Migrating from Universal Analytics to GA4
Google has announced the sunsetting of Universal Analytics. This means that on July 1st Universal Analytics properties will stop collecting data and all businesses wishing to continue using the platform will be required to switch to GA4. Businesses have been encouraged to migrate as soon as possible, so that they can ensure a smooth transition and take advantage of the many new and improved features offered by GA4.
It's important to note that GA4 is a completely different tool from Universal Analytics, and as such, has a different interface and capabilities. One of the biggest differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics is the fact that GA4 will not immediately have historical data. This means that if you switch to GA4, you will not be able to access your historical data from Universal Analytics.
This can be a significant issue for businesses that have been using Universal Analytics for a long time and have a lot of valuable data stored in their account. At present there is no guidance on when this data will be deleted from Universal Analytics, but it would certainly seem prudent to archive your current data as soon as possible.
While GA4 may not have historical data, it does offer many new and improved features, such as cross-device and cross-platform tracking, real-time event tracking, and enhanced data privacy controls.
While the sunsetting of Universal Analytics may seem daunting, it also presents an opportunity for businesses to upgrade their analytics platform and gain a competitive edge in the digital landscape. The Little Data Company has already helped multiple businesses migrate to GA4 and as such we have a number of ways to
Take the opportunity to reassess
GA4 provides an opportunity for businesses to reassess their tracking strategy and ensure that they are getting the most valuable data from their website while also honoring their users' privacy. With the enhanced privacy controls in GA4, businesses can collect data that is more relevant and meaningful, while also giving their users greater control over the data that is collected about them. This can lead to more accurate and actionable insights, as well as a more positive user experience. Additionally, the improved cross-device and cross-platform tracking capabilities in GA4 can help businesses gain a more comprehensive understanding of their audience, enabling them to make data-driven decisions that drive business growth.
Use a Tag Management tool
One recommendation for businesses looking to migrate to GA4 is to deploy it using Google Tag Manager (GTM). GTM is a powerful tool that can help streamline the implementation process and provide greater flexibility and control over your analytics tracking. By using GTM to deploy GA4, businesses can quickly and easily implement tracking for various events and metrics on their website, as well as make changes and troubleshoot tracking issues with greater ease. Additionally, GTM provides a centralized platform for managing all of your tracking and marketing tags, making it easier to maintain a consistent tracking setup across your entire website.
For the next few months GTM can also help bridge the gap between GA4 and Universal Analytics. By deploying both sets of tags you can continue to use Universal Analytics tags and tracking in parallel with GA4.
Make use of the Google BigQuery Export
Another recommendation for businesses looking to maximise the value of GA4 is to take advantage of the BigQuery export functionality. BigQuery is a cloud-based data warehouse that allows you to store and analyze large amounts of data in real-time. With the BigQuery export functionality in GA4, businesses can export their GA4 data directly into BigQuery, allowing them to perform more advanced and in-depth analysis on their website data.
This functionality does not work retrospectivley, so it is worthwhile to activate the integration as soon as possible. However, in order to do so you will need to set up a billing account in Google Cloud and creat a BigQuery project. One of the ways that we help our clients is to manage this process for them.
Do it once and do it well
Google has announced that they will automatically move Universal Analytics accounts to GA4, and that historical tags will be able to send data to GA4 accounts. While this may seem like a convenient solution for businesses, it's important to note that installing the correct GA4 tags from the start is still the recommended approach.
By installing the correct GA4 tags from the start, businesses can ensure consistency and accuracy in their tracking setup. This can help minimize the risk of tracking errors and ensure that the data being collected is relevant and meaningful. Additionally, by installing the correct GA4 tags from the start, businesses can future-proof their tracking setup against changes to the platform.
While the automatic migration to GA4 may seem like a convenient solution, it's important for businesses to take an proactive approach to ensure that their tracking setup is accurate and consistent. By installing the correct GA4 tags from the start, businesses can ensure that they are getting the most value from their GA4 data and making informed decisions based on accurate data.
There has been a lot of negativity surrounding the forced migration from Universal Analytics to GA4, with some businesses feeling frustrated by the change. However, at The Little Data Company, we believe that for many companies this can be the start of a more considered, informative and actionable data analytics approach.
We can help you with:
Strategising on how to set up GA4
Designing your solution
Migrating your account to GA4
Managing your BIgQuery Exports
Archiving your Universal Analytics data
Providing Year on Year reporting between the two platforms
