By Chris Ferris, Vice President of Digital Strategy, Pierpont Communications
Google is changing how it measures website performance: It is sunsetting the current version of Universal Analytics (UA) on July 1, 2023 and replacing it with Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Now is the time to switch over so you can have ample time to prepare!
So, what is GA4? How is it different than UA?
- Intelligent Data Collection: GA4 collects both website and app data to better understand the customer journey. It also uses events instead of session-based data, allowing for more accurate and specific data recording. Finally, GA4 utilizes direct integrations to media platforms to help drive actions. You can find more information from Google.
- Increased Privacy: Unlike UA, GA4 will stop storing IP addresses to reflect current best practices around privacy. It also includes privacy controls such as cookieless measurement and behavioral and conversion modeling.
- Simpler Use: GA4 requires a different setup process than UA but is easy and quick! GA4 also, as a system, has predictive capabilities that offer guidance without complex models.
- Narrower Reporting: GA4 has fewer reporting options than Universal Analytics, but the information in those reports is likely more valuable. In GA4, there will no longer be any measurements for unique page views, bounce rate, or goals.
In sum, Google Analytics is changing how its system records data for efficiency, value, and protecting privacy, but it also means that it will no longer provide some services that you may currently be relying on.
What should be your first steps to migrate to GA4? Here is what we suggest:
- Act Now: This changeover will not occur until July 1, 2023, but it’s important for businesses to start preparing now so you will have parallel data from both to compare and learn from.
- Check if you Have to Change: Google points out that “if you created your property before October 14, 2020, you're likely using a Universal Analytics property.” However, “if you created your property after October 14, 2020, you're likely using a Google Analytics 4 property already, and no action is required.” To confirm what type of property you’re using, reference this Google article.
- Install the Code: As soon as you can, reach out to your web firm or those responsible in your company for website analytics and install the necessary GA4 code on your website.
- Reference Available Resources: You can find the steps for installing GA4 here. These will prove quite useful if you are not using a web firm to install the new version. Google recommends following some additional steps as well.
- Compare the Data: Installing GA4 now means that you will have around a year’s worth of both kinds of data (UA and GA4). So come July 1, 2023, you’ll be able to understand the new analytics as it compares to the current version instead of dealing with an abrupt change unprepared.
- Transfer Your UA Property: Since your UA property will officially disappear on July 1, 2021, we recommend that you export your current UA data. Google suggests you export individual reports, use Google Analytics Reporting API, or export to BigQuery. Google will make more available more guidance on exporting your data as the cutoff date approaches.
- Stay up to Date on Google’s Announcements: Google will be posting updates made to GA4, including changes to the system and other system differences that might be helpful to understand. ?
To conclude, any business that currently relies on Google Analytics—regardless of size—should be sure to install GA4 in immediately to provide enough preparation time for the transition. This has been under-reported in the mainstream business press, being almost only covered in industry publications like Search Engine Journal.
An old proverb once said: "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." This wisdom holds true today, especially when it comes to switching from UA to GA4. Prepare now so the removal of unique pageviews, bounce rate, goals, and other metrics doesn’t hurt your business analytics.
It is not too late to make the switch!
If you would like to learn more about how Pierpont can improve your digital marketing,?contact us today.
Intern Annalise Stump helped draft and research this article.
