Google Analytics is changing- Here’s what you need to know

If you haven’t already heard, there is a Google Analytics update on the way. “Universal Analytics” is being discontinued on 30th June 2023 and shall be replaced by “Google Analytics 4 (GA4)”. The Google Analytics update is designed to provide website owners and managers with a better understanding of the multi-platform journeys of customers whilst protecting the privacy and security of users. 

You might be thinking “well why will this affect me?”, well…whether you use Google Analytics for reporting now or not, it’s important to set up GA4 now to start gathering data before the swap in order to be able to make easier, more precise comparisons in the future. 

How do I set up GA4? 

Setting up a GA4 account is incredibly straightforward. If you already use Universal Analytics, all you need to do is go to your GA dashboard, click on the cog at the bottom left-hand side of the screen, then go to ‘GA4 Setup Assistant’ under the middle column titled ‘Property’ and follow the prompts. 

If you are not already using Universal Analytics and the Google Analytics update will be your first foray into the world of Google Analytics, simply sign into your gmail account and visit the Google Analytics website, and follow the instructions to get started. 

Once set up, you will need to integrate GA4 with your website and this is where things can get tricky. Nowadays, we’d recommend every site set up as much as they can through Google Tag Manager, as this makes it easy for website owners and managers to make changes and additions to their websites in the future. That said, there are other ways to do it depending on your website’s Content Management System (CMS, e.g. WordPress, Wix, Shopify, etc.). If you are not sure where to start, feel free to get in touch and we’ll do our best to advise you. 

When should I move over to GA4? 

We recommend that you set this up as soon as possible, before the Google Analytics update forces you to. The later you leave this the less data you will have on your website when it comes to the time where universal analytics is no more. You will still be able to access Universal Analytics for some time after 30th June, but it will be difficult to make like for like comparisons due to the different set up used on GA4.

It has been warned by Google that there will be a date where Universal Analytics will no longer be available to access, but a date is yet to be announced on this. 

You might have Google Analytics on your website already and think you don’t use it so there is no need to move over to the new one yet. But, by the time you decide you want to use your Google Analytics it may be too late as there will be no data processed after 1st July 2023. 

Does Universal Analytics automatically move over to GA4? 

No. Unfortunately, this Google Analytics update will not move over automatically so you cannot just wait for Google to move the analytics code over to the new style. A new tracking code will need to be added to your website and if you have any eCommerce tracking or Conversions Goals set up in your existing Analytics account, these will also need to be set up again.

Can tracking be implemented easily?  

In the short answer, setting up a new analytics code in GA4 will cost nothing with the right knowledge and skills. However, this is a complex process that can easily go wrong. Therefore, if you would rather somebody else set this up, whether that be the implementation of adding the tracking code to your website or setting up the conversion tracking in GA4, we can do this for you and will vary from website to website depending on what you need to set up. 

While there are a number of frustrating changes between GA-UA and GA4, one of the best new features is how easy it is to monitor Events in addition to Conversions and Transactions. Events are basically actions that you might be interested in tracking but wouldn’t necessarily consider as Conversions and Transactions. For example, a product being added to Cart might constitute an Event, as it’s a reasonable thing to want to monitor and keep an eye on but it is not a completed sale. Events don’t necessarily have to be stepping stones toward a desired Goal, simply an action of note or interest.

Setting up on GA4 is the perfect opportunity to look at, refine and possibly reconsider what you’re currently tracking as Website Conversions. Some things you might want to deprioritise and track as Events going forward, while other common Conversions (such as ‘Engaged Sessions’) might want to be removed altogether. If you’d like to discuss your existing Conversion Tracking set up to ensure you get off on the right foot with GA4, feel free to get in touch.   

What will change from Universal Analytics?

Although this Google Analytics update will see a significant change in the data options provided by Google Analytics, GA4 will, in theory, provide the ability to better see user journeys across their website and apps in total rather than needing to navigate to a different section of analytics to view the user journeys on apps. 

Although some metrics will remain, others will change the way that they are calculated. For example, in Universal Analytics we have the “Total Users” and “ New Users”, but in GA4 we also have “Active Users”. Where this is calculated differently is the term “User” on Universal Analytics is referred to as the total number of people that visit the site, whereas on GA4, the term is referred to as anyone who has engaged long enough in a session for Analytics to collect data. 

This is just one very basic example of the changes you’ll find in GA4, as there are far too many to list. That said, we’re sure those familiar with Google Analytics will note a remarkable reduction in the amount of data available along with a level of simplification that borders on obfuscation. There’s still some time left and it’s possible that GA4 will have more added to it over the next 7 months, but a lot would have to be added to make up for the shortfall. 

Updating cookie policy’s  

Once GA4 is set up, it’s important to remember that cookie policies and any other relevant website policies are updated to reflect the new tracking information. Stay tuned for an update on this to come. 

We understand the change that Google is bringing in might be confusing for some right now. So, if you’re still unsure about what to do, get in contact with us today to find out what your next steps should be.