What Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Means for Your Business

Jesse Bowerbank

11th May 2023

The transition to GA4

On July 1, 2023, Google Analytics will move to the next generation of analytics, Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Many businesses already use Google Analytics to keep track of their marketing efforts and evaluate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). GA4 is a complete rewrite of the standard Universal Analytics (UA). So, what does this mean?

Make the change sooner rather than later.

As the countdown commences, businesses must gather data and convert clients. GA4 will soon become the only available version of Google Analytics, starting sooner will allow you to record substantial data and give you a head start with collecting more accurate data.
Stone Create have already started the shift to GA4 with a number of clients. Additionally, Google has released a new GA4 Migrator for Tool Analytics, which can help you move your existing Universal Analytics data to GA4 with ease.

GA4 vs UA

  • GA4 is changing the way it collects data and is now completely event-driven.
  • By using machine learning, GA4 is designed to survive the transition to a cookieless future.
  • The previous Hit Types in UA are now treated as events; there are no distinctions between hit types.
  • A session in GA4 is a collection of interactions between a visitor and a site (or app) within a certain timeframe. Sessions have been recalculated and have increased accuracy in determining the number of sessions.
  • Sessions in GA4 are initiated by the ‘session_start’ event.
  • With cross-device tracking, GA now recognises single users (a person using multiple devices).
  • Lastly, you can now add web and app data to the same property.

With so many changes and the increased complexity of GA4, it may seem daunting to make the change. Our specialists at Stone Create are here to support you.

Digital Analytics

Digital analytics is defined as the process of measuring business goals to continuously develop. This should involve measuring engagement and interactions between your site and the visitor. You should then analyze and act where necessary to improve.

There are two variables which make up data accessed on Google’s analytics reports. These are metrics and dimensions:

  • Metrics are quantitative numbers which measure data in percentages and ratios etc.
  • Dimensions are qualitative categories which describe data in breakouts or segments.

When conducting your analysis, ask yourself how users got there and what they did whilst they were there.

GA4 with Stone Create

Our team at Stone Create are here to ensure a smooth transition to GA4. We are working hard to ensure our clients feel supported throughout this change. So, get in touch to start tracking the events that matter to you today.

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