Are you about to migrate to Google Analytics 4? If so, there are a few things you'll need to do before you make the switch. In this blog post, we'll outline everything you need to know in order to prepare for your migration. We'll also provide some tips on how to make the transition as smooth as possible. So if you're ready, let's get started!
What Is New with Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google Analytics, and it introduces a number of new features and changes that make it easier to track user behavior across devices and platforms.
One of the most notable changes is the introduction of data streams, which allow you to integrate your website and app data into a single property. This makes it easy to track individual users as they move from one device to another and provides insights into how they interact with your content on different platforms.
Other changes in Google Analytics 4 include:
A new interface that makes it easier to navigate and find the information you need.
Improved reporting capabilities, including the ability to create custom reports.
The ability to share reports with others within your organization.
A new "Activity Log" that shows all the events that have been tracked for a particular user
Benefits of Google Analytics 4
Perhaps most notably, GA4 allows you to take advantage of new features such as data streaming and event-based measurement. This means that you can get near-real-time insights into your website or app's performance and make changes accordingly.
One of the major benefits of Google Analytics 4 is its ability to easily combine data from both web and mobile apps. This gives you a complete picture of how your customers interact with your business, no matter where they are.
Another big benefit is that GA4 uses machine learning to automatically surface insights about your audience and their behavior. This means that you can spend less time crunching numbers and more time understanding your customers and growing your business.
Finally, GA4 offers better protection of customer data privacy than earlier versions of Google Analytics. This is because it uses anonymized IP addresses and only collects data that is necessary for analysis.
All of these benefits add up to a powerful tool that can help you take your business to the next level. Every day without Google Analytics 4 is a day of data lost. Don't wait to migrate, the sooner you do, the better!
How To Migrate to Google Analytics 4
As Google phases out Universal Analytics (the most recent method for processing data), your current data will no longer be collected. You will need a GA4 property instead.
Because of the difference in data collection, there are a lot of changes to implement and test before you will build a like-for-like replica of your current dataset.
If you do a side-by-side migration this allows you to navigate your way through GA4 with the familiarity of Universal Analytics while you are building knowledge.
To set up a side-by-side migration, you first need to create a new GA4 property alongside your existing Universal Analytics property. You can then use the measurement protocol to send data from your website or app to both properties in parallel.
Below are the steps of setting up a side-by-side migration so that you can make a seamless transition to GA4:
Create a new GA4 property
Set up the measurement protocol
Test your implementation
Go live with GA4
Disable your Universal Analytics property
Creating a new GA4 property is simple and only takes a few minutes. You can do this directly in the Google Analytics interface by clicking on the “Create Property” button.
When you set up the measurement protocol, you will need to specify the GA4 property ID as well as the Universal Analytics property ID. This ensures that data is sent to both properties in parallel.
You can then test your implementation by sending data from a test website or app to both properties. Once you have confirmed that data is being collected correctly, you can go live with GA4 and disable your Universal Analytics property.
As you can see, there are many benefits to upgrading to Google Analytics 4. If you have any questions about the migration process or need help setting up your paid media accounts for success, don’t hesitate to contact Fifth & Cor.
We would be happy to assist you in making the switch and ensuring that your data is properly tracked so you can make informed decisions about your marketing efforts.