Why migrating to Google Analytics 4 needs to be a priority for your business

Google Analytics is a vital tool for most businesses today, providing insights that help inform better decision-making, drive the company towards its goals and gain a better understanding of both customers and competitors. The current version of Google Analytics (also known as Universal Analytics/UA) will be replaced on 1st July 2023 and it’s vital that your business is ready when the transition happens.

A new way of looking at website performance

When UA is phased out in 2023 it’s going to be replaced with Google Analytics 4 (GA4). While the UA measurement model is based on sessions and pageviews, GA4 is built on a new type of measurement based on events. The intention behind the change is to focus analytics more on measuring lived experience, instead of a proxy, and removing the traditional blind spots. While there is still a lot more to learn about the new system, what's important to note right now is that UA and GA4 are not compatible data sets. That means that early migration to GA4 is going to be vital if you want to ensure you have comparable historic data.

What can we expect from GA4?

There will obviously be a brand new interface, the use of new Google Tags and you’ll also need a new Google Analytics property for storing data. It will also bring the following:

• A new reporting section. This will enable advanced analysis and the creation of specific funnels based on any chosen event.
• Creating and analysing reports will be easier. This is thanks to an improved data model that is more intuitive and easy to use – as well as more reliable in data terms.
• Focus on future behaviour of users. Predictive metrics are going to be much more effective, from purchase probability to churn.

GA4 can be run in parallel with UA

It’s simple to set up GA4 and run it in parallel with legacy analytics. This will give your organisation the opportunity to get used to the new interface and start getting the benefits of the new system much sooner. You’ll be prepared for what is coming in July 2023 without the last minute rush and chaos of leaving it until next year to make the switch. GA4 is the future of analytics and this is essentially your opportunity to have a soft launch with it while there is plenty of time to explore and get to know the details.

Some websites will be a lot of work

Configuring GA4 is going to be a different experience for some websites than others – and likely to involve a lot more effort in some cases. So, for example, if you are an ecommerce seller there is likely to be a great deal more work involved and it will be even more vital (and beneficial) to start the process of migrating now before it becomes mission critical.

GA4 is coming in 2023, whether we like it or not. There are many benefits to the new system and it will be advantageous for most businesses to start making the transition sooner rather than later. Iconic Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency in London that has the skills and know-how to help your business migrate to GA4. To find out more about Iconic Digital’s award-winning digital marketing services get in contact today on 020 7100 0726.