In January 2020, Google announced plans to remove third-party cookies from Google Chrome over the next several years in an effort to increase user privacy. As part of this evolution, Google Analytics’ “Universal Analytics” as you know it will also change. The website analytics platform used by businesses around the world to view website user behavior will take a back seat in July 2023 and be replaced with the next generation of analytics with expanded insight and data. It’s called Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
Chrome is used by nearly 65% of internet users around the world, making access to data about those users critical for businesses.
So how do you prepare your company’s website for Google Analytics 4? We have the answers you need below to get started.
What is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an analytics tool that changes the way we monitor and measure traffic and user engagement across your website and apps. GA4 is more than a software update, it is a complete overhaul of the “classic” Google Analytics platform (also known as Universal Analytics) with the interface, data collection and analysis differing significantly between the two versions.
In addition to tracking website traffic and user interaction, GA4:
- Collects both website and app data to better understand the customer journey
- Uses events instead of session-based data
- Includes privacy controls such as cookieless measurement, and behavioral and conversion modeling
- Offers predictive capabilities
- Provides direct integrations to media platforms that help drive actions
- Offers guidance without complex models
What’s the Difference Between Google Analytics and Google Analytics 4?
The main difference between the current Google Analytics version, Universal Analytics, and GA4 is a big one: think privacy – and in a big way. GA4 prioritizes privacy and does not rely on cookies to gather its data. GA4 also prioritizes enhanced data tracking that helps your company make intelligent and effective decisions.
With 91 percent of companies saying data-driven decision-making is essential for business growth, upgrading to GA4 is an important step for businesses to stay on the right side of privacy regulations and continue to collect data in a cookie-free world.
How is Google Analytics 4 Better than My Website’s Current Google Analytics?
In the long run, GA4 can help improve your company’s website tracking abilities, which also has an effect on search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (aka – paid advertising) and email tracking. GA4 provides:
- More relevant data than previous Google Analytics versions
- Insights into why users are on your site and how they got there
- The ability to combine data from multiple data streams into one GA4 property
- Accurately attributed actions to users across various devices
How Do I Add Google Analytics 4 to My Company’s Website?
Your website’s current Universal Analytics installation of Google Analytics will no longer collect and process data beginning July 1, 2023 – making the upgrade to GA4 critical for businesses that want to continue to monitor important website and app user insights.
GA4 is available now and is a free tool – and the sooner it is installed on your website, the sooner your business will be able to benefit from its next gen analytics.
GA4 works on any website as long as you have the code snippet you need to track your website placed in the proper spot in the backend. Once your analytics web property ID is entered in the web admin section of Google Analytics tracking, you will be ready for enhanced GA4 tracking.
Connect With JSA for a Google Analytics 4 Set Up Session
We understand that just the thought of upgrading Google Analytics to GA4 and navigating the new tool can be overwhelming.
JSA’s in-house digital marketing team is available to help telecom, data center and network infrastructure clients navigate GA4 and leverage it within a multi-layer marketing plan that includes search engine optimization (SEO), digital ads and email marketing. Reach out to our team to learn more.
Source : From the Web