Google Analytics 4: The Analytics We Live In Today
On Jul 1, 2023 Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has replaced Universal Analytics services, entering a new era of analytics. As we are living in the current era of GA4, one must understand the properties of web analytics overall and the benefits GA4 has to offer.
Web analytics is the process of tracking and understanding how users interact with your website. Collecting and analyzing user data can answer the big questions you would want to know, such as how many people go on your site, how long they stay, or how many clicks your site generates. These are KPI, also known as Key Performance Indicators. It is the measurement of the success or failures that you would want to know in order to see what advantages and disadvantages you have.
So Why Did Google Switch to GA4?
Cookies are involved in this, which in the digital world is a memory system on websites to help remember information from users on how they interact with sites. Google wanted to switch in order to have no cookie features, getting rid of Universal Analytics by July 1, 2024. The reason for this was to solidify privacy rights for users.
The features in GA4 have more advanced features starting with handling duplicates of a user using different devices and platforms. Websites can now have accurate data with cross-platform users, being more precise.
Recommended by LinkedIn
From the Age of Precision to The Age of Projection
Analysts used to rely on cookies in order to be as precise as possible, but with the new privacy laws associated with cookies, data is shifting towards the Age of Projection.
The Age of Projection has solidified agreements on privacy issues. GA4 will allow businesses and analysts to have more data available than UA data due to machine learning, which fills gaps when users do not give consent.
Protecting your data is crucial and having Google’s new consented data will build a stronger profile for users, thus having businesses work around and adapt to every user.
#digimark