In July 2023, Universal Analytics will stop working. Instead, you will need to upgrade your account to Google Analytics 4, a superior version of the traditional tool. We tell you what benefits it has and how to carry out the process.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest and most advanced version of Google's web analytics platform, designed to help website owners and marketers understand and measure user behavior on their sites and apps.
GA4 introduces significant changes compared to the previous version of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics or UA). Some of the key features of the new tool are as follows:
Event-centric measurement model: This is based on an event-centric approach to data collection, rather than the page-based approach of Universal Analytics. This means that GA4 tracks specific events and actions performed by users, allowing for more granular and detailed tracking of user behavior.
Unified property and view: In Google Analytics 4, a property represents the primary resource where data is collected, and a view is a way to view and analyze that data. Unlike the previous platform, where multiple views were created for different reports, this platform combines data collection and visualizations into a single entity.
Greater emphasis on audience data: Offers more integration of audience chile phone number data, allowing for a better understanding of user behavior across different devices and platforms. This includes the ability to measure interactions across mobile apps and websites in a single view.
Predictive Analytics: Offers enhanced predictive analytics and machine learning capabilities. This allows users to gain insights into future trends and predict user behavior, which can help in marketing decision making.
Focus on privacy: Google Analytics 4 aligns with the strictest privacy and data protection policies. For example, it includes IP anonymization features by default and gives users more control over the collection and use of their data.
Google Analytics 4 is being introduced as the reference version for web analytics and performance measurement in the Google ecosystem. Although UA is still widely used, users are encouraged to gradually migrate to GA4 to take advantage of new capabilities and stay up to date with the latest analytics trends and best practices.