Google Analytics 4 – The Big Shift on Data in Analytics

Google Analytics 4 – The Big Shift on Data in Analytics

In June, the unosoft Talks event was dedicated to the Data Analytics transformation campaign that unosoft specialists are coordinating as part of the move from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4.

Liviu Taloi, Head of Data Insight, presented an unosoft vision of this dynamic reality, which all those involved in online activity must look at realistically and objectively.

As an agency working with complex data structures and large accounts, unosoft offers its clients an application to extract historical data, through which they can keep their information and use it further for YoY analysis.

Why is Google Analytics important and how is it influencing GA transformations for all online businesses? Liviu answered at length these questions that are of concern to digital specialists, entrepreneurs, and marketers in various industries.

Advantages of using Google Analytics (GA3 and GA4)

The advantages of measuring KPIs using GA are as follows:

  • You can measure conversions and optimize the profitability of PPC campaigns;
  • Purchase behaviour analysis is accessible to inform business decisions, for example determining the range of products to be offered for sale;
  • Online sales can be analysed by payment or delivery method to optimise operational costs.

Advantages of switching to GA4

The new form of Google Analytics is user centric, provides predictive audiences using machine learning. It can measure both sales from online stores and leads from websites, installs and revenue from mobile apps.

GA4 is data driven, is based on AI-like algorithms, is multichannel and adaptable to all online data structures. In GA4 it is no longer measured bounce rate, we switch to commitment rate, which gives the opportunity for increased efficiency across the entire digital marketing activity.

Why should we migrate to GA4 now, today?

The timeline is short, that’s why it must be acted upon immediately. 1 July 2022 is considered Happy Day, i.e. the day on which historical data are still available for YoY analysis forward to 1 July 2023.
This date in the summer of next year is suggestively named G-Day. 1 July 2023 marks an important paradigm shift in the construction and use of data models. The speed of response to expected transformations is important in preparing for 1 January 2024, also known as Oblivion Day.

Google has announced that 6 months after the GA4 launch all data provided by GA3 will disappear. So while on July 1, 2023 viewing reports from GA3 will be like an electrocardiogram line for a deceased person, on January 1, 2024 it won’t be at all. This data amnesia can be avoided by concrete actions that each firm schedules according to resources and priorities.

What are the differences between GA3 and GA4?

GA3 is session basedand GA4 is event-based, or user-based. Because it is based on different data models, it is not possible to simply migrate, like automatically translating data from GA3 to GA4, but it is necessary to transition this historical data.

GA4 prepares us for an application-based future by measuring site visits in an exhaustive manner, without fragmentation, duplication, or overlap when recording interactions between users and sites.

unosoft recommends these steps for migration

By July 2022, implement GA4 tracking on site, create conversion events, evaluate tracking scheme in UA.

During July-December 2022 you should familiarise yourself with the GA4 interface, observe the differences between GA3 (UA) and GA4, to evaluate and compare them. It is necessary to be connected to the news flow about GA4 release dates and feature development. Last but not least, it is advisable to rigorously plan the transition to GA4 insights.

Next year you will have a lot of work to do with GA4. In the first 6 months of 2023 adapt your current dashboards using GA4, plug in Google Ads, Search Console and other data analytics tools. Extract insights from GA4 dashboards.

From July 1, 2023 through the end of the year you will determine the opportunity to store historical data from UA. You’ll retrieve the data based on need and priorities set within the enterprise.

How can we actually migrate to GA4?

unosoft recommends the following steps for migrating (transitioning) to Google Analytics 4:

  • Create GA4 property type;
  • Adding KPIs – important events for the business;
  • Implementing e-commerce events and the E-commerce schema in GA4;
  • Installation of custom events and integration of other platforms into Analytics;
  • Audit GA4 implementation at qualitative and quantitative level.

It is recommended to work with Data Analytics specialists for training sessions, customised assistance in implementing the necessary changes to move to GA4 and for viewing and retrieving historical data before it is deleted.

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