Expert’s Guide to Migrating to GA4 with Best Practices
Google just announced that it would switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 as of July 1, 2023. Universal Analytics will halt all data processing on this date. Businesses must be ready well in advance of Google halting Universal Analytics and moving to Google Analytics 4.
The GA4 conversion presents certain difficulties for website owners and old marketing reporting systems, as well as new reporting alternatives that are especially beneficial for SaaS businesses.
Understanding GA4:
Universal Analytics is the name of the current analytics program from Google. The third version of Google’s analytics service was released in 2012. Universal Analytics is currently used by over 73 million websites, and the majority will keep utilizing Google for their analytics long after the platform is terminated.
According to research by Search Engine Land, 70% of marketers want to change and take on the task themselves. Just 12% indicated they would look into choices, while another 14% said they would relocate but pay a consultant to assist.
Google Analytics: How does it work:
Machine learning is used by a collection of characteristics called analytics intelligence to help you comprehend and utilize your data more effectively. The following are features of analytics intelligence:
- Responses to your inquiries
- Insights
- Modeling of users and conversions
Google uses the machine learning technology Google Analytics Intelligence to aid users in comprehending analytics data. You may easily uncover the insights you need using a collection of artificial intelligence (AI) based features without manually sifting through the data thanks to this tool.
What is AI (Artificial Intelligence):
AI is a significant time and money saver for content writers and digital marketers alike. (bestassignmentwriter, 2020). The replication of human intellectual processes by machines, particularly computer systems, is known as artificial intelligence.
Significance of AI for students:
By alerting academics to issues that the human eye cannot see, artificial intelligence technologies can also assist students in finding their footing more quickly.
Some systems, like those that grade essays automatically, may take some time for teachers and students to see their benefits. This feature of AI is soon to be taking over various specific assignment writing providers like Law Assignment Writing Service or any subject since technology is taking over everything.
Through the use of AI, learning may be customized and changed to each student’s specific needs, goals, and abilities. This may give students with academic assistance in a variety of subjects, including law thesis themes and macroeconomics assignment help, as well as bridge any gaps between teaching and learning. AI can provide you with the services you want but technology is limited and can’t be as accurate as a human can be.
Can Google Analytics Certification develop digital analytics competency in Students: A Research
Through the incorporation of online and social analytics-based learning activities (such as Google Analytics courses and certification exams) into the design of the Public Relations Research course, this longitudinal pedagogical research examines students’ views and learning results. Results from the pretest administered before the analytics learning assignment was introduced showed that although students had little prior understanding of web and social analytics, their desire to learn was strong. Students are ready for further experience-based learning activities to use their understanding of online and social analytics in public relations research and practice, according to the posttest results after completing the certification test. Additional instructional suggestions are provided. (Meng, et al. 2019)
Why are marketers migrating to GA4?
Why do webmasters need to switch platforms? As you may expect, a lot has happened since 2012, and Universal Analytics is now outdated, at least in Google’s opinion.
Many webmasters installed traffic counters to display visitor statistics on their websites in 2012 using Universal Analytics. Today, due in large part to the development of the internet over the past two decades, UA is unable to provide businesses with all of their demands. Users no longer just glance at a website to gather information or make a purchasing choice anymore due to changing browsing patterns. Additionally, privacy is being stressed more than ever before.
These elements work together to provide the following problems with Universal Analytics:
- UA has trouble tracking users who access company information through applications and websites. Consequently, obtaining a unified image of your clients is challenging.
- Laws governing data privacy impede UA’s efficacy. Even France, Austria, and Italy have outlawed it.
- Ad and cookie blockers make it difficult for UA to get precise data, which results in inaccuracies in your reports.
Guide: How to migrate from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4
Follow the steps below if you’re prepared to get the process started right away.
Step 01:
Review and audit your Universal Analytics account.
Before switching to Google Analytics 4, you must first evaluate your Universal Analytics account. It’s crucial not to rush the move since, as already indicated, it’s not straightforward.
Important information: You might be better off registering a brand-new account for GA4 if you set up your Universal Analytics account when the platform originally launched or soon after. You may connect the two accounts to automate some of the setups if you recently created your UA account using Google’s new gtag.js tool.
Step 02:
Establish Your GA4 Account.
The GA4 Setup Assistant makes it pretty easy to create a GA4 account if you already have a Google UA account, which is likely the case if you’re reading this post. It is located in the dashboard’s admin area on your UA account.
After clicking it, you must either link an existing GA4 property or create a new one. On the “Create a New Property” section, click “Get Started.”
Step 03:
Convert the events you used in Universal Analytics.
The majority of the events you were monitoring in Universal Analytics should have transferred across. There’s a strong probability that not everything transfers over because GA4 is such an entirely different platform. In this stage, you can add events that UA does not automatically move as well as address any potential migration problems.
First, look at the automatic targets GA4 is monitoring. GA4 tracks several events that you may have specifically configured in UA (such as scroll depth) automatically.
Step 04:
Create any necessary custom metrics.
GA4’s usability is a serious problem, which is why so many marketers are reluctant to transition. On Twitter, the response to the new platform wasn’t favorable. The difficulty of finding the data reports they were used to seeing in UA or using Google Tag Manager to follow occurrences was a common complaint among users.
Step 05:
Set a firm date for your departure.
I haven’t yet discussed a feature of GA4 but it allows parallel tracking. That is where data is concurrently collected in UA and GA4.
There are several reasons why I advise company owners to do this. Before using the platform continuously, the first step is to build up a backlog of historical data in GA4. Additionally, parallel tracking enables you to use Universal Analytics as long as feasible before switching.
Step 06:
Configure any necessary integrations.
Setting up Google connections can seem like a straightforward process, but it’s essential to make sure your platform is tailored to your needs.
Before connecting them to GA4, have a look at the integrations you have utilized with UA. Google Ads, Google Optimize, AdSense, Ad Exchange, and MerchantCentre are a few of the most significant integrations.
Step 07:
Have a plan to archive historical data.
A strategy for archiving your past data is also necessary. Knowing how to preserve historical data is crucial for keeping it secure against data breaches and accessible for a sufficient amount of time to be useful.
You need not worry about data kept in Universal Analytics. At the latest in December 2024, Google will delete all data. Concerning GA4, you have complete control over how long Google keeps your data before deleting it. This procedure will be covered in the section below on recommended practices.
Guidelines for Using GA4:
Now that you have all you want, you may easily move to Google Analytics 4.
To achieve the greatest outcomes, you should keep in mind a few recommended practices while you move to GA4.
- Connect to Other Google Properties
- Set Up Custom Dimensions
- Set Up Custom Events in GA4
- Set up Internal Traffic Filter
- Data Retention Settings
Conclusion:
Ideally, this guide will aid in a seamless switch to Google Analytics 4. But act right now to put recommendations into practice. The more time you give yourself to master Google Analytics 4, the sooner you should transition to it.
It is crucial to give yourself time to understand everything because there are many variations between GA4 and Universal Analytics. Don’t forget to read my comprehensive GA4 guide as well.
References:
- Meng, J., Jin, Y., Lee, Y.I. and Kim, S., 2019. Can Google Analytics certification cultivate PR students’ competency in digital analytics? Longitudinal pedagogical research. Journalism & mass communication educator, 74(4), pp.388-406. Online Available at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077695818816916?journalCode=jmcb
- 2022. Effective Implications of AI | In Creating Content for Digital Marketing. Online Available at https://bestassignmentwriter.co.uk/blog/effective-implications-of-ai-for-digital-marketing/ [Accessed on 08, February 2023].