Google Analytics 4: A Powerful Tool for Data Analysis

In recent years, Google Analytics has offered a dual installation of Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4) on its platform. This dual functionality has already been launched this 2023, on the 1st of July! For businesses using Analytics 360 with premium features, this transition will take place on July 1, 2024. It is crucial for all companies and businesses using this platform to stay informed about this transformation and the new features that Google Analytics 4 will bring.

So, let’s delve into all the details: the definition of Google Analytics 4, how it differs from UA and its advantages. Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of the analytics tool provided by Google. This powerful tool collects data generated by visitors to a website or mobile application, allowing brands and businesses to gain insights into customer journeys and drive more conversions and sales.

Six key differences between Google Analytics 4 and previous versions of Google Analytics

1. UA primarily focuses on measuring activity on websites, while using Firebase to measure activity on mobile applications. In contrast, Google Analytics 4 collects data from both websites and mobile apps, either together or separately.
2. Universal Analytics relies on user cookies to generate and track users activity, whereas Google Analytics 4 utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to fill in the gaps where users don’t share their data. It also ensures compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implemented in various countries.
3. UA tracks users based on device IDs without considering that a user may access the platform from multiple devices. On the other hand, GA4 eliminates duplicate IDs and integrates additional signals, such as Gmail sign-ins, to identify users across multiple devices. This provides more accurate analysis of customer journeys, including their interactions from both mobile and desktop.
4. UA relies on a set of reports to find user metrics or dimensions. In contrast, Google Analytics 4 introduces “Explorations”, which enable the creation of custom reports based on various metrics and dimensions, allowing for comprehensive insights, such as demographic data about your target audience.
5. UA is organized around sessions and includes sections like “Real-Time”, “Audience”, “Acquisition”, “Behavior”, and “Conversions”. GA4, on the other hand, introduces the concept of the “Lifecycle” with sections such as “Acquisition”, “Engagement”, and “Monetization”.
6. UA lacks dimensions and metrics specific to e-commerce. In contrast, Google Analytics 4 provides dimensions such as “Product Brand”, “Product Name”, “Product Category”, and “Product ID”, along with the metrics like “Revenue”, “Add to Cart”, “Purchase”, and “Product Views”.

Ten Advantages that GA4 offers over its predecessors:

1. Google Analytics 4 allows businesses to closely monitor interactions between people and websites, optimizing their marketing strategies based on valuable data insights.
2. GA4 is designed to respect user privacy by leveraging machine learning algorithms to generate statistics, minimizing reliance on invasive cookies.
3. By integrating Google Analytics 4 with Google Ads, Google Signals, and Search Console, businesses gain a more comprehensive understanding of their website and mobile app visitors, enabling them to improve advertising campaigns, identify users across devices, and optimize their search engine rankings.
4. The integration of Google Analytics 4 with BigQuery Export enables businesses to store all their data in the cloud and share it with other platforms easily.
5. Google Analytics 4’s intelligent insights make it easier to identify potential customers and create strategies that maximize return over investment (ROI).
6. In case of any doubts or issues, GA4 provides technical support to guide businesses in collecting data from their websites and mobile apps effectively.
7. Google Analytics 4’s predictive capabilities help estimate users’ future behavior, allowing businesses to create strategies that facilitate conversions and reduce cart abandonment.
8. The platform automatically provides proactive statistics, highlighting improvement opportunities based on generated data.
9. With the search bar functionality, users can input simple metric-related questions, and Google Analytics 4 responds with relevant statistics and reports, saving time on basic queries.
10. GA4 offers real-time reports on user acquisition, traffic, event interaction, conversions, page and screen performance, monetization in e-commerce, and mobile app, among other types of reports.

Google Analytics 4 brings advanced functionalities and numerous advantages to businesses and brands. By leveraging its enhanced features and data analysis capabilities, companies can gain valuable insights into customer behavior, optimize marketing strategies, and drive higher conversions and sales. With the transition from Universal Analytics to GA4, it is crucial for businesses to prepare for the change and embrace this transformative analytics tool for sustainable growth in the digital landscape.

Want to use GA4 for your business?

Understanding how to fully utilize Google Analytics 4 may present some challenges, but don’t run away! By collaborating with a reliable digital marketing agency such as Webatite, you can significantly enhance your results.

We specialize in PPC and tools such as Google Analytics, Google Ads, etc. leading our clients to obtain great results from their campaigns. Don’t hesitate any longer; reach out to us and let’s start propelling your business to new heights!