Google’s Universal Analytics (UA) will stop collecting data on July 1st, 2023.
For six months after that date, you’ll still have access to historical data in UA. Then, that data will be gone, too.
After that, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) will be the default platform.
With the new version comes big changes to the data and metrics you’re used to.
What can you do during this large shift?
Changes like this can cause a lot of stress for marketers and agencies, but they can also bring some blessings. With the right transition planning, you can find new opportunities in this change.
So, let’s take the change one step at a time and focus on your next move.
Should you switch right away?
Should you wait until GA4 has more integrations and functions?
Before making that decision, it’s important to understand what’s changing between GA4 and UA and why.
For a comprehensive look at what’s changing and how to prepare, download CallRail’s Guide To Google Analytics 4.
What Is GA4?
GA4 stands for “Google Analytics 4,” and it is the new version of Google Analytics.
Its predecessor, Universal Analytics, is what most people currently use.
Google first released GA4 in October 2020, and in the announcement post, Google cited changes in user behavior and privacy standards as major reasons for the switch.
If you want to keep collecting data in Google Analytics after the deadline of July 1, 2023, you’ll need to transition to GA4.
What’s The Difference Between GA4 & UA?
To help you better understand how to transition to GA4, let’s dive into their differences.
Universal Analytics & Its History
UA, which you’ve likely been using up to this point, collects data based on web sessions and hits, which are either pageviews or events, that you can generate using a narrow set of descriptors.
It is powered by first- and third-party cookies.
By default, event tracking isn’t set up, and you must configure this manually.
If you wanted to track data from mobile app users, you’d need to use Google’s Firebase SDK and set up platform-specific tracking.
In 2019 Google released a web + app property type in Google Analytics, and GA4 has evolved out of this combined approach.
Google Analytics 4 & Its Features
GA4 features a new data collection model that aims to solve:
- A need for tracking that doesn’t discriminate by the device.
- Privacy concerns about third-party cookies.
GA4 uses first-party cookies and signals to enable cross-device data collection and reporting.
The primary data point in GA4 is a different kind of event.
These GA4 events are much more granular and descriptive of the specific action that triggers them by default. Additionally, you don’t have to manually configure them.
GA4 makes it easier to follow a visitor’s journey without having to implement Google Tag Manager.
So, while the data model is changing, GA4 makes cross-device tracking easy and the data points are more precise.
What’s Changing In GA4?
So, what does this mean for you and your existing analytics strategy?
GA4 Will Be A Blank Slate – So Back Up Your Data
Right out of the gate, you’ll have to set up new properties in GA4.
You can’t import your UA data because the structure is not the same; the data collection method is changing, and so are many of the metrics.
If you want to keep historical data for your site or clients’ sites, you’ll need to export your UA data and use a different application to visualize it.
GA4 Will Combine Web & Mobile Data
GA4’s data model is an evolution of Google’s Firebase SDK. It allows GA4 to seamlessly track and report on users from different devices.
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