Have you been using universal analytics to track your website traffic? Well, you’re not alone. In October 2019, Google announced that they would be deprecating their older analytics platform in favour of a new one called Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
If you’re still using universal analytics, you need to upgrade to GA4 before your data starts to disappear. Luckily, the process is fairly straightforward. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the GA4 upgrade.
What is GA4?
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google Analytics. It’s a complete rewrite of the older universal analytics platform, which you could call Google Analytics 3, and introduces many new features and changes.
One of the biggest changes is the switch from a page view-based model to an event-based model. This means that instead of tracking pageviews, GA4 tracks user interactions (events) with your website.
This change is important because it allows you to get more granular data about how users interact with your site. For example, you can now track things like how many people add items to their cart, or how many people sign up for your newsletter.
GA4 also introduces a new interface that is designed to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate. In addition, it includes some new features such as:
- The ability to create custom events
- The ability to create user properties
- Enhanced data collection and processing
- A new reporting interface
Why Should You Upgrade to GA4?
There are many reasons why you should upgrade to GA4, but the most important one is that your data will eventually disappear if you don’t. Google has announced the end of universal analytics in 2023.
This means that if you want to continue using Google Analytics after that date, you need to upgrade to GA4. Otherwise, you’ll lose all of your data and will have to start from scratch.
In addition to the requirement of upgrading to keep using Google Analytics, there are many other reasons why you should upgrade to GA4. As we mentioned before, GA4 offers a more granular view of how users interact with your site.
This is valuable information that can help you improve your website traffic and make it more user-friendly. The new interface is also much easier to use and navigate. And, the new reporting interface makes it easier to find the data that you’re looking for.
Overall, there are many reasons why you should upgrade to GA4. If you’re still using universal analytics, now is the time to make the switch.
How to Upgrade to GA4
If you’re ready to upgrade to GA4, the process is fairly straightforward. First, you need to create a new property in your Google Analytics account. Then, you need to install the tracking code on your website.
Once you’ve done that, your data will start flowing into GA4 and you can start using all of the new features and benefits that it has to offer.
Get Help Leaving Universal Analytics
For more detailed instructions on how to upgrade to GA4, and help with the technical aspects of the upgrade, contact Bloom Digital Marketing.
We’re experts in all things universal analytics, and we can help you make the switch with minimal disruption to your data. Contact us today to get started.
