Why Switch to GA4: Differences Between UA & GA4
The transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) marks a significant change. You may have already switched from UA to GA4 since Google UA stopped processing new data on July 1, 2023. If you are a small business and have not visited your Google Analytics dashboard in a considerable period, you might have missed the transition to GA4. It is advisable to update GA4 promptly to stay current.
We'll compare reporting differences between the two systems to help you understand Google Analytics.
Must-Knows for YOY Metric Comparisons Between the Platforms
The year-over-year comparison (YOY) compares both Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics. To ensure consistency in key metrics such as conversions and overall website performance, this method involves comparing data from the same time period of another year with data from the current period.
As data privacy is becoming increasingly important, analytics companies such as Google are adapting the way they handle and track user data to ensure that their users remain anonymous. Some major regulations that have emerged in recent years including CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CCPA. These laws limit analytics to specific information and have changed how data can be tracked, stored, and used.
When migrating from UA to GA4, some metrics will no longer be directly comparable. This means you won't be able to compare certain data points directly between UA and GA4.
Bounce rate. It is worth noting that the tracking of the bounce rate is absent in GA4. This is a crucial piece of information to keep in mind while evaluating the metrics of your website.
In the new no-click content age, a high bounce rate isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It may mean you took the user to the single page they needed to convert…and they left. This means that the bounce rate is no longer relevant.
Sessions. The way sessions are calculated is different between the two systems so those YOY comparisons across UA and GA4 aren’t comparable. GA4 focuses on “engaged sessions” which is a count of sessions where a user does something. In modern times, we’re more interested in engagement than just traffic.
Events. By using event data, you can gain more context for important event completions compared to just tracking users who land on a 'thank you' page. This allows you to understand the event completion better. This may include the number of video plays on a specific page, scroll behavior, form submissions, searches, etc.
Before switching over your reporting, it's important to understand these key changes. You can then manage expectations with leadership. The days of reporting traffic and bounce rates are over. Today’s savvy marketer has to have a keen grasp of engagement metrics, and that’s just what GA4 set out to provide.
Understanding The Shift From UA to GA4
Google moved from UA to GA4 because the online world is changing and regulations are evolving. While UA was a great analytics tool in the past, Google needed to adapt to the new landscape.
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Here's a breakdown of the driving forces:
Privacy Regulations
As people become more concerned about data privacy, rules have changed how user data is gathered, monitored, and used. GA4 was created to address these concerns by prioritizing privacy and including features that comply with the latest regulations. Additionally, GA4 features may help reduce the need for third-party cookies that many web browsers are phasing out.
Evolving Technology
The digital landscape is constantly changing. GA4's event-based data model provides more flexibility and adaptability to track user interactions across platforms and devices, including websites and apps. This is a significant improvement over UA's session-based model.
Future-Proofing
Google is committed to keeping GA4 up-to-date with the latest technology and user needs. This ensures that users have access to the most relevant and useful features. By prioritizing GA4, Google can focus its resources more effectively and provide users with a better experience.
What You Need To Know About GA4
GA4 has been transforming the way we gather and analyze data since July 2022. To take full advantage of GA4 tools, it's important to become familiar with its latest features:
App Tracking: Google has made it easier to analyze app-based data more efficiently. Integrating these valuable insights into the GA4 platform significantly enhances the ability to manage and understand digital assets more efficiently.
Key Metrics: This feature provides valuable insights into user behavior and engagement. The metrics offered by this product or service are focused on the user and include four key indicators. The first one is engagement rate, which measures the level of interaction between users and your product or service. The second is lifetime value (LTV), which calculates the total value a user brings to your business over their lifetime.
The third is retention, which tracks how many users return to your product or service over time. Finally, user engagement measures how actively users are engaging with your product or service.
These metrics can help you better understand your users and make data-driven decisions to improve their experience and increase their loyalty.
Data Protection: This commitment to safeguarding personal and sensitive data reflects a proactive approach to privacy, aligning with global standards and legal requirements aimed at protecting users and their information against unauthorized access and breaches.
Engagement: GA4 is changing how engagement rates are calculated and focusing on a more comprehensive measurement of user engagement instead of solely relying on bounce rates. This new approach helps website owners and traditional marketers better understand how users interact with their content.
By providing a more accurate representation of user behavior, they can make informed decisions to improve their online presence. The information is organized logically, with the most important details presented first.
The text uses simple, everyday language, avoiding acronyms, jargon, and legal language. Short sentences are used to keep the information clear and concise. The active voice is favored, making the subject the doer of the action.
Machine Learning Capable: Google states that, “Collecting a larger variety or volume of recommended events corresponding to user behavior will help enhance our models and improve predictions.”
“Collecting a larger variety or volume of recommended events corresponding to user behavior will help enhance our models and improve predictions.” - Google
This means the power of GA4 will improve year over year as the system learns more about consumer behavior. By being aware of your audience and traffic you can implement other ways to achieve marketing goals like email marketing.
How to Conquer the Change
Transitioning between platforms can be challenging. But it’s usually the fear of change than the reality of what the actual change will bring that holds people back.
The good news is that the switch from UA to GA4 only takes 5-10 minutes. Click the big red bar at the top of your UA account that says “Go to Setup Assistant.” Your setup assistant will guide you through the GA4 account creation/transition.
Once this step is complete, you must update your website's tracking code. Once you have placed the code in, check that the data is showing up in GA4.
To retain your historical data, you can import it via the advanced options section at the bottom of the setup screen. Read more about the importation of your previous data.
GA4 Benefits
Now, Google Search Console is integrated into the coding for GA4, which means that as long as you have it linked to your account, you can access it via GA4. With this integration, you can analyze the different keywords that you are currently ranking for and where your website stands in Google Search Queries.
You can view this data through by clicking the Reports Snapshot section which gives you direct access to Google Search Console. This will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the various items that can be found in the GSC.
Urgency in Changing to GA4:
As you may know, UA has long been a popular tool for tracking website and app data. However, if you've been using it for some time, you've likely seen the pop-up warning that your data will eventually be deleted.
Google has now confirmed that starting the week of July 1, 2024, you will no longer be able to access any UA properties or the API, and all data will be permanently deleted. This significant change affects anyone who relies on Universal Analytics, and it's essential to switch over to GA4 before the deadline.
GA4 offers many new features and capabilities that can help you make the most of your data. If you need assistance getting started or need help understanding how to use the platform, our team is ready to assist you. We can guide you through the transition to GA4 and ensure that your data remains secure and accessible.
Need help mastering web analytics? Contact Red Brick Partners today!
We have more than ten years of experience in creating content, digital marketing, and automation in the B2B marketing space. We specialize in veterinary marketing utilizing both GA4 and UA, and we're confident in our abilities to help you succeed in these areas. Feel free to do some digging on our website or click the button below, and our marketing team will get back to you soon.
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