GA4: Everything you need to know

by Moises Hamui May 10, 2023

Google Analytics is one of the most popular and powerful tools for measuring the performance of your website or application. However, the digital world is constantly evolving and users have more and more options and expectations.

For this reason, Google has launched a new version of its web analytics platform: Google Analytics 4 (GA4). In this article we will explain what GA4 is, why it is important, how to migrate from Universal Analytics (UA), what advantages it offers over other tools and how to configure and use its main features.

What is Google Analytics 4 and why is it important?

Google Analytics 4 is the next generation of Google's web analytics platform. It is a measurement model focused on the user and their interactions with your website or application, regardless of the device or channel they use.

GA4 uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver deeper, actionable insights into your audience's behavior, preferences, and needs.

In addition, GA4 is designed to adapt to changes in data privacy and cookie limitations, ensuring more accurate and reliable measurement.

Also check: What are microconversions?

When does Google Analytics 4 go into effect?

Universal Analytics properties will stop processing data as of July 1, 2023 (for Analytics 360 properties, as of July 1, 2024)12. Therefore, it is recommended to migrate to GA4 as soon as possible in order not to lose the historical data.

How to migrate from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4

If you already use Universal Analytics (UA), the older version of Google Analytics, don't worry. You can continue using UA while you become familiar with GA4 and take advantage of its benefits.

In fact, it's best to create a GA4 property parallel to your UA property and collect data from both sources for a while. So you can compare the results and understand the differences between the two measurement models.

To create a GA4 property from your UA account, just follow these steps:

Access your Google Analytics account and select the UA property you want to migrate.
Click Admin and then GA4 Ownership Update.
Follow the instructions to create a new GA4 property linked to your UA property.
Install the GA4 tracking code on your website or app, next to the UA code. You can use Google Tag Manager or a specific plugin to facilitate this process.

What changes GA4 with respect to UA?

There are several things that change with respect to Universal Analytics when you use Google Analytics 4. Some of the most important are:

The data model : Universal Analytics is based on page views and sessions, while Google Analytics 4 focuses on events, that is, any action that a user takes on your website or application. Events can be anything from viewing a page to completing a purchase or interacting with a button.

The property type : Universal Analytics allows you to create separate properties to measure your website and app, while Google Analytics 4 allows you to create a single property to measure both with a unified and consistent view.

The Tracking Code : Universal Analytics uses the Global Site Code (gtag.js) or Google Tag Manager code to send the data to your property, while Google Analytics 4 uses the Global Site Code (gtag.js) or the Firebase SDK to send the data to your property.

The reports : Universal Analytics gives you standard and custom reports based on dimensions and metrics, while Google Analytics 4 gives you reports based on the user lifecycle (acquisition, engagement, monetization and retention) and the ability to create custom reports with the data that interests you the most.

Privacy – Universal Analytics relies heavily on cookies to identify users and their interactions, which can be affected by privacy restrictions and ad blockers. Google Analytics 4 uses a hybrid approach that combines cookies with other methods such as Customer ID or User ID to ensure more accurate and reliable measurement.

Also check: Customer Acquisition Cost or CAC: What is it and how to calculate it?

What advantages does Google Analytics 4 offer compared to other web analytics tools?

Google Analytics 4 is not just an update to Universal Analytics, but a completely new platform that offers competitive advantages over other web analytics tools.

Some of these advantages are:

Unified website and app measurement – GA4 allows you to measure the performance of your website and mobile or web app with a single property, without the need to create separate views. So you can have a comprehensive and consistent view of your audience and their behavior at all points of contact.
Event and Conversion Tracking – GA4 relies on an event model to measure user interactions with your website or app. An event is any action a user takes, such as viewing a page, clicking a button, or completing a purchase. GA4 allows you to easily define the events that are important to your business and assign a value to them. In addition, GA4 automatically detects some common events without the need for additional configuration.
User Lifecycle Based Reports – GA4 organizes reports into four main categories that reflect the user lifecycle: acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention. These reports help you understand how you attract, engage, convert and retain your users, and how to optimize each stage to improve your digital strategy.
Advanced Analytics and AI – GA4 uses machine learning and AI to give you deeper, actionable insights into your audience and their behavior. For example, GA4 can predict the future value of your users or identify the most profitable segments.

How to set up and use Google Analytics 4

Now that you know what GA4 is and what advantages it offers, you will wonder how to configure and use this tool to improve your digital strategy.

Below we explain the basic steps you must follow to start making the most of GA4.

How to create a Google Analytics 4 property

If you don't already have a Google Analytics account, the first thing you need to do is create one. To do this, you just have to access https://analytics.google.com/ and follow the instructions.

Once you have your account, you will be able to create a GA4 property. A property is the space where your website or app data is collected and stored. To create a GA4 property, follow these steps:

Access your Google Analytics account and click on Administrator.
In the Account column, select the account where you want to create the GA4 property.
In the Property column, click Create property.
Choose the Web + App option and give your property a name.
Fill in the details of your website or app, such as the name, URL, and category.
Accept the terms and conditions and click Create.

How to install the tracking code on your website or app

Once you've created your GA4 property, you'll need to install the tracking code on your website or app to start collecting data.

The tracking code is a piece of code that is responsible for sending user interaction data to your GA4 property. There are several ways to install the tracking code, depending on the type of website or application you have.

Some of the most common options are:

Using Google Tag Manager - Google Tag Manager is a tool that allows you to easily manage and update the tags or tracking codes of your website or application without having to modify the source code. To use Google Tag Manager with GA4, simply create a GA4 tag in Google Tag Manager and assign it to your website or app. You can find more information on how to do this here: https://support.google.com/tagmanager/answer/10071555
Use a specific plugin : If you use a content management system like WordPress, Joomla or Drupal, you can use a specific plugin to install the GA4 tracking code on your website. For example, if you use WordPress, you can use the Site Kit by Google plugin, which allows you to connect your website with various Google services, including GA4. You can find more information on how to do it here: https://sitekit.withgoogle.com/
Insert the code manually : If you prefer to insert the GA4 tracking code directly into the source code of your website or application, you can do so by following these steps:
- Access your Google Analytics account and select the GA4 property you want to configure.
- Click on Admin and then on Data Flow.
- Select the data flow for your website or app and copy the global site code (gtag.js) that appears in the Website Tag section.
- Paste the global site code just before the closing </head> tag on all pages of your website or in the main HTML file of your application.

How to customize events and variables

As we have seen before, GA4 relies on an event model to measure user interactions with your website or app. An event is any action a user takes, such as viewing a page, clicking a button, or completing a purchase.

GA4 allows you to easily define the events that are important to your business and assign a value to them. In addition, it automatically detects some common events without the need for additional configuration.

To customize the events and variables in GA4, you can use the event editor built into the tool's interface.

The event editor allows you to create custom events based on the actions users take on your website.

Also check: 5 steps that cannot be missing in your SEO optimization

How to access and understand Google Analytics 4 reports

Once you've set up your GA4 property and started collecting data, you'll be able to access and understand GA4 reports.

GA4 reports are organized into four main categories that reflect the user lifecycle: acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention.

These reports help you understand how you attract, engage, convert and retain your users, and how to optimize each stage to improve your digital strategy.

To access GA4 reports, just follow these steps:

Access your Google Analytics account and select the GA4 property you want to analyse.
Click on Reports in the left side menu.
Choose the reporting category you're interested in: acquisition, engagement, monetization, or retention.
Within each category, you will be able to see several reports that show you different metrics and indicators about the performance of your website or application. For example, in the acquisition category you can see the traffic sources report, which shows you where your users come from; in the participation category you will be able to see the pages and screens report, which shows you which pages or screens your users visit; in the monetization category you will be able to see the income report, which shows you how much money you generate with your website or application; and in the retention category you can see the cohort report, which shows you how your users behave over time.
You can customize the reports according to your needs, applying additional filters, segments, dimensions and metrics. You can also create custom reports with the data that interests you the most.

Conclusion

Google Analytics 4 is the next generation of Google's web analytics platform. It is an innovative and powerful tool that allows you to measure the performance of your website or application with a focus focused on the user and their interactions.

GA4 uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to give you deeper, actionable insights into your audience and their behavior. Besides,

It is designed to adapt to changes in data privacy and cookie limitations, ensuring more accurate and reliable measurement.

If you want to make the most of GA4 to improve your digital strategy, just follow these steps:

Create a GA4 property parallel to your UA property and collect data from both sources over time.
Install the GA4 tracking code on your website or app, using Google Tag Manager, a specific plugin or inserting it manually.
Customize the events and variables that are important to your business using GA4's built-in event editor.
Access and understand GA4 reports organized into four categories: acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention.
Customize the reports according to your needs, applying additional filters, segments, dimensions and metrics. Create personalized reports with the data that interests you the most.

We hope this article has been useful for you to better understand what GA4 is and how to use it to improve your digital strategy. If you want to try GA4 for yourself and discover everything it can do for you, don't hesitate and create your GA4 property today.

Written by Moises Hamui Abadi : I am an entrepreneur, founding partner of Viceversa and SoyMacho. After being in charge of several digital businesses and advising several other businesses; I decided to form MHA Consulting, a digital marketing consultancy dedicated to growing and empowering digital businesses in more than 7 countries and generating more than 1,500 million pesos.

If you want more information on this topic or you are looking for other options to profile your ideal client, at MHA you will find the solution you need. Schedule a call.