According to Google, Universal Analytics will stop accepting data on July 1, 2023. At that moment, businesses will only have one option if they wish to employ a Google tool to evaluate their website analytics: Google Analytics 4, also known as GA4.
GA4 was developed two years ago to address user privacy concerns as well as the challenges of dealing with complex customer journeys. Once Universal Analytics is phased out and GA4 takes its place, you’ll need to learn how to use Google Analytics 4 for marketing.
Here’s a quick rundown of how GA4 events work:
Google Analytics 4 analyzes user events across many devices. The data is then analyzed using predictive software, which analyzes the occurrences and creates customer journeys based on them.
The benefits of GA4 are numerous, and the Layer Cake Digital BUILD Layer can help you take advantage of all of them. Here are a few examples of how this latest Google analytics management tool can help you take your marketing to the next level:
‘Identity spaces’ are available in Google Analytics 4
Instead of using cookies to identify customers, you can now use identity spaces. A first-party cookie device ID may be assigned to a customer who opts into your site’s cookies, and if they opt into ad customization, they can be tracked across many browsers and devices. You can monitor how customers move through all of your touchpoints by using identity spaces.
Google Analytics 4 provides event tracking without the need for any code
Google Analytics 4 tracks events as they happen, without the need for coding experience. All you have to do is check in and keep an eye on what’s going on.
For example, you can now monitor how many people are viewing your most recent podcast without needing to tinker with the backend, because GA4 now includes event tracking, bringing it closer to becoming a personalized experience.
Google Analytics 4 assists you in forecasting sales
One of Google Analytics 4’s best features is its machine learning component, which will collect and learn from your data over time. Based on previous trends, you may determine which audiences are most likely to convert.
Each touchpoint can be attributed in Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 allows you to see how customers move through your sales funnel with touchpoints. When it came to your marketing attribution model, you might have had to make educated guesses with Universal Analytics — GA4 takes out some of the guesswork and provides more confidence.
Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4
When it comes to Google Analytics 4 deployment, there’s a lot to look forward to.
Yes, there will be a learning curve, but you’ll discover that one of GA4’s most distinguishing features — the ability to track events rather than sessions — is really quite useful.
This is especially true in an online-centric society that is evolving toward a cookie-free environment. Google Analytics 4 with its events-based flexibility, together with artificial intelligence and machine learning, eliminates the need for cookies.
Benefits of Google Analytics 4 – Our Final Thoughts
If you appreciate the concept of being able to predict your potential clients’ browsing behaviours and having larger data pools to work with, the new Google Analytics 4 is for you — just don’t wait until the last minute to make the switch.
If you’d like guidance setting up your Google Analytics 4 account so you can begin collecting data right away, step into our kitchen and schedule a one-on-one with our CEO & Founder, Jared Foxworthy to discuss our Analytics Edition!
Did you find these benefits of Google Analytics 4 insightful?
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