Transition from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4: Features and Implementation Methods
In spring 2022, Google announced that Universal Analytics would cease to function, to be replaced by Google Analytics 4. Therefore, by July 2023, users need to change their system version. The issue lies in the fact that users have become accustomed to the old system and this change requires new knowledge. Today, we’ll discuss the necessity of changing the system, the process itself, its pros and cons.
What is Google Analytics 4
GA4 is an updated and more functional version of Google’s analytics tool. With it, you can accumulate information about website visitors and, taking it into account, consider optimal advertising and SEO strategies.
The new system differs from the old one in methods of collecting and analyzing information. Previously, it was important how often a page was viewed by users. Now, the new system primarily considers actions taken by people. Thanks to this method, the collection results become more accurate, although in practice it will be much more complex. This ultimately allows for more effective development of the website and business.
Why the new system leads to difficulties
Many users complain about difficulties that may arise when working with the new analytics system. These difficulties occur because the method of data collection is different; hence, the nature of working with the received information also changes. If a user is used to the old system, previous knowledge will no longer be applicable.
In GA4, data on bounce rates is not collected. To be honest, for landings and applications, this metric did not provide a clear picture of what was happening. It was replaced by a more effective metric – Engagement Rate.
Moreover, the new system calculates the duration of a site visit differently. Previously, a user’s session was considered closed if no actions were taken on the site for more than 30 minutes. Now, the session duration is calculated based on the interval between the first and last actions on the site.
Key Differences Between Old and New Systems
The next large section is dedicated to the main differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics.
Method of Information Collection
This is the most significant difference between the analytics systems. In Universal Analytics, the number of page views on a specific page was significant. Any active human actions such as entering data into a form, button clicks, downloading something, were considered Events.
In GA4, every action taken by a person on the site, including page views, is called an Event. But this also includes errors that appear on the screen, scrolling, and others.
Visitor Personal Data
In GA4, all site visitor characteristics are taken into account, including gender, age, place of residence, and whether the transition was made from a phone or a computer. These indicators play a role in promotion and strategy formation.
Visitor ID
The old system linked a visitor’s ID with information about time spent on the site or actions taken. In the new system, a visitor is assigned an ID, allowing you to track them even if they visit the site from different devices. If a person registers on the site and logs into their account, you can track their actions via their profile.
If they haven’t logged into their account, their actions will be tracked via the Google account. The analytics system can identify the device a visitor used to access the site. This allows for tracking user activity. The new system therefore offers much greater possibilities for evaluating your web resource audience.
Action Prediction
GA4 can identify visitors ready to purchase soon and those who most likely won’t. The system evaluates actions taken by the visitor and draws conclusions. This feature appeared only in the new version, making it much easier to determine a promotion strategy.
Duration of Information Retention
In the old system, data could be stored for an unlimited period, but if necessary, it could be adjusted to set the desired duration.
Google Analytics 4 allows data storage for no more than 14 months. However, if necessary, information can be transferred to BigQuery. In this way, much more data can be stored and the statistics applied effectively.
E-commerce
In the old system, information was divided into standard and advanced. The standard allowed one to see actions resulting in a purchase. The advanced collected data about the full sequence – what products were added to the cart, what was changed during the process, and what caused the order to be canceled.
In GA4, there are no such two varieties. All information is grouped, after which a specialist evaluates it in a comprehensive manner and reaches a conclusion.
Process of Transition to GA4
If you’ve never used Google’s analytics systems before, you just need to familiarize yourself with the new version. But if you’re well-acquainted with Universal Analytics, you need to know how to transition to the new system. In this case, information won’t be carried over automatically, so all actions need to be performed manually.
Follow the algorithm:
- Go to your page in the old system and click the “Admin” button.
- Find the function that allows for updates.
- Then either create an entirely new resource or edit an existing one.
Whatever you choose, you’ll still need to configure:
- Specify the resource, used currency, and the time zone in which you are located.
- Fill in company fields – business direction, scale, objectives.
- Specify the information stream source.
- Set tags – existing or new.
After this, special focus should be given to metrics like visitors, conversions, and access possibilities.
Why the new system is better than the old one
We’ve tried to outline everything you need to know about the new analytics system. Now, summing up, its advantages are:
- Information is gathered from various platforms. There’s no need to analyze sites and apps separately, using different tools for each.
- A more comprehensive evaluation can be conducted. With the new system, beyond just viewing web pages, scrolling, button clicks, website searches are also considered, thus collecting more data overall.
- Further actions are forecasted by the system automatically. This makes it easier to develop a promotion strategy.
As you can see, there are many advantages. Therefore, we strongly recommend studying the new system and starting to use it. GA4 will be especially beneficial for projects aiming to develop in multiple directions (having both a full-fledged website and an application), and for those who want to study their visitors in detail and develop based on that.
In any case, everyone will have to switch to Google Analytics 4 because the old system will soon cease to exist. Don’t be afraid of changes; when you familiarize yourself with all the advantages of the new system through your own experience, you’ll be surprised at how you lived without it before.
