Google Analytics 4: What You Should Know

Google has released the next generation of website analytics tools with the introduction of Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This new property is designed for the digital future, allowing businesses to retrieve and analyse even more of their website/app marketing data, and enabling them to make smarter decisions and drive better performance.

When is Google Analytics Changing?

All standard Universal Analytics (UA) properties will stop processing new hits on 1 July 2023.

Why is Google Analytics Changing?

Google says they have developed GA4 to:

• Improve end user privacy.
• Accommodate cookies changes on browsers.
• Allow for better reporting on the ever-increasing amounts of data being collected.

What is different about GA4?

Google Analytics 4:

• Is built with machine learning, which allows it to automatically uncover insights from data, and in turn improve users’ decision making and marketing performance.
• Provides a clearer picture of the customer journey across devices from acquisition to retention.
• Is future-proof. It is designed to grow with your business, can work with or without cookies and can provide insights even with gaps in your data.

Does this impact me?

YES! All Universal Analytics users will need their website provider to set up a GA4 property for them. AdTorque Edge website clients already have a GA4 property collecting data from their website, running in tandem with their existing Universal Analytics (UA) account.

Do I have a choice to stay on Universal Analytics and not move to GA4?

No. On 1 July 2023, Google will switch off all UA properties, and everyone will be required to be on GA4.

What will happen to my existing UA account and data?

The historical data in UA will not carry over into GA4 when it is switched off, so it is important to set up the new property as soon as possible to give it sufficient time to collect its own data and start generating insights. AdTorque Edge will run a dual setup of UA and GA4 for all our website clients for an extended period of time until Google switches off UA.

What do I need to do now?

If you are an AdTorque Edge website client, you don’t need to do anything. Our team has already set up your GA4 property for you and has integrated it with your ALICE account. If your website is hosted by another provider, you should contact them as soon as possible and request that they set up Google Analytics 4 on your behalf.

If you have any questions, contact the team at AdTorque Edge.