The long-awaited Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has finally graced us with its presence. Google describes this as ‘the future of analytics’, being that it provides additional data and is more customisable so you can track only what matters to you. But does it live up to the hype? In this blog we’ll be discussing everything you need to know about GA4, what is new, what has improved, and if you need to upgrade.

What is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics is an analytics tool that can track, measure traffic and performance on your website. This is generated from a script which  is added to your website, and tracks visitor activity in the Google Analytics dashboard. If you have built your website using WordPress, you can easily integrate Google Analytics using one of many WordPress analytics plugins. On July 1, 2023, Google Analytics 3 (also known as Universal Analytics) will stop processing data. This means you’ll need to switch to Google Analytics 4 to continue tracking your site’s performance.

What’s new in Google Analytics 4?

There are many new features that you can expect with the release of GA4’s release, including:

1. A New Data Model

GA4 allows for a new way of collecting data. It utilises a user-based model and collects data in the form of events. Each event has a unique name that identifies it. It also has additional parameters to describe the event. These events may include page views, transactions, social interactions, and more. You should be able to get incredibly detailed metrics without infringing on privacy and gather the data that most relevant for your business to track.

2. AI-Powered Insights and Predictions

Google Analytics 4 can help business owners plan their marketing campaigns more effectively. This comes with new AI-powered insights that can highlight trends such as growing interest in a particular product.This technology can also predict outcomes, including churn rates and potential conversions and sales. Marketers can use these insights to promote the right products and target relevant audiences.

3. A Complete View of the Customer Lifecycle

Another powerful feature of Google Analytics 4 is customer lifecycle-framed reporting. Reports are now organised around the customer journey: For example, you will be able to see which channels are driving customers to your website (Acquisition), the actions they take (Engagement), and if they remain on the page after converting (Retention). This way, you’ll get a more comprehensive view of how users engage with your website across different devices and channels.

4. More Control Over User Data

You may not already know that Google is phasing out third-party cookies. As the digital world moves toward a cookie-less future, analytics tools now emphasise first-party data. GA4 will come with increased data controls. These are designed to help advertisers comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other data regulations. For instance, a new consent mode helps website owners obtain consent for both analytics and ads. Additionally, GA4 makes it easier to handle requests for users wising to remove their data.

5. Spam Prevention

Spammy traffic can disrupt your marketing campaign, making it challenging to collect accurate data. Fortunately, with the help of Google Analytics 4, they have found a way to address this problem. Before spammers could send fake data to Google Analytics accounts using the Measurement Protocol. Now, only hits with a secret key can send data to a GA4 property. You can access this key from your GA4 data stream settings, and it’s not available publicly.

Do You Have to Upgrade to GA4?

Google Analytics 4 is a powerful analytics tool that provides invaluable insights into your audience. There are numerous benefits to GA4, including cross-platform tracking, more control over data, and AI-driven insights. As Universal Analytics will stop processing data on July 1, 2023, you will essentially need to upgrade to continue tracking your performance. If you choose not to, then you will have no data from July 1, 2023 onwards. We recommend upgrading as soon as you can to enjoy the enhanced benefits and data collection.

CFM GROUP has over 10 years of experience in the Digital Marketing Industry. We are proud to have more reviews than any other local company in our industry, assuring our customers they are in good hands. Every single website we create is bespoke as no single client is the same as well as SEO optimised. Getting to know your business and your exact needs are integral to producing a beautiful website.  That not only looks professional, it sells your services or products to your target audience effectively.

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