GA4: The Next Generation of Analytics for Websites and Apps
Google is changing. This does not sound strange after so many updates over the years. This time, it's not one of the usual algorithms or AI features, or machine learning updates but one of the most solid products in our digital environment - Google Analytics is moving on to a whole new level.
It might not sound completely new, but as a Digital Agency, this is an important update that we need to fully unpack.
If you have a website or app, you might have seen this announcement - Google Universal Analytics UA will no longer collect data after July/2023 and GA4 will take over the scene completely.
How does this change affect you, ourselves, and the +28 million websites worldwide using Google Analytics UA? The rush to install GA4 and adopt it has begun, and in order to continue the understanding of User Behavior, Website Performance, Purchases, Campaigns, ROAS, and ROI, the entire digital ecosystem needs to adapt and adopt the new Google Analytics 4.
The truth is that Google is always shaking its digital stack. This is not the first time, between mergers, acquisitions, redesigns and developments, that Analytics products face changes.
Google Analytics: updates and releases
To understand how the changes and features differ from one another, our 53Six Analytics and Performance team outlined the key points of GA4.
The Collection data model
Data collection represents the major change when comparing both systems as it touches the fundamentals of the system. In GA UA, everything is organized and listed as sessions and hits (page view, transaction, user time spent, etc.), while in GA4, everything is categorized as events.
Events are simpler to handle and more accurately captured across devices when data is collected from web and app environments. Previously, for a bird-eye view of data, separated entities Firebase and GA were necessary, but now GA4 combines all the streamings in a single system, making the cross-device journey more accessible.
Hits are now Events in GA4
A new philosophy of reporting
One thing that was only possible to realize after the GA4 release, is how overwhelming and hard the adoption was in Google Universal Analytics. That affirmation is based on the fact that right after the pageview pixel installation builds up all the pre-set of the reports. It might sound convenient, however, from a business analytics standpoint, different websites have different goals or data challenges, and a uniform pre-set platform may not be the most friendly and rapid way to get the info needed.
GA4 comes to the scene as a very intuitive and flexible platform, especially due to the fact that it can integrate Web and APP data streaming in a single platform and the events are completely customizable that go according to the business needs.
GA4 Interface
Google Universal Analytics Interface
Events tell the story of the customer journey
Custom events previously were complex, and in most cases, the help of a developer was needed to implement parameters or change data layers on the website code. GA4 brings a new experience making this task easier, which is key to measuring performance. With or without a developer's help, the process of mapping events, customizing, and implementing tracks now demands less technical effort and it's less time-consuming.
As a result of this new scenario, Google is making improvements to its event-based platform, including developing new reports and features.
Measurement Map - a mandatory step for success
Here is where the strategic approach meets the tech platform resources. GA4 offers a lean and more flexible experience, bringing the necessity of planning well what you want to track and measure in order to see if the collective digital efforts - paid media, UX, UI - are in fact, bringing results.
Borrowing the Pareto principle, 20% of the time planning/reviewing what needs to be measured and deploying the right events and conversions will be responsible for 80% of the outcome. Access to insightful reports and quick views within business intelligence can be a big driver of performance
Tagging Map
A small example of tagging map indicating what the business questions are, what action on the site/app can provide the answer and the indication of how it will be measured and classified in GA4 (pure event or conversion).
Limited Data Retention - the red flag
Last but not least, one of the most significant changes and impacts is the 14 months of data retention as the longest period GA4 can keep events and user data.
In UA, the default data retention was unlimited, but it has been changing since the announcement of the UA sunset and its pool of data is already presenting some inconsistencies.
The early adoption of GA4 allows the business to get a higher volume of data within the 14 months limit. If companies and their stakeholders delay the GA4 installation, it may cost them, reflecting a blank space of data retention.
GA4 data retention feature
Our honest thoughts about the new Google Analytics 4
GA4 tends to be an easier and lean solution for business. Now businesses and products that offer Web and Apps can track everything in the same environment avoiding complex setups and features with Firebase separately.
Events can now be customized to meet better the needs of the website goal, app experience and track different customers' behavior cross-device. As Digital Marketing and Analytics professionals, we will become more data investigators rather than simply readers. We believe, it will offer an easier approach to solving problems and finding insights quickly for business questions through the custom reports available, taking out the complexity and giving all of us more information to digest for a data-driven way to work in digital marketing.
In summary, GA4 will be a big asset for any business once set up and utilized in the correct manner. It is important to do so in a timely fashion. If you would like to speak to us about the implementation and setup of GA4 for your business, please get in touch with us at contact@fiftythreesix.com
