GA4 what you need to know

Google Analytics is a tool that helps businesses track how people use their website. It’s changing, and there’s a new version called GA4. This new version is more powerful and can track things in more detail. But, it’s also different and requires businesses to migrate their old data to the new version. The new version is focused on privacy and gives users more control over their data. This means that businesses need to make sure they’re following privacy rules and getting users’ permission to collect their data. If you’re a small business owner, it’s essential to know about these changes and start preparing for them, so you can keep track of how your website is doing and protect your customers’ privacy.

With the new GA4 version, businesses will need to update their tracking codes on their websites to start collecting data for the new version. Here are some changes that need to be updated:

1. Migrate to GA4: Businesses that are currently using Universal Analytics will need to migrate their existing properties to GA4. This migration process involves setting up a new GA4 property and updating the tracking code on their website.

2. Set up events-based tracking: GA4 uses event-based tracking instead of page views tracking, so businesses will need to set up event tracking for their website. This involves identifying the user interactions that are most important to the business and setting up event tracking for those interactions.

3. Data collection: With GA4, businesses can collect more data than before, including data from mobile apps, websites, and other digital properties. This means that businesses need to make sure they’re only collecting data that is relevant to their website and users and complying with privacy regulations.

4. Privacy controls: GA4 has built-in privacy controls that allow users to manage their data better and protect their privacy. Businesses need to make sure they’re following these privacy controls and obtaining user consent before collecting their data.

5. Reporting and analysis: GA4 has a new user interface and more comprehensive analysis options, making it more user-friendly and powerful than the current version. However, businesses will need to familiarise themselves with the new interface and learn how to use the new analysis options to get the most out of the data collected.

It has been an essential tool for website owners and marketers to understand their website performance and make data-driven decisions to optimise their online presence. However, Google Analytics is evolving, and a new version, GA4, will be replacing the current Universal Analytics as of July 1st, 2023. In this article, we will outline the changes occurring to Google Analytics and what it means for website owners and marketers.

First, let’s understand what Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is. GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics that offers more advanced features and capabilities than the current Universal Analytics. GA4 uses machine learning to provide better insights into user behaviour across different devices and platforms, including mobile apps, websites, and other digital properties. GA4 has a new user interface, improved tracking capabilities, and more comprehensive analysis options, making it more user-friendly and powerful than the current version.

One of the significant changes in GA4 is the introduction of events-based data tracking. In Universal Analytics, tracking data was based on page views, but in GA4, data tracking is based on events. Events can be any user interaction with your website, such as clicks, form submissions, and video plays. The events-based tracking offers more flexibility and better data accuracy than pageviews tracking, allowing website owners to analyse user behaviour in more detail.

Another significant change in GA4 is the focus on privacy and data protection. GA4 has built-in privacy controls that allow users to manage their data better and protect their privacy. It includes features such as data deletion, user-centric data control, and consent mode, which allows website owners to obtain user consent before collecting their data. With the increasing concern over data privacy, these features are crucial for website owners and marketers to comply with privacy regulations and build trust with their users.

As GA4 is a new version of Google Analytics, website owners and marketers will need to migrate their existing Universal Analytics properties to GA4. This migration process can be a challenge, as GA4 has a different tracking system and data structure than Universal Analytics. However, Google has provided detailed documentation and migration guides to help website owners and marketers make the transition smoothly.

GA4 is a significant update to Google Analytics that offers more advanced features and capabilities than the current Universal Analytics. The new version focuses on event-based tracking, privacy, and data protection, and requires a migration process for existing users. Website owners and marketers who want to stay ahead of the game in digital marketing should start exploring and implementing GA4 in their analytics strategy to take advantage of its new features and capabilities.