Google Analytics 4: Now the switch is mandatory!

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Google released the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4) back in October 2020. This evolution builds on the previously launched Google Analytics App + Web Property and delivers numerous benefits, from enhanced data analysis to privacy-compliant, cookie-free data collection. If you want to keep benefiting from meaningful insights and historical data in the future, transitioning to Google Analytics 4 soon is essential. Until recently, switching to the new analytics version was optional, but the update from March 16, 2022, now calls for swift action: Effective July 1, 2023, its predecessor, Universal Analytics, will stop processing standard properties.

Find out in our latest blog post why switching to Google Analytics 4 is crucial for future-proof data collection. The internetwarriors offer insights into the new user interface and summarize all the benefits and latest features for you. 

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Benefits of Google Analytics 4

Even though the mandatory switch to Google Analytics 4 involves quite a bit of work, the move is definitely worth it: Naturally, the new analytics comes packed with comprehensive improvements that meet future requirements and enable even more insightful, visualized reporting. Curious to learn more? Here is an overview of the key new features:

Goodbye Bounce Rate, Hello Engagement

You might have questioned the bounce rate in the past, wondering whether the metric was truly accurate. Consider the following scenario:

A user visits your site, spends more than 10 seconds there, and leaves. In Universal Analytics, this could have counted as a bounce. Universal Analytics typically registers a bounce whenever no further activity is tracked. To solve this, Google Analytics 4 introduces the new metric Engagement. A session counts as engaged if either:

• a user spends more than 10 seconds on the page

• or at least 2 pages were viewed

• or a conversion event was triggered.

With this new metric, you get far more accurate insights. From now on with Google Analytics 4, the question is no longer “How many users are bouncing from my site?”, but rather “How many users are genuinely interested in my site?”.

Modeled Data

Data analysis and machine learning—it’s a combination that now goes hand in hand. It’s no surprise, then, that Google Analytics 4 includes many new features powered by machine learning. Modeled conversions are especially interesting:

When collecting data, it has always been nearly impossible to capture everything, which is why reports only ever reflected a portion of website visitors. In Google Analytics 4, you can now draw conclusions about your total audience by using collected data to estimate metrics for missing users.

Due to increasingly strict cookie guidelines, significant gaps naturally emerge in data collection. Data is also lost when users can't be matched to corresponding cookies or when cookies expire. Analytics 4 offers the ability to estimate conversions and metrics for users who decline cookies.

Google Analytics 4 and the GDPR

In Google Analytics 4, the GDPR plays an essential role regarding cookies. Moving forward, GA4 is designed to support privacy-compliant data handling. For instance, Consent Mode has been integrated directly into Google Analytics 4. If cookies are declined, only non-personal data is gathered. While that might not sound like a huge advantage at first glance, it means Google Analytics 4 still tracks data where its predecessor couldn’t.

An important detail here: Visitor IP addresses are now anonymized by default. This setting cannot be turned off.

Future-Proof Reporting

In Google Analytics 4, creating custom reports is faster and much more streamlined. You also get a wide range of cards to visualize your data. All of this comes without sacrificing any flexibility in Analytics 4.

Another key feature of Google Analytics 4 is predictive reporting. Users can build reports that use historical data to forecast specific metrics. For example, you can gauge the likelihood that a visitor from the past 28 days will make a purchase in the next 7 days, or track how likely an active user is to return to your site in the future.

Advanced User Permissions 

Google has revamped user permissions in Google Analytics 4. In the new version, you can restrict access to specific data points for selected tool users. For instance, you can limit access to revenue or cost metrics. Google Analytics 4 places a strong emphasis on protecting sensitive data from unauthorized eyes. 

Expanded Default Channel Grouping 

Google has expanded the number of default channels in the new version, even though this slightly reduces the tool's customization flexibility. As a tradeoff, you can no longer define your own custom channel groupings. Users needing additional channels will now need to contact Google Support. In most cases, however, the wide array of new standard channels makes custom groupings unnecessary since they cover virtually every common need. 

The new channels include: SMS, Paid Shopping, Organic Shopping, Organic Video, Paid Video, as well as Paid Social and Organic Social. The previous version simply grouped Paid Social and Organic Social under a general Social label. We can certainly expect even more channels to be added in the near future.

The Importance of UTM Parameters

UTM parameters play an even bigger role in Google Analytics 4 than before, as most channels require strict definitions of UTM values. Because channels in Analytics 4 draw from many different sources, setting up UTM parameters can often become complex.

Need a hand? The internetwarriors bring decades of experience in web analytics. We know exactly what to look for when configuring UTM parameters for Google Analytics and are happy to take care of it for you.

Attribution Models

When running ad campaigns, it’s vital to understand which channels drove a conversion. Under the old data model (Universal Analytics), conversions were almost always credited to the last channel that led to the converting session.

In reality, conversions usually involve multiple touchpoints across various channels. To account for this, Analytics 4 allows users to adjust their attribution model. The default is now data-driven attribution, which uses machine learning to fairly distribute conversion credit across channels based on factors like ad interactions, touchpoint order, time to conversion, and device type.

Other attribution models include:

• Last Click (100% of the conversion credit goes to the final channel)

• First Click (100% of the conversion credit goes to the first channel)

• Linear (credit is split equally across all channels involved in the journey)

• Position-Based (more credit is assigned to the first and last channels, with the rest distributed evenly among the middle touchpoints)

• Time Decay (channels closer in time to the conversion receive more credit, meaning older interactions get less)

More to Come!

Over the past year, it’s become clear that the development of Google Analytics 4 is far from over. New features continue to roll out, transforming the way we analyze data. That momentum will only keep going. Get ready for an exciting journey ahead with Google Analytics 4!

Need Help with Google Analytics 4? Get in Touch Today!

Switching to Google Analytics 4 can feel overwhelming, but that’s what we’re here for! The internetwarriors are proven web analytics experts and will set up the new Google Analytics 4 for you—from initial implementation to long-term support. With over 20 years of experience under our belt, we know exactly what it takes.