Google analytics 4: things you need to know

Google Analytics 4 is here, so what you need to do now is prepare yourself. The new user-tracking tool will be around for a while after its 2020 debut. Have you researched it a bit or is this your first stop? No matter the answer we at Link Department are here to help you and familiarize you with it as much as possible. Obviously, we will leave you with some more reading material to keep researching after reading this text. Universal Analytics, the trusted analytics platform we’ve all come to know and love, retired on July 1, 2023. Get out your laptop or a pen and paper and prepare to take notes on what’s new in Google Analytics 4.

Let’s start with the highlights

We’ll break down the key distinctions between the old and new versions of Universal Analytics. We are doing this in order to help you to improve your rankings. Also, we will focus on the data model, collection, and reporting processes. Google Analytics 4 is an amazing and powerful tool with new features, and it’s important to remember that for those who already miss the current iteration and fear the difficult learning curve. Of particular note are the following:

• new and improved focus on relationships with users
• the new way of using the machine learning model for the analysis of visitor behavior
• support for those looking for better marketing campaigns
• cross-platform and cross-device tracking of the user’s journey
• the way “privacy-first” is applied (improvement)
• now there is a possibility of finding and even targeting Google ads

What you need to know about Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4  or the short version – GA4 is the newest iteration of Google’s popular web analytics platform and internet marketing tool that is used to monitor site traffic. A lot of people have been talking about GA4 since its introduction in October 2020. Do you know why? Since it is not just an updated version of the standard Universal Analytics, it is not a simple redesign. Instead, it needs to be viewed as an entirely new product. A product that is developed with different objectives and uses entirely new models than those used in the past.

Google Analytics 4 is developed in response to the increasing popularity of mobile apps and the need for deeper insights into the user experience. Those are the basics. We always like to cover the basics when presenting something new. It helps with understanding. But obviously, if you are having any difficulties you can call us to help you. We are here for you. Now you should research SEO predictions from Google for this year.

What’s new?

1. We love the new reporting interface
2. In fact, the whole structure is different
3. Obviously, there are some changes in the reports
4. Event-based tracking is different
5. Engaged sessions are completely new
6. AI machine learning and data prediction
7. Integration and BigQuery

The interface

The user interface is one of the initial things that will be different. User information, events, and the four phases of the customer lifecycle (Acquisition, Retention, Engagement, and Monetization) are now more intuitively presented in the redesigned interface. In contrast to Universal Analytics, this version is more user-friendly, with fewer drill-down options and more streamlined reporting.

Let’s talk about new reporting since it’s all the rave nowadays

Everything a user does, from clicking a button to making a purchase, is recorded in the latest version of Google Analytics for the web and apps. Each user, rather than a single interaction, is the primary focus of reports. Though it seems like a more complicated system would make reporting more complex, the opposite is true. Universal Analytics provides a wide variety of predefined views. GA4 places more emphasis on user-defined data sets.

When logged in, you can view the usual reports tracking key business metrics. Also, you can see a quick rundown of the site’s overall traffic, conversion rate, and income right from the homepage. The available report options are on the left navigation bar. The events of the past 30 minutes can be seen in the Realtime report. Selecting the View user snapshot option will display details about a specific user, such as his connected devices, current location, and activity as measured by events.

All aspects of the user experience, including acquisition, engagement, monetization, and retention, are covered in depth throughout the Life Cycle reports. They represent the conversion funnel but also how visitors move through it. Of course, GA4’s Analysis Hub is by far the most noteworthy new feature.

Do I need to use Google Analytics 4?

It looks like you have no other choice. You must act now. The question is only when. From July 1, 2023, no new hits will be processed by any Universal Analytics properties. After that, your processed data will be available for a minimum of six months. However, this offer won’t last forever. It’s likely that Google will eventually turn off all Universal Analytics features. We now know that data from previous versions cannot be easily transferred to the current one. New properties only start generating data when the GA4 account is created, so the sooner you do so, the more data you will have to work with. However, you can combine the power of Universal Analytics with that of Google Analytics 4 to get the most out of your data. Both programs will receive the analytics information. Dual Tagging is a method that will let you compare reports.

This is our little introduction to new and improved Google Analytics. Also, if you need any help with new SEO strategies we are here for you. Now keep researching. Our blog is full of some great reading material. Use it to your advantage. Good luck!