Google Analytics is a free web analytics service that provides insights into website traffic and user behavior. It helps businesses and website owners to analyze their website performance, track user behavior, and optimize their digital marketing efforts. Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics, which offers a more advanced and powerful set of features.
In this article, we will take an in-depth look at Google Analytics 4 and explore its features, benefits, and how it can help businesses make data-driven decisions.
What is Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 is a new and improved version of Google Analytics that uses machine learning and advanced data modeling to provide businesses with deeper insights into customer behavior and marketing performance. GA4 is designed to help businesses better understand their customers across different devices and platforms, including mobile apps and websites.
GA4 is different from Universal Analytics, the previous version of Google Analytics, in several ways. Firstly, GA4 uses an event-based tracking system that allows businesses to track user interactions with their website or app more accurately. Secondly, GA4 offers more granular data controls that allow businesses to customize their data collection and analysis. Finally, GA4 provides more robust machine learning capabilities that help businesses to better understand user behavior and optimize their marketing campaigns.
Benefits of Google Analytics 4
1. Cross-device and cross-platform tracking
GA4 allows businesses to track user behavior across different devices and platforms, including mobile apps and websites. This provides businesses with a more comprehensive understanding of their customers and how they interact with their brand.
2. Enhanced data controls
GA4 provides businesses with more granular data controls, allowing them to customize their data collection and analysis. This enables businesses to collect and analyze the data that is most relevant to their business goals.
3. Deeper insights with machine learning
GA4 uses machine learning to provide businesses with deeper insights into user behavior and marketing performance. This helps businesses to make data-driven decisions and optimize their marketing campaigns for better results.
4. Improved privacy controls
GA4 offers improved privacy controls, including data deletion options and consent settings, which help businesses to comply with data privacy regulations.
Features of Google Analytics 4:
1. Event-based tracking
GA4 uses an event-based tracking system that allows businesses to track user interactions with their website or app more accurately. This includes actions such as page views, clicks, form submissions, and video plays.
2. Machine learning insights
GA4 provides businesses with machine learning insights that help them to better understand user behavior and optimize their marketing campaigns. This includes features such as predictive analytics, cross-device reports, and user lifetime value analysis.
3. Custom metrics and dimensions
GA4 allows businesses to create custom metrics and dimensions that are specific to their business goals. This enables businesses to collect and analyze the data that is most relevant to their business.
4. Enhanced data visualization
GA4 offers enhanced data visualization tools that make it easier for businesses to analyze their data and identify trends. This includes features such as customizable dashboards, data exploration tools, and real-time reporting.
How Does GA4 Differ from Universal Analytics?
While GA4 is an upgrade from Universal Analytics, there are some significant differences between the two versions.
Firstly, as mentioned earlier, GA4 uses event-based tracking, while Universal Analytics uses pageview-based tracking. This means that GA4 tracks individual user actions rather than just pageviews, which allows for a more comprehensive understanding of user behavior.
Secondly, GA4 has more robust machine learning capabilities than Universal Analytics. This means that GA4 can provide more advanced insights into user behavior and trends, which can help marketers make more informed decisions.
Finally, GA4 has enhanced ecommerce tracking, which includes tracking of refunds, chargebacks, and cancellations. This can help businesses understand their sales performance and make improvements to their e-commerce strategy.
Here’s the table to understand the differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics:
Feature | Universal Analytics | GA4 |
Data Model | Uses sessions and pageviews as primary metrics | Uses events and parameters as primary metrics |
Tracking Code | Uses the ga.js or analytics.js tracking code | Uses the gtag.js tracking code |
User Identity | Relies on cookies and Client ID | Uses a combination of user ID, device ID, and Google Signals |
Integration with Google Ads | Relies on auto-tagging for tracking conversions | Uses the Google Ads conversion API for tracking conversions |
Reporting Interface | Relies on predefined reports | Offers a more flexible and customizable reporting interface |
Machine Learning Capabilities | Limited machine learning capabilities | Emphasizes machine learning for advanced insights |
Cross-Platform Tracking | Limited cross-platform tracking capabilities | Emphasizes cross-platform tracking, including web, app, and offline data |
Overall, GA4 represents a significant departure from Universal Analytics in terms of data model, tracking code, and user identity. It also offers a more flexible and customizable reporting interface, emphasizes machine learning for advanced insights, and includes more robust cross-platform tracking capabilities.
To move from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4, you need to follow a few steps as mentioned in the chart below:
Steps to Move to GA4 | Description |
1. Create a GA4 Property | Start by creating a new GA4 property in your Google Analytics account. You can do this by clicking on the “Admin” tab and then selecting “Create Property” under the “Property” column. |
2. Set up Data Streams | After creating a GA4 property, you’ll need to set up data streams for each platform you want to track. This could include your website, iOS app, and Android app. You can set up data streams by clicking on the “Data Streams” tab in your GA4 property and then selecting “Add Stream.” |
3. Install the GA4 Tracking Code | Once you’ve set up your data streams, you’ll need to install the GA4 tracking code on each platform. For your website, you can use the global site tag (gtag.js) or Google Tag Manager. For your mobile apps, you’ll need to use the Firebase SDK. |
4. Configure Event Tracking | GA4 uses events to track user interactions with your website or app. You’ll need to configure event tracking for each platform you’re tracking. This could include pageviews, button clicks, form submissions, and more. You can configure event tracking by clicking on the “Events” tab in your GA4 property and then selecting “Manage Events.” |
5. Set up Conversions | In GA4, conversions are based on events rather than goals. You’ll need to set up conversions for each platform you’re tracking. This could include form submissions, purchases, and other desired user actions. You can set up conversions by clicking on the “Conversions” tab in your GA4 property and then selecting “Create Conversion Event.” |
6. Analyze Your Data | Once you’ve set up GA4 and started tracking data, you can begin analyzing your data to gain insights into user behavior and improve your website or app. You can do this by clicking on the “Analysis” tab in your GA4 property and then selecting “Explore” or “Reports.” |
I hope you find this table helpful!
How Do I Use Google Analytics 4?
Now that you understand the power of the new Google Analytics platform, I’ll walk you through how to use it. I will say there is a learning curve for the platform, and that can definitely be frustrating.
Start by following the steps below. This will help you understand the basics and how to navigate the new platform. If you still aren’t seeing the data you need, consider reaching out to my team for more help.
Step 1: Test The New Search Bar
The search bar in GA4 lets you access more than ever, including instant answers for specific queries (such as “how many users this month vs last year”), specific reports or insights, property configuration, or to access the help content.
Try a few queries to see what you can access, such as “how to create a report” or “top users by city.” As you learn the new dashboard, the search board will be invaluable.
Step 2: Get To Know The New Dashboard
Now let’s look at the new dashboard. At first glance, it might look pretty familiar. Take a look around, however, and you’ll see most of the reports you’re used to are not where they used to be.
Here’s an annotated version of the dashboard. I’ve labeled the navigation bar on the left as well as the different displays. For this walk-through, I’m using GA’s demo account (Which you can access here), so it may look a bit different than your version, especially if you’ve already started customizing it.
Step 3: Create A Property
Next, let’s create a property. In GA4, a property is the equivalent of a website or mobile app.
- Click on the “Admin” button in the lower left corner.
- Select the “Create Property” button.
- Enter your website or app name.
- Choose a data sharing setting. I recommend choosing the default setting, which allows Google to use your data to improve its products and services.
- Click “Create.”
Step 4: Add The GA4 Tag To Your Website
Now that you have created a property, you need to add the GA4 tag to your website or app. This will allow GA4 to track data for your property.
- Click on the “Tagging” option in the left navigation bar.
- Select “Web” or “Apps” depending on what you want to track.
- Follow the instructions to set up the tag. You will need to add the tag code to your website or app code.
Step 5: Explore The Reports
Once you have your property set up and the tag installed on your website, it’s time to start exploring the reports.
Click on “Home” in the left navigation bar to see the default report. You can also access reports by clicking on the “Reports” option in the left navigation bar.
Remember to use the search bar to find specific reports or insights.
Overall, learning how to use GA4 can take some time and effort, but it’s worth it. The new platform offers powerful insights and data tracking capabilities that can help you optimize your website or app and improve your business overall performance. .
Google Analytics 4 is a powerful web analytics tool that offers businesses deeper insights into customer behavior and marketing performance. With its event-based tracking system, machine learning capabilities, and enhanced data controls, GA4 provides businesses with the data they need to make informed decisions and optimize their marketing campaigns for better results. If you are looking to take your data analysis and marketing optimization to the next level, GA4 is definitely worth considering.
