If you run a credit union website or any type of website, chances are you use Google Analytics to track how many users visit your site and analyze their behavior. Therefore, you have probably noticed that Google has released a new version of this marketing tool named Google Analytics 4. The first thought of this news may be – the current version is working just fine and serves its purpose why switch to GA4? Trust us, once you hear what this new version offers it will make sense why many believe that Google Analytics 4 is the future.
Nonetheless, on July 1, 2023, the standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new visits which means that the sooner you switch to Google Analytics 4 the more data you will be able to collect before this happens. In the meantime, you can have both Google Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 collect data until you are ready to make the complete switch.
Differences Between Google Analytics and GA4
Essentially, there are three main areas where GA4 and the older version of Google – Universal Analytics differ from each other. The first area is reporting. Google Analytics 4 offers mainly top-level reports, but choosing the ‘analysis’ tab will give you different opportunities to get insights from the specific data you are interested in. This way of reporting provides you with bigger freedom in how you want your reports to look.
Next comes the users’ data. One of the main differences between the universal approach and the new version of Google Analytics is the way the users are tracked. GA4 doesn’t count the users’ sessions like the UA does, but it records the event that each user completes. In this way, you can have a clearer picture of the users’ behavior and what they do on your website.
Lastly, UA and GA4 are set up differently. Google Universal Analytics uses a property setup, which means that you can track data only from your website, while Google Analytics 4 allows you to mix data from your website and your apps. More specifically, using a single tracking code placed in different properties (website, Android, or iOS app) data is consolidated and tracks the users across all data streams i.e. properties.
Why Should You Switch to Google Analytics 4?
Provided that you are still not convinced that Google Analytics 4 really is a better solution than Universal Analytics, we have listed here five reasons why you need GA4 installed sooner rather than later.
Easy to Upgrade
Upgrading to GA4 from UA is a fairly straightforward process. Especially if you already have Universal Analytics installed. In that case, Google has already suggested that you should switch to the new GA4 property so all you need to do is upgrade. This option can be found under the property column. However, if you are using Google Tag Manager the installation should be performed manually. This may sound complicated, but if you follow the instructions from Google you should be able to get your Google Analytics 4 installed in a heartbeat.
Custom Reporting – Advanced Analysis
One great reason why you should switch to Google Analytics 4 is the fact that by doing so you will get access to some amazing tools for free. For instance, creating ad hoc funnels and advanced analysis has been available for GA360 users only. And now by installing GA4, you will be able to identify the most common paths users take while on your website, you get more funnel customization options and the user explorer report will help you get insights from particular user segments which are relevant to your analysis.
Cross-platform Tracking
As we’ve already mentioned before while explaining the differences between these two versions of Google Analytics, getting GA4 will provide you with cross-platform tracking. Simply put, through GA4 you can combine your app and website engagement in one property. By upgrading to GA4 you will get a complete view of all your users’ engagement on all platforms and not just on your website.
Complete user journey
In line with cross-platform tracking, Google Analytics 4 will help you understand the entire customer journey. This tool has a new section called ‘Life Cycle’ which gives you a clear picture of your visitors’ behavior from start to finish. There you can find reports on each stage of the customer journey starting from acquisition, through engagement, monetization, all the way to retention.
Engagement metrics
Not only will you be able to follow the customer journey, but through GA4 you can see the different types of user activities on your website. Google Analytics 4 doesn’t count the bounce rates, instead, it will report on events, such as site search, file downloads, video engagement, or scroll. These metrics will help you understand which segment of your website is the most or the least engaging. To get this type of report in Google Universal Analytics, would require a considerable amount of custom coding.
Google Analytics 4 is the Future
To sum up, Google Analytics 4 uses an event-driven data model and provides user-centric analytics. Moreover, it contains tons of incredible new features which will take reporting to the next level. Without a doubt, Google Analytics 4 is the future as it’s in many ways an upgraded version of the existing Google Universal Analytics. We strongly recommend that you start with GA4 as it will take some time for it to accumulate enough data to provide you with the necessary analysis. The sooner you get it installed, the better insights you will see in your reports. As always, we are here to help if you have any doubts about how to do this properly.
