.

How To Make Custom Conversions In GA4

To create a custom conversion, select Create Event for a new event or Modify the event to alter any existing events. It is important to enter your event's name in the proper casing. After saving, you can mark your newly created event as a conversion.

Read Google's complete guide for further details on the process of setting up customized events.

GA4 Conversion Rate

It is possible to track the percentage of conversion for any event that triggers conversion using the conversion rate of users, which represents the percent of the people who initiated a conversion event, and the session conversion rate that is the proportion of sessions during the event that a conversion was activated.

GA4 Ecommerce Tracking

The Monetization reports within GA4 allow you to track how much revenue was generated by your website. They also provide you with other information to aid you in understanding which parts of your website performed most effectively in terms of revenue generated.

For a look at the reports on Monetization To view the Monetization reports, select Reports from the left navigation and after that select Monetization.

The report on the overview of your monetary performance report provides a summary of your earnings performance across your app and website.

The Ecommerce purchase report allows you to view more precise data in relation to the revenues generated from certain products as well as interactions with them.

Find out more information about setting up ecommerce event tracking for your website or applications.

GA4 Reports

GA4 is equipped with a range of built-in reports that can be used to monitor your sites as well as apps.

GA4 Reporting for UI

GA4 reports can be found under every section on the left menu, but they are also available in the snapshot reports provided within the Home dashboard. home dashboard. You can expand any snapshot report by clicking the links in the report cards.

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Like UA, each of the reports in GA4 includes an overview dashboard containing some essential reports. They are completely adjustable, and you'll be able to make reports that are focused on the metrics and dimensions which are crucial for your company.

In addition to these, you can also add the ability to compare, using filters that measure against normal data. These add additional series in the chart. This allows you to compare trends for various segments across time. Each chart can include several filters (e.g. country, device, operating system, etc.)

Saving Reports in GA4

You may have noticed there isn't a custom reports tab for GA4. For custom reports to be created in GA4 You must head over to the Explore section in the left menu and start an investigation. You can either create an entirely new report with the Blank option, or you can use any of the templates that are pre-built.

How To Create your Landing Pages Report in GA4

We're all familiar with statistics that reveal the number of the number of visits to certain landing pages over time. regardless of whether you're trying to discover the most popular landing pages within a specific period of time or employing filters to narrow down to landing pages that are specific.

While GA4 has no page for landing in its default dashboards, it's simple to configure this.

1. Click Explore on the left menu, then choose "Blank to start a fresh exploration.
2. Make sure you give your report a suitable title (e.g. the report on landing pages) and then choose your desired time frame.
3. Click Dimensions and search for Landing page. Check the box, and hit the import button.
4. Simply click Metrics, then select every one of the metrics you would like to include within your report. Examples include Total users, Bounce Rate, Conversions as well as Total revenue.
5. Double click each dimension and metrics you've included to add them to your report.
6. If you're interested in filtering landing pages to see the specific pages or groups of pages, look under tab Settings, then click filters and select the dimension or metric you would like to filter. In this case, if you want to view the blog's entire content it is possible to set the your landing pageto includes /blog/.
   

You can choose the type of report you'd like to see (e.g. table, donut chart, line chart, etc.) by selecting one of the choices under the heading Visualization.

If you wish to include multiple visualizations (e.g. table and line chart) You can copy the form first and then switch the visualization for the duplicated report.

It is possible to update form names to give them an appropriate title. You can do this by double-clicking the name.
 

Views and Data Streams

In the Universal Analytics views, they allow site owners to build subsets of properties with their specific configuration settings. In GA4 views, they have been replaced with data streams.

What Are GA4 data streams?

Data streams provide GA4 with an answer to UA Views. According to Google, a data stream refers to " A flow of information from your site or application into Analytics." Data streams can be classified into three types:

• Web (for websites)
• iOS (for iOS apps)
• Android (for Android apps)

In GA4, you don't have the possibility of creating multiple views but instead, can create multiple streams of data.

How Do I Set Up Data Streams

To create a data stream to your account, simply click the Admin button at the bottom of the left menu. Select your account and property that you'd like to modify, then click Data Streams from the property column, and then Add stream by selecting iOS application, Android app, or Web.

If you want to add a stream of data for your website, enter your website's URL (this is your domain, e.g. domain.com) as well as set a stream Name, e.g. " web stream".

Enhanced measurement is the default choice, which automatically collects pages viewed and events. It is possible to disable this feature by selecting the toggle (this is also possible at a later time if you want to).

Google suggests that, in the majority of situations, one data stream is necessary for every category (web/app) since the addition of multiple streams to a web account could result in inconsistent results. You can find out more information about this on Google's guidelines for structuring the structure of your GA4 Account.

You'll need to add the Analytics tag to your website before data shows up in your new GA4 property. Learn how to adding an GA4 tag on your WordPress site.

Monitoring Subdomains GA4

One of the main benefits of the new gtag.js fragment is that it can set cookies at the highest possible domain level. This means that GA4 is able to track users across all subdomains without any additional setup required.

GA4 UTM Tracking

Google has provided support for most Tracking parameters for UTM So you are able to continue to include these in your the campaigns you track in GA4. Then, you can find them in the Traffic Acquisition Report.

GA4 Search box

The search bar in GA4 lets you access immediate reports that are based on the query you typed. The auto-suggest feature can help to identify similar questions when you start typing, which can save you time and aid you in finding reports.

The GA4 search box also supports instant responses, meaning you are able to ask questions such as "how many conversions have we received last week?"

The GA4 search bar also provides Google support documents, and could be extremely helpful in aiding in answering any questions you have regarding how to set your GA4 account.

How to Switch To GA4

Are you prepared to leap and open GA4 account? GA4 account? Before you cut all links to UA, don't forget to export historical data from UA.

How to Download Your Historic data from UA

Google has previously stated the fact that it is not possible to transfer your data to UA to GA4 due to the brand new platform using different data models (We discussed this issue briefly in the past however Google goes into more detail in the documents). You can however start downloading the historic data from UA.

To manually export data to manually export data, you need to go to the GA report you wish to download. Like Acquisition > All Traffic > Channels. Choose the segments and filters you would like to applyand click EXPORT on the menus at the top of the right. The file can be downloaded in the form of a PDF, Google Sheet, Excel file, or CSV.

Although it can be beneficial in preserving valuable data however, it has limitations:

• There is currently only two dimensions at once.
• rows can be capped at 5k
• data can be samples (the checked-mark green on the top left is visible when the data is not sampled)

This article from SEJ offers a variety of other methods for downloading your data.

Migration to GA4

While Google provides a number of tools that can help you move your objectives into GA4 however, you'll need to start again in order to configure your account.

How Do I Make an Google Analytics 4 property Using the existing U.A. Tracking Code

If you're currently using Universal Analytics with gtag.js, it is easy to associate this property to your newly created GA4 account by connecting tag tags for your site, saving the time of adding an additional tracking tag.

How Do I Add Connected Website Tags

1. Go to Administrator at the bottom of the menu on the left. select your account as well as the property you wish to purchase.
2. Click Data Streams under Property
3. Select the web tab and then select the web data stream.
4. Click Manage linked site tags under the Google tag section
5. In Connected Tags, enter the tracking ID for the UA property you wish to add (you will find it within the Administration section of your UA account under the property's Tracking Information and Tracking ID
6. Name it (e.g. [Site name[Site name] UA ID)
7. Click to to connect.

GA4 Setup Assistant

GA4 Setup Assistant GA4 Setup Assistant is used to create your new GA4 property, which will run in tandem with your existing Universal Analytics property. It means you'll still have access to the UA property (for the moment! ).

This GA4 Setup Assistant Wizard won't include any previous data on your new property, so the sooner you get started earlier, the quicker you'll begin collecting the data.

Take a look at this article from Google to get step-by-step instructions about how you can use the GA4 setup wizard to build a GA4 property for a site which uses Universal Analytics.

GA4 Goals Migration Tool

GA4 is now equipped with a tool that allows you to automatically migrate goals to UA to GA4. To use the tool the account you have to be set to an "Editor" position.

Open your new GA4 property, and then hit Admin. Then click Setup Assistant in the column for Property Then, navigate to import existing goals from the connected Universal Analytics property and click Start. It is now possible to select the goal you'd like migrate to the GA4 property.

You can also find your latest conversion events in the GA4 properties, in Conversions > Configure within the Conversion Events table. The process can take as long as 24 hours for the conversion to complete.

You can read more about this in Google's help documentation.

Dimensions and Metrics for GA4

Although many metrics and dimensions are automatically added in the process of setting up GA4 however, some need additional setting before they can be activated.

Users

Universal Analytics has two User parameters: The Total User, which are users who started the minimum of one or more sessions during the specified date period, and new users, which are first-time users who came to the site during the selected date range.

In Google Analytics 4, there are three User metrics: Total Users, New Users, and active users.

The Active User is the main measure of user activity in GA4 and is made up of the amount of people who visited websites or an application. A user who is active can be initiated by any person who is in been in an active session or when Analytics collects:

• The first_visit event , or engagement_time_msec parameter from a website
• the initial_open event or engagement_time_msec parameter of an Android application
• the the first_open or user_engagement event that comes from an iOS app

The majority of reports within UA use Users, which is based on total users. GA4 additionally uses Users however it is calculated built on Active Users that are calculated differently, so can cause confusion when using the same metrics.

An equivalent metric for GA4 is available through Explorations for a look at Total users.

Engagement Rate

Engagement rate, which is dependent on the percentage of engaged sessions and is determined by the number of sessions that were more than 10 seconds, had a conversion event, or had at least 2 pageviews or screenviews.

Bounce Rate

In GA4, Bounce Rate refers to the percent of sessions which had no engagement, so it is the reverse of engagement rate.

In GA4, users who spend more than 10 minutes on a website aren't thought to be bounced and are therefore better.

GA4 Training Program

If you're trying to find more information about the possibilities with Google Analytics 4, and want to learn about how you can make use of the latest capabilities available with GA4 while also benefiting from an industry-recognized certification, now is the time to enroll on the Google Analytics 4 training program..

Today, we're officially launching the Google Analytics 4 training program and certification on Skillshop.

Take your knowledge to the next level and get your industry-recognized badge now to showcase your expertise - https://t.co/qzst6Am5uM

--- Google Analytics (@googleanalytics) August 16, 2022

Summary

If you've been delaying making the switch to GA4 it's the time to get started. If you're not yet ready to invest the time into getting familiar with GA4, you can easily run both versions in parallel, giving you continued access to UA reports you know and enjoy until UA goes away.

It is a fact that Google will pull the plug on July 2023, so the sooner you transition to GA4 as soon as you can, the faster you'll be able to begin getting to grips with the future of Google Analytics.

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