What is GA4?
Google Analytics GA4 is a new property designed to prepare businesses for the future of measurement. It replaces the previous version, Google Analytics Universal Analytics, and provides a more comprehensive set of capabilities. With GA4, businesses will be able to collect both website and app data, use event-based data instead of session-based data, and access direct integrations with media platforms.
Why is it Being Released?
Google is releasing the GA4 update to offer businesses more comprehensive insights into their customers’ behaviour and preferences. The goal of the GA4 update is to provide businesses with greater accuracy, efficiency, and control when it comes to measuring customer journey data.
What Does the GA4 Update Mean for Businesses?
For businesses, the GA4 update means better customer insight and visibility. With GA4, businesses can now collect data from both websites and apps, track events instead of sessions, and access direct integrations with media platforms. This comprehensive set of capabilities allows businesses to gain deeper insights into their customers’ behaviour and preferences to make more informed decisions about their strategies and investments.
When is it Being Released?
GA4 is already available, and on 1st July 2023, standard Universal Analytics properties will no longer process data. You'll be able to see your Universal Analytics reports for a period of time after 1st July 2023. However, new data will only flow into Google Analytics 4 properties.
Google recently announced it is pushing the sunset date of Universal Analytics 360 to 2024, giving enterprise users more time to transition to GA4. The last day to switch from Universal Analytics 360 to GA4 is changing from 1st October 2023 to 1st July 2024. For clarity, this refers to the enterprise version of Universal Analytics.
If you need help switching from Universal Analytics to GA4, feel free to contact us!