Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics, and it is designed to be more flexible and customizable than Universal Analytics (UA). GA4 is also built on a unified data model that allows you to track data from both websites and apps in a single place.
Google Universal Analytics, now succeeded by Google Analytics 4, was a comprehensive web analytics platform that provided website owners and marketers with powerful tools to track and analyze user interactions and behaviors on their websites. Its key features included tracking website traffic, measuring conversions, analyzing user demographics, tracking e-commerce transactions, and offering customizable reports and dashboards. Universal Analytics allowed users to gain valuable insights into their audience's preferences and behaviors, enabling data-driven decision-making for improving website performance and marketing strategies. It provided the foundation for understanding user engagement and optimizing online experiences, contributing to improved user satisfaction and business success.
Here is a table that compares GA4 and UA on some key features:
Why some are disappointed in GA4
Some users are disappointed in GA4 because it doesn't meet their expectations in a few key areas:
- Reporting: GA4 has fewer standard reports than UA, and some users find the new reporting interface to be more difficult to use.
- Learning curve: GA4 is a new platform, and there is a learning curve associated with using it. Some users find it difficult to transition from UA to GA4, especially if they are not familiar with event-based tracking.
- Missing features: GA4 is still under development, and some features that are available in UA are not yet available in GA4.
Advantages of GA4
Despite the challenges mentioned above, GA4 has a number of advantages over UA, including:
- Cross-platform tracking: GA4 is built for a cross-platform world, and it makes it easy to track data from both websites and apps in a single place.
- Predictive analytics: GA4 uses machine learning to provide predictive analytics, such as forecasting future revenue and identifying customers who are at risk of churning. GA4 can be used to identify the most valuable customers and target them with personalized marketing campaigns. GA4 can be used to predict the impact of product changes and marketing campaigns on future revenue.
- Flexibility and customization: GA4 is more flexible and customizable than UA, and it allows you to track any data that is important to your business. GA4 allows you to create up to 50 custom dimensions and 50 custom metrics per property. This is more than double the number of custom dimensions and metrics that are available in UA. Firstly, GA4 events can have up to 25 parameters. This allows you to track a wide range of data about each event, such as the product that was viewed, the category that the product belongs to, and the price of the product. Secondly, GA4 user properties allow you to store information about your users, such as their name, email address, and location. You can then use this information to segment your users and create custom reports. Thirdly, GA4 audiences allow you to create groups of users based on their behavior, demographics, or other characteristics. You can then use these audiences to target them with personalized marketing campaigns. All in all, GA4 is flexible and customizable.
Learning curve from divergences from past practices
One of the biggest challenges of transitioning to GA4 is the learning curve associated with it. GA4 is a new platform, and it uses a different data model than UA. This means that some of the things that you are used to doing in UA will need to be done differently in GA4.
Here are a few tips for learning GA4:
- Start by learning the basics of event-based tracking. GA4 tracks everything as an event, so it is important to understand how to track and measure events.
- Take advantage of the GA4 training resources that are available. Google offers a variety of training resources, including online courses, tutorials, and webinars.
- Experiment with GA4 and learn by doing. The best way to learn GA4 is to start using it. Experiment with different features and see how they work.
Overall, GA4 is a powerful new analytics platform that offers a number of advantages over UA. However, it is important to be aware of the learning curve associated with it. If you are transitioning to GA4, be sure to take advantage of the training resources that are available and start experimenting with the platform.
Here are some additional thoughts on the learning curve:
- The biggest divergence from past practices is the shift from a session-based data model to an event-based data model. In UA, a session was a group of interactions that took place within a certain time frame. In GA4, a session is no longer a defined unit of measurement. Instead, GA4 tracks every interaction as an event.
- This shift to an event-based data model can be challenging for some users, especially those who are not familiar with event-based tracking. However, it also offers a number of advantages, such as greater flexibility and customization.
- Another divergence from past practices is the new reporting interface in GA4. The GA4 reporting interface is more focused on insights and analysis than the UA reporting interface. This can be a good thing for users who are looking for more in-depth insights from their data. However, it can also be a challenge for users who are used to the old UA reporting interface.
Overall, the learning curve associated with GA4 is real. However, it is important to remember that GA4 is a new platform, and it is still under development. Google is constantly adding new features and improving the reporting interface. If you are willing to put in the time to learn GA4, you will be rewarded with a powerful new analytics platform that can help you to better understand your customers and your business.
Remember GA4 is an on-going work in progress, and some earlier Google SaaS services like Gmail and Sheets ended up being wildly successful over the course of their protracted development phases.
