On July 1, 2023, Google will move everyone to the latest version of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and stop using Google Analytics 3 (also known as Universal Analytics or UA). While these changes will benefit the average user and make no significant difference to the way they search and browse the web, the transition will require significant changes for retailers and businesses.
Here's everything you need to know about Google Analytics 4, including what it means for measuring marketing activity and conversions, how to get started with GA4, and how to prepare your customers for the change.
What is Google Analytics 4?
Google Analytics is one of the essential tools for marketers to track online activity. If you've used Google Analytics in the past, GA4 will be familiar.
So what's the big difference?
GA4 changes the way data is collected and moves metrics from sessions to events. It combines user web data and mobile app data to more accurately measure user transitions between platforms. Data collection in GA4 also aims to address growing consumer concerns about privacy and tracking cookies in particular.
GA4 is already available (and is the default when creating a new property), but many marketers still rely on Universal Analytics. Also, as GA4 continues to be updated, everyone is learning to use the new tests together. Companies that integrate with Google Analytics, including CallRail, must update their integrations by July 2023. We're currently updating our Google Analytics integration so you can continue to report and analyze your Google Analytics call data and understand visitor engagement better than ever.
Does GA4 use cookies?
Yes and no
If you've worked in marketing for the past few decades, you know how important cookies are to measuring your goals and promoting your brand. That's why it seems strange to confuse GA4 with cookies.
The short version is that Google Analytics 4 uses its own cookies and restricts the use of third-party cookies. GA4 also adds mixed signals, which are session data from sites and apps that Google associates with users who are signed in to their Google Accounts and enable ad personalization.
Why is this? First, let's remember what a cookie is.
Cookies are a way for your computer to remember and communicate where you are and what you have done on the site. This creates a more personalized experience and allows retailers to follow through on engagement.
Third-party cookies are unique because they allow websites to track users who are not their owners. Entire industries have grown out of advertising using third-party cookies, but the practice has come under scrutiny from regulators and privacy-conscious consumers. When the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect in 2018, changes in the management of third-party cookies began.
By removing support for third-party cookies, GA4 outperforms Google Chrome. Chrome, the world's most popular browser, will stop accepting third-party cookies at the end of 2023.
Privacy is not the only reason GA4 rejects third-party cookies. As more people use mobile devices to access the Internet, more and more users are moving away from the Internet in favor of apps. In fact, in 2021, 90% of mobile time was spent in apps, not online. This is a big change, and with the death of Google's third-party cookies, it's clear that Universal Analytics isn't built for this reality.
GA4 and Universal Analytics
Should I use Universal Analytics or GA4?
At the moment you have a choice between GA4 and UA. When you set up a new property in Google Analytics, it will use GA4 by default, but you can choose to use only UA with some additional options during setup.
Today we recommend using both for several reasons.
Although GA4 is still out of beta, it is constantly being improved with additional features. Now the transition can give a false idea of what life with GA4 will actually be like.
UA stats will not match GA4 stats 1:1. With both, you can see how changes will affect your key metrics and adjust your reports accordingly. For example, if you rely on bounce rate to track page performance, you'll lose out on GA4. Instead, you'll have an engagement rate that can't be considered the opposite of a bounce rate because it has a time limit attached to it.
You will retain key Google Analytics integrations such as the CallRail integration with Google Analytics while you are away from UA.
By using elements of Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 in customer reporting, customers will get used to the new system and have time to adjust before fully moving to GA4 in 2023.
Eventually, of course, you'll use GA4. But until then, use this time as an opportunity to learn about GA4 without breaking your current reports or third-party GA integrations.
What do I gain and lose when I upgrade?
With big changes like Google Analytics 4, some things will look like upgrades and some things will look like downvotes. Time will tell what these changes will mean for your business and your customers, but we already know the implications of some of them.
Here's what you get with Google Analytics 4:
- Event-Based Tracking: This could easily fall into the "loser" column, depending on how you feel about the UA measurement model for sessions and pageviews. But event-based tracking combines interaction with websites and apps with the ability to gain a more complete user view and more detailed information about trips.
- Enhanced reporting and analysis: GA4 includes simple templates from Google Data Studio for custom reporting.
- Automated data. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will give you new data.
Here's what you'll lose by switching:
- Historical data: Your historical UA data (and your tags) will not be transferred to GA4. Since GA4 requires a new property, you're essentially starting from scratch.
- your conversions As your baseline changes, so do your conversions.
- Views: GA4 does not provide views that UA users can implement to configure tests or filter internal traffic from data.
- Client filtering and size limits: IP address and host filtering is limited or disabled, and individual sizes are limited to 50.
- Third Party Integrations: Third party integrations in GA from your CRM to your eCommerce and CMS built on UA metrics will not work until you upgrade to GA4.
Download our complete guide to learn everything you need to know before moving to GA4, including how to measure marketing activity and conversions, how to get started with GA4, and what it means to prepare your customers for it. change. Nowadays.
Learn how CallRail call tracking can improve your understanding of the customer journey when combined with your website visitor data from Google Analytics. Get started with a free trial today.
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