Google Analytics 4 – What You Need To Know – Plexus Communications
Google Analytics has been an essential tool for marketers and website owners to track and measure their online performance. With the introduction of Google Analytics 4, or GA4, marketers now have access to a new suite of features and capabilities that can help them gain even deeper insights into their website visitors and better understand their customer journey.
What is GA4?
Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google’s analytics platform, which builds on the capabilities of the previous version of Google Analytics, Universal Analytics. GA4 is designed to be more flexible and adaptable to the changing needs of businesses and provide a more accurate picture of user behaviour across multiple devices.
Key Features of GA4
1. Events-First Data Model
The new GA4 is based on an event-driven data model, which focuses on user interactions with a website rather than page views. This allows for a more detailed understanding of user behaviour, including clicks, scrolls, and other actions on the site.
2. Machine Learning Capabilities
GA4 has advanced machine learning capabilities that can help businesses make data-driven decisions. With machine learning, GA4 can identify patterns in user behaviour and make predictions about user intent, making it easier to identify opportunities for growth and optimisation.
3. Cross-Device Tracking
One of the most significant advantages of GA4 is its ability to track users across multiple devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and desktop computers. This provides a more comprehensive view of the customer journey and helps businesses understand how users interact with their websites on different devices.
4. Customisable Dashboards
GA4 provides a more flexible and customisable dashboard, allowing businesses to create reports and visualisations. This enables companies to tailor the data they collect to their specific needs and objectives.
5. Integration with Google Ads
GA4 is fully integrated with Google Ads, allowing businesses to better understand their ads’ performance across all devices and platforms. With this integration, companies can optimise their ad campaigns to reach their target audience better and maximise their return on investment.
Why You Should Switch to GA4
If you’re still using Universal Analytics, there are several reasons why you should consider switching to GA4. For one, GA4 provides a more comprehensive view of user behaviour and allows businesses to better understand their customers’ journeys. Additionally, GA4 offers advanced machine-learning capabilities that can help companies to make data-driven decisions and optimise their performance.
Another advantage of GA4 is its ability to track users across multiple devices, making it easier to understand how users interact with a website and which devices they prefer. With customisable dashboards and reports, businesses can tailor the data they collect to their specific needs and objectives, providing a more accurate picture of their online performance.
Google Analytics 4 is a powerful tool that offers businesses a more comprehensive view of user behaviour and a better understanding of their customer’s journey. With advanced machine learning capabilities and cross-device tracking, GA4 can help businesses make data-driven decisions and optimise their online performance. If you’re still using Universal Analytics, consider making the switch to GA4 and start taking advantage of its advanced features and capabilities.
Google GA4, as a marketer
As a digital marketer, staying on top of the latest updates and changes in the field is crucial for success. And the new GA4 update from Google is no exception.
The GA4, or Google Analytics 4, is the latest version of Google’s web analytics platform. It was released in October 2020 and boasted new features and improvements designed to help marketers make better campaign decisions.
One of the most significant changes in GA4 is its focus on user behaviour tracking instead of session tracking. This means the platform will now collect data on individual users, allowing marketers to see how they interact with their websites over time. This new focus on user behaviour tracking is a big step forward for Google Analytics, as it allows marketers to understand their audience better and make more informed decisions.
Another significant change in GA4 is its integration with Google Ads. This integration makes it easier for marketers to track their advertising campaigns and see how they impact their website’s performance. Additionally, GA4 now includes a range of predictive metrics, such as churn and purchase probability, which help marketers make data-driven decisions about their campaigns.
However, the most significant advantage of GA4 is its improved cross-device tracking. In the past, Google Analytics struggled to track users across different devices, making it difficult for marketers to understand their audience entirely. However, the new GA4 now uses machine learning to track user behaviour across devices, making it easier to see how users interact with your website on different platforms.
Overall, the new GA4 is a significant improvement from its predecessor. Its focus on user behaviour tracking and predictive metrics and its improved cross-device monitoring make it a must-have tool for any digital marketer. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to switch to the new GA4 and take advantage of its powerful new features.
What you should know about Google GA4
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) was the latest version of Google’s web analytics platform, released in October 2020. Here are some key things you should know about it:
1. User-Centric Focus
GA4 is built around a user-centric rather than a session-based approach. It uses machine learning to track and analyse user behaviour across multiple devices and platforms, which helps businesses understand their customers better and create personalised experiences.
2. New Event Tracking Model
GA4 uses a new event tracking model that enables marketers to track user actions on their websites and apps. It provides more granular data on user behaviour, making it easier to understand how visitors interact with your site.
3. Integration with Google Ads
GA4 integrates with Google Ads, which enables marketers to track their advertising campaigns and see how they impact their website’s performance. This integration also provides new insights into user behaviour and makes optimising campaigns for maximum ROI easier.
4. Predictive Metrics
GA4 includes a range of predictive metrics, such as churn probability and purchase probability, which help marketers make data-driven decisions about their campaigns. These metrics enable businesses to anticipate user behaviour and adjust their real-time marketing strategy.
5. Improved Cross-Device Tracking
GA4 uses machine learning to track user behaviour across different devices, which makes it easier for businesses to understand how users interact with their websites on various platforms. This cross-device tracking provides a more complete picture of the user journey and allows businesses to create more effective marketing campaigns.
GA4 is a powerful tool that offers a more comprehensive view of user behaviour and enables businesses to make data-driven decisions to improve their marketing efforts. With its focus on user behaviour tracking, new event tracking model, integration with Google Ads, predictive metrics, and enhanced cross-device tracking, GA4 is an essential tool for any digital marketer looking to stay ahead of the game.
Is GA4 replacing Google Analytics?
Yes, GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics and is intended to replace the previous version of Google Analytics, which is known as Universal Analytics. However, Universal Analytics will still be available for businesses that want to continue using it.
Google has stated that GA4 will eventually become the default version of Google Analytics, so businesses are encouraged to begin transitioning to GA4. This is because GA4 offers more advanced features and a more comprehensive view of user behaviour, which can help companies make more informed decisions about their marketing strategies.
While GA4 is still in its early stages and may not yet have all the features of Universal Analytics, businesses must start using it now to ensure a smooth transition in the future. Google also provides resources and support to help businesses with the migration process.
GA4 is intended to replace Universal Analytics and will eventually become the default version of Google Analytics. Businesses are encouraged to transition to GA4 to take advantage of its advanced features and gain a more comprehensive view of user behaviour.
How does GA4 work without Cookies?
GA4 uses a new data-tracking approach that reduces its reliance on cookies. This approach is based on machine learning and allows for more granular tracking of user behaviour across multiple devices and platforms.
Instead of relying solely on cookies, GA4 uses a combination of user identifiers and event tracking to collect data on user behaviour. User identifiers are unique identifiers assigned to each user, allowing GA4 to track individual users as they move between devices and platforms.
GA4’s event tracking system allows businesses to track specific user actions, such as clicks or purchases, rather than just tracking page views. This approach provides more detailed insights into user behaviour and allows businesses to make more informed decisions about their marketing strategies.
Additionally, GA4 includes new privacy controls that allow users to opt out of data tracking, which is crucial for businesses that want to build customer trust. The privacy controls also make it easier for companies to comply with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA.
In summary, GA4 uses a combination of machine learning, user identifiers, and event tracking to collect data on user behaviour without relying solely on cookies. Its new approach provides more detailed insights into user behaviour, improves privacy controls, and makes it easier for businesses to comply with data protection regulations.
