Introducing Google Analytics 4

It seems like we are announcing changes to different Google products every other month. With the recent changes to Google MyBusiness in the rearview mirror, Google has now focused heavily on the upcoming switchover to the next iteration of Google Analytics.

As the world of digital is a fast-paced environment, marketing professionals need to make quicker and better decisions backed up by relevant data. With the upcoming switchover to Google Analytics 4 (or GA4), Google is hopefully providing a platform that will give users “the flexibility to measure many different kinds of data, delivering a strong analytics experience that’s designed for the future.”

What does this mean in real terms?

The current Google Analytics platform relies heavily on the data collected from cookies. GA4 will operate across various platforms (web. Mobile, apps) and relies on event-based data to provide stats and figures to work from.

With more and more businesses operating on different platforms simultaneously, i.e. websites and apps, GA4 is the perfect solution to track engagement throughout the visitor journey. Users will be able to track much more critical data, helping them make better, informed decisions about their marketing.

What is about to happen?

In the immediate – nothing. The current version of Analytics will work fine all the way through until next summer, and even after then, you’ll still be able to access your data for a short period. After then, Google Analytics 4 will be the main platform for all of your website data and tracking.

If you have read all of the above and are a little worried about losing your Google Analytics data, we do feel for you. While switching over to GA4 will give users access to better reporting and analysis – you won’t be able to easily do a good old compare and contrast to years prior with ease.

We recommend that you spend a little time between now and next summer working out what data you might like to keep for the future and creating a few reports to download locally. By the end of 2023, you won’t be able to view your old data in the current platform, so having your crucial data is key to analysing your future performance.

What do we recommend?

Other than backing up your data – we would recommend getting GA4 installed on your website. Due to GA4 utilising a separate bit of code, you’ll be able to run both versions side by side, and GA4 will start to gather data.

If you have conversions, tags and triggers set up in Google Tag Manager. You’ll have to spend a little time creating new tags and triggers to track your actions. You’ll also have to get the hang of tracking your triggers in GA4.

If you have read through this blog and are a little worried, why don’t you drop the team at Hush a call or email to discuss in detail your options and how quickly we can aid you in a seamless switchover.