Google Analytics 4 Migration: Transitioning from Universal Analytics

Google Analytics 4 is a significant upgrade from Universal Analytics, offering a more comprehensive and accurate way to track user behavior. It's designed to work seamlessly with Google's broader marketing ecosystem.

Google Analytics 4 uses a data model that's based on events, which provides a more detailed understanding of user interactions. This is a key difference from Universal Analytics, which relied on sessions and page views.

The new platform also introduces a concept called "user properties", which allows for more granular tracking of user characteristics. This can be particularly useful for businesses that need to tailor their marketing efforts to specific demographics or behaviors.

Google Analytics 4's data model is also more flexible and scalable, making it easier to integrate with other tools and platforms.

Getting started with the Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant is a breeze. Click on "Get Started" and a new property will be automatically created.

The setup assistant will take care of copying your basic settings into the new property and start collecting data. It will also give you the option to turn on enhanced measurement if needed.

You'll need to select "Go to your GA4 Property" to continue with the next step. Keep in mind that your Universal Analytics account will remain unchanged until July 1, 2023.

Data collection isn't active for your website in the main Data Stream Interface on Google Analytics 4. You'll need to set up ecommerce tracking again, as it won't replicate from UA to GA4.

To set up ecommerce tracking, check out the new Ecommerce Tracking on GA4 guide by Google.

Start by making a list of your key items, including events, goals, content groupings, custom dimensions/metrics, referral exclusions, product link connections, and audiences. This will help you evaluate what you need to keep, discard, or recreate.

Organizations should agree on when the new GA4 property will become the "single source of truth" for data and reporting. This ensures everyone is on the same page and using the same data.

You may need to recreate goals in the new GA4 property, especially if you have multiple reporting views in your UA property. Note which goals are "non-event" goals, as you'll need to make changes to track them.

Here's a list of common items to set up in GA4:

Remember that GA4 limits you to 30 conversions per property, so you may need to prioritize which goals to recreate. Also, be aware that non-event goals will require changes to how you track them.

To set up Google Analytics 4, you'll need to create a new property and add a web stream. After adding a web stream, you'll be prompted to set up a Google tag, which can be done by selecting from various options depending on your website's configuration.

To ensure your new GA4 property is fully set up, click on the Setup Assistant in the Admin section. This will guide you through recommended features and settings to help you finish setting up your GA4 property. You can configure data collection, property settings, Google Ads, and advanced setup in the Setup Assistant.

Here's a list of tasks to complete in the Setup Assistant:

It can take up to 30 minutes for data to begin appearing in your new GA4 property. To verify that data is being collected, browse your website and select Realtime from the report navigation. You should see activity in the Realtime report.

To find your account and required properties, start by signing in to Google Analytics.

Make sure you're on the right account by checking the name next to the Analytics logo in the upper left corner.

If you're unsure which properties you need to migrate, follow these steps:

Once you've identified the Universal Analytics property you want to check, select it in the Property column.

Then, click GA4 Setup Assistant to see if it's connected or not. If it's grayed out, you only have permissions in the View but not in the property or account.

Ecommerce and tracking in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) migration requires some extra steps. Google recommends creating a separate set of tags for GA4 ecommerce tracking, even though it's the same as Universal Analytics (UA).

Google Tag Manager is likely the easiest and fastest way to implement ecommerce tagging across the site. For detailed information, visit Google's GA4 ecommerce migration guide.

Ideally, ecommerce tracking items should be implemented before July 1, 2022, to start tracking as soon as possible. However, if you can't complete them before July 1, 2022, just complete them as quickly as you can.

You'll need to set up ecommerce tracking again in GA4, as it won't magically replicate from UA to GA4.

Google recommends creating a separate set of tags for GA4 ecommerce tracking, even though it's the same as UA.

Google Tag Manager is likely the easiest and fastest way to implement your ecommerce tagging across the site.

For detailed information, visit Google's GA4 ecommerce migration guide.

You should ideally implement these tracking items before July 1, 2022, to get accurate data.

However, if you can't complete them all before July 1, 2022, just complete them as quickly as you can.

In best practice, wait until you have year-over-year data in your GA4 property before changing your single source of truth to GA4.

This is because the metrics and tracking in GA4 are completely different than they are in UA.

If you can get your new GA4 implemented prior to July 1, 2022, then you can likely start using it as your single source of truth as of July 1, 2023.

Your new ecommerce tracking parameters will only track after being created, which might limit your data comprehension for a few weeks.

Check out the new ecommerce tracking guide by Google for more information.

You'll need to reconnect your Google products' links to your new GA4 property. It's okay to have your Google properties connected to multiple GA properties, so you don't need to remove your existing UA product links to connect GA4 too.

Product Links now appear at the top level of the property admin navigation. You'll need to select each of the Google products you use, like Google Ads, and connect your new GA4 property(ies).

You must manually reconnect your old Google products to your new GA4 property. This means going to your Admin panel and linking all products, such as Google Ads, BigQuery Integration, and more, from the very beginning.

You don't need to remove Google Ads or other Google Products from Universal Analytics to connect them to GA4.

In Google Analytics 4, goals are now renamed "Conversions" and all goals are event-based. This means you'll need to recreate your existing Universal Analytics goals in GA4.

To migrate your goals, return to the Setup Assistant page and look for "Set up key events." Click the Actions menu to the right of the row and select "Import from Universal Analytics." Then, select which goals you'd like to recreate as key events in your new GA4 property.

You can also use the free version of Google Analytics, but you'll be forced to migrate to GA4 as your primary source of truth on July 1, 2023.

Here's a quick rundown of how to recreate your goals:

By following these steps, you'll be able to successfully migrate your goals to GA4 and take advantage of its new features.

Migrating your goals from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a crucial step in the migration process. You can do this by returning to the Setup Assistant page and looking for "Set up key events" and clicking the Actions menu to the right of the row.

To import your goals, click Import from Universal Analytics and select which goals you'd like to recreate as key events in your new GA4 property. You'll see a checkmark next to all of your goals by default, so unselect any goals that you don't want to recreate in your GA4 property.

Here's a step-by-step guide to importing your goals:

A confirmation message will show in the bottom left of your screen when your selected goals have been successfully recreated as key events in your GA4 property.

Audiences are a crucial aspect of Google Analytics, especially with the switch to GA4. It's essential to set up your audiences long before July 1, 2023.

You'll need to recreate your audiences in GA4, focusing on those with Google Analytics as the audience type at the property level. This will help you update your Google Ads campaigns with comparable audience lists.

The terminology and way you create audiences has changed in GA4, so be sure to refer to Google's audience creation guide for assistance.

The migration process to Google Analytics 4 can be a bit overwhelming, but don't worry, I've got you covered. Migrating to GA4 can range from a relatively simple operation to a far more involved process, depending on the level of customization that your Google properties require. The four-step migration strategy provides a reliable starting point to continue tracking data after 1 July.

First, you'll need to create your GA4 property and launch it. This is most easily accomplished if you use Google Tag Manager. After deployment, check the new property over the next few days to ensure you're seeing traffic data populating in the property.

Here's a step-by-step guide to create your GA4 property:

It's essential to agree on when the new GA4 property(ies) will become the "single source of truth" for data and reporting within your organization. This will help ensure a smooth transition and prevent data discrepancies.

Organizations rely heavily on Google Analytics for reporting, so it's crucial to have a plan in place for the migration process. The sooner you create your GA4 property, the sooner you'll have data populating in the GA4 property. Ideally, this should be done before July 1, 2022, but if you miss this date goal, just create your GA4 property as soon as possible.

New analytics properties do not inherit specific tracking items (e.g., goals, events) from any other properties (including UA properties). This means you'll need to recreate these items in GA4. Once you have your list of items to recreate, the real setup work begins!

You need to migrate your analytics from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) because UA will stop recording data in July, and you'll only be able to access data history up to 6 months after the final migration date.

GA4 is the new Business Intelligence tool in Google's suite, and it offers several benefits, including automatic learning, more intuitive reporting, and a focus on privacy.

Here are the main benefits of migrating to GA4:

Don't forget that UA will cease to operate as of July 1, 2024, so you'll need to migrate to GA4 or switch to an alternative analytics service before then to avoid losing your tracking abilities.

Using what you already have can make the migration process a lot easier. You can reuse an existing Google tag that you have admin access to.

Selecting this option will allow you to avoid making changes to your website's code. You'll see a list of tags you have admin access to, including their tag IDs and whether or not they've been detected on your website.

Choose a tag labeled "On site" to complete setup without making changes to your site's code. If you choose a tag labeled "Not detected", you might need to install it. Note that if your site has low traffic volume, your tag may be shown as "Not detected".

Here are some key things to consider when choosing a tag:

By using a Google tag you already have, you can save time and effort in the migration process.

Migrating to Google Analytics 4 is a necessity, not an option. Universal Analytics will stop collecting data altogether after July 1, 2023, and will only allow you to consult data history up to 6 months after the final migration date.

You need to migrate as soon as possible because GA4 will be the new Business Intelligence tool in Google's suite. Starting in July, Universal Analytics will stop recording data, making it crucial to switch to GA4.

The deadline for migration is July 1, 2024, after which the current version of Google Analytics will cease to operate. Failure to act before the deadline will result in the immediate loss of your tracking abilities.

Migrating to GA4 is mandatory due to privacy concerns regarding the way Google Analytics uses and processes data online. Google Analytics 4 will implement automatic privacy enhancements that attempt to comply with GDPR regulations.

Here are the main reasons to migrate to GA4:

Unfortunately, you can't import your Universal Analytics data directly into Google Analytics 4 due to their different data models. Universal Analytics is session or hit-based, whereas Google Analytics 4 is event-based.

The Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant makes it easy to get started with setting up a new property. Simply click on "Get Started" and the property will be automatically created.

Your Universal Analytics account will remain unchanged until July 1, 2023, when UA will no longer process data. You can click on "Open Connected Property" to check your UA data if needed.

To start switching from UA to Google Analytics 4, open your Universal Analytics Admin panel and click on "Manage GA4 migration".

Unfortunately, you can't import your Universal Analytics data to Google Analytics 4, as they use different data models. This means no moving your historic data from UA to GA4.

GA4 is event-based, whereas Universal Analytics is session or hit-based, which is a major key factor that differentiates GA4 from Universal Analytics.

The Google Analytics 4 Property Setup Assistant is a game-changer. It will open automatically to guide you through the process of creating a new property on GA4.

To create a new property, simply click on “Get Started” and the property will be automatically created. The setup assistant will take care of the rest, creating a new GA4 property, copying your basic settings into it, and starting data collection.

You'll be informed about the next steps, including the option to turn on enhanced measurement if needed. But for now, you're not done yet - this is just the basics.

Select “Go to your GA4 Property” and continue with the following step. Your Universal Analytics account will remain unchanged until July 1, 2023, and you can still check your UA data by clicking on “Open Connected Property”.

DebugView in Google Analytics 4 shows all events and user properties in real time.

This feature is a game-changer for ensuring everything is working as it should on your website or app.

Using DebugView is highly recommended, especially after setting up the basics and not-so-basic factors in Google Analytics 4.

It's a great way to catch any issues before they become major problems.

You can access the Debugging Screen to check how things are going, and it's not a mandatory step, but a crucial one if you want to ensure everything is working smoothly.

Migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a significant process that requires careful planning and execution.

The real setup work begins once you have your list of items to recreate in GA4.

Organizations rely on Google Analytics for reporting for many departments, so it's essential that the organization agree to when the new GA4 property(ies) will become the "single source of truth" for data and reporting.

GA4 migration can range from a relatively simple operation to a far more involved process, depending on the level of customization that your Google properties require.

After completing the migration process, it's crucial to review your setup to ensure everything is working as expected.

Migrating from UA to GA4 is not hard if you just do the basics, but measuring data goes beyond the standard things that everyone does.

To ensure a smooth transition, it's essential to review your GA4 setup regularly to identify any areas for improvement.

Changes are necessary if you don't want to be left behind in an always-evolving online world, and moving from UA to GA4 is indeed a necessary change.

By following a reliable four-step migration strategy, you'll be in a secure position to continue tracking data after the migration.