Next month, Universal Analytics will cease reporting data, forcing current UA users to migrate to the new standard product, Google Analytics 4 (GA4). If you’re not prepared for this transition, it could negatively affect your website analytics.
What do you need to do to prepare for GA4?
GA4 Consulting
First, consider the possibility of hiring a team of professionals for GA4 consulting. Google has made some efforts to streamline the migration process, but transitioning to GA4 is still more complicated and challenging than most people expect. Account structures are difficult to delineate, the migration process can miss key pieces of data, and GA4 usability has been highly criticized.
If you’re not confident in your technical abilities, or if you’ve already tried and struggled through the initial phases of GA4 migration, your best bet may be working with a team of professionals who can competently manage and guide your business’s transition.
What Is GA4, Anyway?
Universal Analytics has been the name of Google’s primary website analytics tool for several years, but it’s about to be replaced by a new (yet similar) product named Google Analytics 4. If the naming convention is confusing to you, don’t worry – you can think of Universal Analytics as essentially being “Google Analytics 3,” and it’s been the default tool since 2012.
Right now, millions of websites still rely on Universal Analytics, despite it being relatively outdated. The internet isn’t the same place it was 10 years ago, so Google is interested in creating and managing a new tool to better handle the needs of modern webmasters.
There are three big problems with Universal Analytics in its current form:
· Tracking issues. UA isn’t especially good at tracking user activities across multiple websites and apps. Because the average user’s experience today is complex and multifaceted, most webmasters have become frustrated with the tracking limitations of UA.
· Data privacy laws. Data privacy laws have also been a hindrance for people using Universal Analytics. GA4 Has been designed with data privacy laws in mind.
· Ad and cookie blockers. Ad blockers, cookie blockers, and other third-party tools interfere with the functionality and utility of UA.
Google developers likely considered correcting these issues and augmenting the capabilities of Universal Analytics, but this may be too exhaustive an effort. Instead, it makes more sense to develop a new tool.
When Is the Transition Happening?
According to Google, “On July 1, 2023 all standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing data. (360 Universal Analytics properties with a current order will receive a one-time processing extension ending on July 1, 2024.)”
In other words, Universal Analytics is going to stop working. It’s up to you to transition to GA4 before that happens. You’ll have the option of transitioning after this deadline, but you’ll likely miss out on important data in the meantime. It’s in the best interests of all webmasters to transition to GA4 proactively before Universal Analytics stops working.
The Basics of a GA4 Transition
If you want to transition to GA4, these are the most important steps you’ll need to follow.
· Audit and back up your UA information. Before you do anything else, take a moment to audit your current UA information and back it up. Take note of your most important assets, including Audiences, Goals, and Users, in case these things don’t migrate when you use Google’s setup wizard.
· Learn about GA4 account structures. GA4 accounts are structured somewhat differently than they are in UA. It’s a good idea to learn about these different structures so you can choose the best fit for your business and its properties. There are many options available, suitable for almost any conceivable business.
· Create a GA4 property and data stream. Google’s Setup Assistant exists to automate much of the migration process. Most users should find it easy to create a new GA4 property and set up a functional data stream for it.
· Turn on Google signals. If you’re interested in remarketing and reporting, you’ll also need to turn on Google signals, which is a relatively straightforward step.
· Migrate Goals, Users, and other assets and data. Google can also facilitate the migration of Goals, Users, and Audiences, as well as other assets and data that are important for your account. If these things aren’t migrated automatically, you may need to migrate them manually.
· Link to Google Ads. You’ll need to link to Google Ads separately.
· Validate tracking. Spend time validating tracking to ensure your reporting is accurate.
· Get ready for a learning curve. User feedback for GA4 has been less than positive. Users have complained heavily about unintuitive features, opaque data streams, and challenging features. Be prepared to spend some time training and educating yourself to get the most out of this tool.
Whether you love it or hate it, GA4 is here to stay and Universal Analytics is going away permanently. If you want to maintain a consistent stream of data for your organization, and ensure the smoothest transition possible, it’s important to have a proactive plan in place for how you’re going to transition.