Google just released Google Analytics 4, a new version of their famous analytics program. This new version has a lot of features to like, especially the manner in which it brings together diverse data points throughout the journey of the user while using this platform.
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Google Analytics 4 also known as the “GA4” in short) is still under development. New features are introduced all the time. It's a fantastic platform with a lot of potential. The sooner you begin retrieving GA4 data, the quicker you may start assembling a comprehensive data set that is for prospective activation. What a promising future it seems to be.
This article has been designed to help readers understand what Google analytics 4 is about. After a consideration of this article, you would understand how to switch to Google Analytics 4 very easily.
What is Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics 4 is a web analytics tool provided by Google that records and reports website traffic. It is now available within the Google Marketing Platform. GA4 is also built on the same infrastructure as Google's "App + Web" solution, which allowed marketers to follow people across apps, software, and websites in 2019. All of these skills are aimed at analyzing user activity, particularly their path to becoming clients. Because they describe how data is presented, events are an important aspect of GA4.
According to Google, the main goal of GA4 is to deliver a next-generation approach to AI-based predictive analytics, privacy-first tracking, and x-channel measurement. GA4's advanced machine learning (ML) models also enable it to deliver information about user behavior and website traffic without relying on page clicks. GA4 is especially beneficial because website users or visitors are increasingly opting out of cookies and other data collection methods.
Benefits of Switching to Google Analytics 4
Over time, the use of GA4 has proven that this tool, if used properly has benefits. Let us consider some of the benefits of this tool;
GA4 examines data differently than UA. The original purpose of Google Analytics has always been to track website visits. Today's brand is far more complicated. It also includes social media sites, iOS mobile apps, Android mobile apps, YouTube channels, and digital advertising. Unlike UA, GA4 is an effective tool for social media sites and other mobile apps.
GA4 has an adjustable data model for present and future purposes in measuring events of the app. This implies that GA4 can track almost any digital engagement on your company's website, as well as smart appliances, apps, games, and internet devices, and show the whole of that information in one location.
Rather than measurement divided by platform or by device, GA4 provides you with customer-centric measurement. To help in tracking users and their sessions on their devices, Google Analytics formerly relied on browser cookies. As a result, rules such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the enlarged California Consumer Privacy Act were created to address privacy issues (CCPA). As a result, the digital industry has shifted to "cookieless" web browsers, such as Google Chrome and Apple Safari.
Marketers were left with sometimes erroneous or misplaced data as a result of these adjustments. GA4 overcomes the problem by adopting the "privacy-first" method of approach to analyzing user behavior including website traffic, focusing on the user's journey starting from the first visit through final conversion using machine learning and AI.
Processing from machine learning covers areas where organizations are unable to comprehend their entire customer base due to users who refuse to allow cookies or data collection. Furthermore, GA4 comes with additional in-built user insights along with interaction measurement properties by default, providing you with a deeper understanding of how people engage with your website.
You can gain a more detailed picture of the buyer's journey from the discovery down to conversion as a marketer. GA4 will assist you to connect data from among all of your marketing channels, this would allow you to find areas you should spend your efforts most efficiently.
Steps on How to Switch Up to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Property
With the information gotten on the GA4 and the benefits that come with using this tool, it is a no-brainer that if you are not already using this platform, you would want to switch up. Let us consider a step-by-step guideline on how to switch up.
Open the Google Analytics platform and click on Admin in the sidebar at the lower left-hand to access the Admin page.
On the new page that shows, choose your account in the ‘Account’ column. However, if you have only one account, it would automatically be selected.
Pick the particular web property that you would want to switch to in Google Analytics 4 inside the ‘Property’ column.
Then click on the GA4 Setup Assistant found below in the Property column.
Then, under "I want to add a new Google Analytics property," click on Get started.
You'll see the option to "Enable data collection using your existing tags" if your site currently utilizes gtag.js. Else, you will have to manually enter the code.
Click on the option “Create Property”
The setup wizard will now do the following:
Create a brand-new GA4 property.
Transfer all of your key data away from your old Universal Analytics property to the newly created GA4 property.
Create a site tag that connects the UA along with GA4 properties.
Make a link between both the UA and the GA4 properties. Setup Assistant may now move configured elements from the UA property to the GA4 property thanks to this link.
Activate the GA4 property's enhanced measurement.
After that, you should receive a notification that says something like, "You have successfully connected your properties."
Additionally, Select Realtime in the report navigation if you want to make sure GA4 is gathering data. The Realtime report should show activity.
Conclusion
The GA4 property is a platform that is worth the switch up. After the consideration of this article and with the helpful step-by-step guideline provided in this article, you can now easily switch up to the platform and enjoy its upgraded analytical functions.