Whether you’re a seasoned Google Analytics user or a complete novice, it’s important to know what the upcoming GA4 update will mean for your business. We’ve got you covered with our on-hand experts ready to talk you through the changes and help you to be prepared.
What can you expect from GA4?
Google Analytics is the most popular analytics tool in the world, and it’s about to make big changes. We’re here to make sure you don’t get left behind.
Much like Universal Analytics, GA4 will track users on your website and give you key metrics including, number of users, most popular pages, conversion events, etc. However, GA4 is fundamentally different in the way it tracks users and the interface you may often use to look at your website stats will look a little different.
What does GA4 mean for your business?
From a user perspective, it means:
- You’ll have access to more data than ever before.
- You’ll have more control over what data is collected and how it’s used.
- You’ll be able to make changes in real-time and see results immediately.
- You can expect an overall improved experience across all platforms (web, mobile web, etc.)
How will this happen?
Google has implemented a new user interface that makes reporting easier than ever before – even if you’re not tech-savvy! They’ve also added a host of new features like custom dimensions and goal funnels to give you even more insight into what your users are doing on your website, which will help you be able to adjust accordingly and improve conversion rates.
How do I save my old Google Analytics data?
Google has made it easy to download your old data in multiple formats, however you cannot transfer this to the new GA4 so it is important to begin collecting new data as soon as possible.
To export your data from Universal Analytics, simply use the Export button at the top right of each report section.
How can we help?
We understand that not everyone is comfortable making these big changes, so we’re here to support you through this process. As you know, we’re a Certified Google Partner and our experts have had up to date training to make sure we’re best placed to help you.
How long will the changeover take?
For some of our larger customers, this changeover can take up to a day to implement. Google will stop processing hits on Universal Analytics on 1 July 2023, that’s why it’s important that you take note of these changes and begin to collect new data in GA4 as soon as possible.
Although it might seem like you have plenty of time to action this change, we strongly advise that you start to collect new data before Universal Analytics stops collecting data. You will still be able to export your old data for a short period after Google stops processing hits in UA, but this will not show up in your new GA4 account.
Don’t panic, we’re here to help…
We’re preparing early so that we can ensure a smooth transition from UA to GA4 for all our clients. Over 100 businesses trust us to maintain their websites, so it’s important that we begin this work now. We’ll start by adding some new code to your website and set up new events to track your goals and conversions. We’ll also set up standard reports for you and perform other necessary updates to keep your tracking running smoothly. If you’d like to talk to us about booking this work in, get in touch with us as soon as possible.
TL;DR
- Google is making big changes to the way it collects analytics data.
- This change will take effect from 1 July 2023 but you should start to collect new data now because you cannot transfer old data to the new Google Analytics (GA4).
