Get Ready Now for Google Analytics 4

Ready or not, here comes Google Analytics 4.

Beginning on July 1, 2023, Google will begin to sunset Google Analytics—Universal Analytics (UA) as we know it—and process data exclusively through Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

While the shift is seismic for those who rely on this data to make decisions impactful to their businesses, you can prepare now for the movement ahead.

What to know

• Beginning on July 1, 2023, Google will begin the process of shutting down the processing of data collected by UA. You will still be able to access this UA data for at least six months.
• During this time, Google recommends exporting your historical data for preservation purposes and uploading for GA4.
• Unless you created a GA4 presence prior to March 2023, it is most likely that Google created one for you. You’ll be able to see if one was created for you by either logging in to your property or by contacting your provider.

What is GA4?

• Google Analytics 4 is designed to provide more comprehensive insights into user behavior and engagement across multiple devices and platforms.
• Think of UA as a camera that takes snapshots of user behavior at specific moments in time. You can get a sense of what users are doing on your website or app, but it's harder to see how they're interacting with your content over time. In contrast, GA4 is like a video camera that captures a continuous stream of user activity, allowing you to see how users navigate your site or app and engage with your content in real-time.

How to be ready

• Get familiar by logging into your account or getting in touch with your provider. It is quite a difference than what we are used to seeing in UA.
• Google has a page of resources dedicated to the switch that can be useful.
• Any dashboards or reporting structures that you have set up in UA will need to be transferred to GA4.
• Familiarize yourself with the new metric terminology in GA4.

If we can be of service or answer any questions, please let us know. We are happy to assist in the changeover or can point you to helpful information as you move forward.