What is Google Analytics 4? Differences from Universal Analytics

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a new version of Analytics recently announced by Google.

Google Analytics has always been among the useful SEO tools. In fact, it is often among the most important. Unfortunately, it is not among the easiest to use tools. So much so that it can take months or even years to master Google Analytics.

SEO professionals using Google Analytics now face a new release: New GA4 release. From July 1, 2023 , Google Analytics 4 will become mandatory and Google Universal Analytics (GA3) will be discontinued. During this time, we will need to get used to an entirely new interface and new ways of collecting and measuring data. If you're looking to migrate to GA4 before it's mandated by Google, this guide can lead you.

So what is Google Analytics 4? What does the new version mean for marketers? What are the differences from the traditional version? You can find answers to these questions in our article and learn how to migrate your traditional version to Google Analytics 4. 

What is Google Analytics  4  ?

Google's Analytics reporting tool is widely used by millions of businesses and websites to track user interaction across web domains, mobile apps, and offline APIs. The platform helps traders track the amount of web traffic they receive, monitor key marketing channels, and measure key performance indicators. Now, Google offers a new version with GA4 that is very different from Universal Analytics.

GA4 is not an upgrade to Universal Analytics. Rather, it's a completely different new AI-powered version of Google Analytics that works with event-driven models. In addition, many new reports are also available with Google Analytics 4.

Google Analytics 4 is the new default version of analytics software. So, if you haven't opened a Google Analytics account before, you start with GA4. But if there is a version of Universal Analytics you are already using, you need to change it and switch to Google Analytics 4.

The new Google Analytics 4 includes a number of key features that are very different from the old version. One of the biggest differences is the new data modeling feature that uses artificial intelligence. Additionally, the UI for the new default Google Analytics is much different.

What is Analytics  4  ?

Google Analytics 4 was built on the same platform for the “App + Web” system they launched in 2019. The App + Web version of Analytics focuses primarily on cross-channel data. This gives marketers an opportunity to track users in different areas such as apps, software, and the web.

All this suggests that the main goal of Google Analytics 4 release is to change the way data is displayed to focus on users.

At the same time, GA4 is all about events. These events are actually the main way data is presented to the new Google Analytics.

Many businesses using Universal Google Analytics collect incomplete or inaccurate data due to cookie consent options introduced by new privacy protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA. The new version eliminates the problem of missing customer identification due to users in Universal Analytics who have disabled machine learning, use of cookies and data collection. In other words, the information of people who refuse cookies and do not allow their sessions to be tracked will also be collected with the new version.

Highlights of the new Google Analytics 4

• The main form of data measurement was created with machine learning . It was also done using “modeling” that could make predictions from available data and make assumptions about site traffic/user behavior. This AI-powered “Insights” feature aims to automatically highlight useful information for marketers.
• For marketers, it's focused on a more complete understanding of the customer journey across devices.
• Google Analytics 4 is designed for the future. So it works in a world without cookies and identifying data.
• GA4 includes “data streams” instead of views and segments used by legacy Universal Analytics properties.
• The new Google Analytics 4 has no "view" level section. There are only Account and Property levels here, as opposed to Universal Analytics' Account, Property, and View levels.
• Whereas “event tracking” in Classic Analytics requires modified Analytics code or gtag.js script, Google Analytics 4 can enable editing, tracking and fine-tuning of events within the UI.
• GA4 allows marketers to edit, tweak and fine-tune the way they track events.
• Data Retrieval now includes a wide variety of data from non-website sources (e.g. apps) in a single feature.
• Cross-domain monitoring, which does not require code tuning, can be done in the user interface.
• One of the biggest changes in Analytics is the “Lifecycle Report” that focuses on the user journey.
• “Report templates for e-commerce funnels” allow marketers to view and visualize data. This feature was previously only available for Analytics 360 accounts.

Google Analytics 4 property

Creating an Analytics account from scratch isn't the only way to use GA4. You can create a new property in your existing Analytics accounts and try the new version that way.

What are the differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4?

The biggest difference between traditional Universal Analytics and the new Google Analytics 4 is the user interface.

Marketers and businesses shouldn't expect to find most of the old default reports, or even some of the features they use, in the new version. Because traditional Analytics has three layers of data organization: Account > Property > View. But there are only two layers in GA4: Account > Property.

There are many differences in data collection between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 properties  , particularly in how data is defined and what data elements are named  . Here are some concepts in Google Analytics:

• Events: These are page views, button clicks, user actions, etc., with a website or app. such as user interactions. Unlike before, events don't require custom code to be added to the on-site Analytics tracking code. Some events are metered by default.
• Parameters: Additional bits of information that give context to each event. For example, parameters are used to describe the value of a purchase or to provide context for where, how and why the event was logged. These include page titles, article IDs, etc. may contain.
• User attribute: Attributes or demographic information about the user.
• User ID: Used for cross-platform user tracking.

Adapt to new concepts and analyze how to use them for your business KPIs to understand how to use the new version of Analytics.

Smarter Insights

Google Analytics 4 offers much smarter insights than Universal Analytics. It also sends alerts with instant notifications about data trends. For example, if you have an e-commerce site, thanks to these smarter insights, the system analyzes the product demands on your website in more detail and offers you smart offers for the future.

However, GA4 analyzes user behavior on your site better. Then, it shares potential customer loss data and predictions.

The advanced forecasting options of the new Google Analytics include predicting how much on average you will earn from specific customer bases. Thus, you can act with more solid insights in financial planning.

Google Ads Integration

Google Analytics 4 provides deeper data with Google Ads integration. With this new release, digital marketers can see conversions from email, social media, the Google Search Network, YouTube video view data, Google and non-Google paid channels in greater capacity.

Customer Centric Data Configuration

The new version of Google Analytics works by focusing on customer-centric data configuration. This means: By using more user-centric signals, GA4 solves the long-term returns of marketing efforts in smarter ways.

You can join the Discover Next Generation Google Analytics courses that Google offers alongside their videos  .