Since the introduction of Google Analytics 4, every newly created data collection (property) is a Google Analytics 4 property by default.
And we already know that: From July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics will be discontinued and finally make way for GA4.
I'll now tell you why you should think about upgrading now and why the new tool will make it even easier to track campaigns.
Time to say "Goodbye"?
The unvarnished truth first: with the discontinuation of UA, users lose access to their previous properties - so the collected data is gone.
The good news is that the sooner we start working with GA4 and incorporate data into the new property, the smoother the transition will be. I recommend using the time until then to get used to the new look and the many new functions of GA4. However, it's best to drive in two lanes and continue to use the UA property until it is discontinued, because not all UA functions are available in GA4.
How will GA4 change tracking?
Devices & data protection
With GA4, Google is responding to the increased requirements in the area of data protection:
In order to compensate for the imminent elimination of third-party cookies and close tracking gaps, GA4 also incorporates data from users registered with Google into the analyses and uses it for identification purposes, provided the users have given their consent. Since users often use their Google account across devices, this also optimizes cross-device tracking.
Cross-device tracking is also improved in GA4 in that the data from different data sources (web or app) is standardized and fed into just one property - unlike with UA. This makes it very easy to compare them with each other.
GDPR-compliant data collection provides for the anonymized collection of IP addresses. Here, too, the new tracking tool makes it easier for us: while IP anonymization still has to be carried out manually in UA during tracking setup, it is automatically preset in GA4 - without the option to deactivate it.
GA4 has recognized the signs of the times, including the retention period: in UA, data could be recorded and retrieved for any length of time. With its successor, however, data at user level (e.g. browser version, access location, language) can be accessed for a maximum of 14 months and certain demographic data (e.g. age and gender) for just two months.
Machine Learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence in which the independent recognition of patterns in data sets is used to solve problems, is also becoming increasingly important in tracking, for example in the modeling of so-called data-driven attribution models:
A conversion is rarely attributable to a single channel. Rather, users see various ads and visit the website several times before making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter, for example. While UA still automatically assigns the conversion to the last channel, GA4 tracks the entire customer journey by analyzing the data collected from different devices and using improved cross-device tracking to identify where individual users are moving. Conversions are then allocated proportionately to the respective channels. This gives us a more differentiated and holistic picture of user behavior.
Even if you shouldn't think in pigeonholes, this can help with tracking. GA4 makes it possible to create target group segments that differ from each other in terms of their expected future behavior. For example, the tool can identify users who are highly likely to make a purchase on the website in the next seven days, as well as those who are unlikely to visit the website.
With this knowledge, Google Ads can be used in a particularly targeted manner - namely the first group that only needs a small nudge to make a purchase.
Committed or dropped out?
Anyone who leaves a website without interacting is considered an uninterested user by UA. However, all those who look at the website with interest and perhaps even read a blog article from A to Z remain unnoticed. GA4 solves the problem by replacing bounces with engaged sessions. The new metric includes any session that lasts longer than ten seconds, achieves a conversion event, or contains two or more page views. This means that no interested user can escape us. This results in some new metrics such as engagement rate and engagement time, which replace bounce rate and average session duration.
Tracking is teamwork
GA4 makes tracking more differentiated, clearer - in other words: better. But of course the upgrade and the many new functions and measured values initially mean additional effort. We would be happy to take this off your hands so that you can continue to concentrate on your day-to-day business. We will upgrade you to GA4 and get the best out of the new technical possibilities for your campaign.
Please feel free to contact me:
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