As a digital marketer or analyst, you must have heard about Google Analytics. It’s one of the most powerful tools for tracking website traffic, measuring website performance, and analyzing user behavior. Over the years, Google Analytics has undergone several updates and improvements to provide more robust features and insights. Recently, Google introduced a new version of Google Analytics known as GA4. In this article, we will discuss the new features of GA4 and how to prepare for it.
What is GA4?
GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics that offers new insights and features. It has been designed to provide more flexibility and accuracy in tracking user behavior across multiple platforms, including websites, mobile apps, and more. Unlike the previous versions of Google Analytics, GA4 is built on the Google Analytics 4 property, which means that it collects and analyzes data differently.
One of the biggest changes in GA4 is the event-based tracking model, which allows you to track any user interaction on your website or app. This means that you can track not only pageviews but also button clicks, form submissions, video plays, and more. The new tracking model is more flexible and customizable, allowing you to track specific actions that are important for your business.
What are the new features of GA4?
GA4 comes with several new features and enhancements that provide more insights and opportunities for analysis. Here are some of the key features of GA4:
- Enhanced measurement:
GA4 provides a more accurate and complete view of user behavior across multiple platforms. It uses machine learning to fill in the gaps where data may be missing, allowing you to see a more complete picture of user behavior.
- Customer-centric measurement:
GA4 is designed to be customer-centric, which means that it focuses on the user rather than the session or the pageview. This allows you to see the entire user journey, from the first touchpoint to the conversion.
- Smarter insights:
GA4 uses machine learning to provide smarter insights, such as predicting user behavior and identifying opportunities for optimization.
- Deeper integration with Google Ads:
GA4 provides deeper integration with Google Ads, allowing you to track and optimize your campaigns more effectively.
- Customizable reporting:
GA4 allows you to create custom reports and dashboards, making it easier to get the insights you need.
How to prepare for GA4?
If you’re currently using Google Analytics, you may be wondering how to prepare for GA4. Here are some steps you can take:
- Create a GA4 property:
The first step is to create a GA4 property. You can do this in addition to your existing Google Analytics property.
- Set up tracking:
Once you’ve created your GA4 property, you’ll need to set up tracking. GA4 uses a different tracking code than previous versions of Google Analytics, so you’ll need to update your website or app to use the new code.
- Compare data:
As you start collecting data in GA4, it’s a good idea to compare it to your existing Google Analytics data. This will help you identify any discrepancies and ensure that your data is accurate.
- Learn the new features:
Take some time to learn about the new features of GA4 and how they can benefit your business. There are several resources available, including the Google Analytics Academy, that can help you get up to speed.
- Plan for migration:
Finally, plan for migration to GA4. While GA4 is still in beta, it’s important to start planning for migration so that you’re prepared when it becomes the default version of Google Analytics.
Conclusion
GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics that offers new features and insights for digital marketers and analysts. It’s designed to be more flexible and accurate, allowing you to track user behavior across multiple platforms.
(Note: Google is discontinuing its previous analytics platform, and you are required to transition to the GA4 (Google Analytics 4) platform before July.)
