GA4: The Next Evolution in Measuring Website Traffic
Most of us don’t deep dive the nitty gritty code contours of every update and press release that Google publishes — there aren’t enough hours in the day — plus, tech-speak is a language unto itself. But the upcoming switch to GA4 is one you may already be well aware of, thanks to the hard-to-miss banners and automated emails from Google Analytics that have been warning about the imminent change for nearly a year now.
Google is switching from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. So, now what?
Fortunately, at Haystack, we’ve got a team of search specialists who nerd out on these updates for fun (well, and because we pay them to)! We’ve done the homework for you and have rounded up all you need to know about the changing landscape of digital analytics.
This property will stop processing data starting July 1, 2023
As Google has been shouting for months, its older Universal Analytics (UA) platform is being retired in favor of the next iteration: Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Like it or not, switching from UA to GA4 will be mandatory beginning on July 1, 2023. But don’t worry — Google will automatically generate GA4 properties on your behalf, so there’s no lapse in data collection.
Google has also set up a reference library to get users up to speed — it’s not exactly a gripping read but could be helpful to those looking for a deeper understanding of the new tool. For everyone else, let’s cut to the chase and talk about what’s happening with this platform transition and what it means for you.
The most meaningful difference between UA and GA4 is how they handle data.
UA was built around sessions, which are defined as user interactions with a website or app over time.
For UA reporting, businesses had to manually set up tracking tags and define custom metrics to collect desired data.
UA also required separate codes for each platform and device, such as desktop, mobile, and tablet.
In contrast, GA4 uses an event-driven model which allows comprehensive behavior tracking.
GA4 tracks user actions such as clicks, downloads, and scroll depth across all devices and platforms in a single view. This streamlined dashboard makes it easier to visualize how customers interact with a brand across various channels and touchpoints.
GA4 uses flexible reporting for automatic event tracking and customizable data streams. This approach allows businesses to collect and analyze data without relying on third-party tools.
More cool stuff to look for with GA4:
Bye, Bye, Bounce Rate — As a result of the shift, the bounce rate measurement is gone, and good riddance. This metric helped us understand how many website visitors left after viewing a single page, but that’s not an accurate or helpful measure of success. For example, it didn’t account for social media and search campaigns that strategically drove traffic to carefully curated landing pages, where there was no need (and often no option) for users to visit multiple pages within their session.
Predict the future with GA4 and AI — One of the most exciting features of GA4 is its focus on machine learning and artificial intelligence. Businesses will be able to use GA4’s advanced analytics capabilities, such as predictive modeling, to gain insights into user behavior and anticipate future trends. This is a significant departure from UA, which relied on basic reporting and data visualization tools. So much so that it’s hard to say exactly what the results of this feature will look like!
GA4 sounds pretty great — are there any downsides?
We’re pretty excited about this update and look forward to how it will improve our analytics game (and yours too). But no transition is without its pain points, and GA4 is no exception. So, here are a few potential obstacles we’re keeping an eye on:
While GA4 offers real-time viewing (yep, you can watch traffic on your site right now), there’s also a 24-hour delay for the cumulative data reporting, which means you’ll have to be patient while Google collects and crunches the numbers each day.
As with UA (and most analytics platforms), there are data privacy implications to GA4. In many areas, this will necessitate that users opt-in to having their data tracked while on your website, with various legal implications. This is why cookie banners have become so ubiquitous — and why if you haven’t yet, you should implement one pronto!
GA4: The Bottomline
Universal Analytics was the standard in the digital analytics industry for many years, but the shift to Google Analytics 4, with its event-driven metrics and AI-based modeling, represents a significant change in how businesses will analyze website performance. While we may not yet fully understand all the benefits (though the move from bounce rates already has us cheering), it’s clear that GA4’s impact will reverberate across the digital landscape and forever alter how we approach website analytics.
Existing UA users don’t have to do anything to enroll in GA4. But, by taking advantage of its advanced capabilities, businesses stand to gain a clearer understanding of their customer activity and will be able to make more informed decisions based on website performance.
Feeling inspired? Reach out and say [email protected].
