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Our clients are seeing phenomenal results from our GA4 audit.
As businesses transitioned to GA4 the data needed to settle, the performance indicators needed to land.
We see businesses spending 2x (twice as much) on ad spent to attain the same position.
This simply is not right and when we audit your account, we will provide you with a tailored set of recommendations, to advise how you can reduce that CPA and drive up the conversions.
You've made it this far... so what have been the significant changes between GA4 and UA???
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Universal Analytics (UA) are both website analytics platforms, but they differ significantly in their approach and capabilities.
Here are some of the main differences:
Data Model:
UA: Session-based model, data is grouped into user sessions based on inactivity periods.
GA4: Event-based model, every user interaction is captured as an individual event.
Measurement Focus:
UA: Primarily focused on website traffic and user behavior within sessions.
GA4: Focuses on the entire user journey across platforms, including websites and apps.
Key Differences
Data Privacy:
UA: Relies on cookies and other identifiers, making it increasingly challenging to comply with evolving privacy regulations.GA4: Prioritises privacy from the ground up, with fewer reliant on cookies and more emphasis on anonymised data.
Reporting and Analysis:
UA: Standardised reports focused on website metrics like pageviews and sessions.
GA4: Offers flexible and customisable reporting with more granular data and user-centric analysis.
Machine Learning:
UA: Limited use of machine learning for basic data analysis.
GA4: Leverages machine learning extensively for insights, predictions, and anomaly detection.
Data Retention:
Data Retention: UA data is stored for 26 months by default, while GA4 offers more flexible options with custom retention periods.
Goal Tracking: UA supports various goal types, while GA4 uses conversion events for more flexibility.User Identification: UA identifies users primarily by device, while GA4 can use multiple identifiers for a more holistic view.
In summary:
UA: More traditional, session-based analytics with limitations in privacy and user journey tracking.
GA4: Modern, event-based platform with advanced features, stronger privacy focus, and cross-platform capabilities.
The choice between UA and GA4 depends on your specific needs and priorities. If you prioritise privacy, cross-platform insights, and advanced analytics, GA4 is the future-proof
option. However, if you still rely heavily on traditional website traffic metrics and haven't migrated to a privacy-first approach, UA might be suitable for now.
Data Collection and Measurement:
Data stream setup: Verify that your website or app data stream(s) are active and collecting data in GA4.
Enhanced Measurement enabled: Ensure Enhanced Measurement is activated in your GA4 property to automatically collect additional user interactions.
Conversion tracking: Confirm you've migrated your important goals from UA to GA4 as conversion events.
Custom events: If you relied on custom events in UA, recreate them in GA4 for continued insights.
Ecommerce tracking: If you used ecommerce tracking in UA, ensure it is set up in GA4 for accurate revenue and purchase data.
Data Comparison and Validation:
Historical data comparison: Use the interface in GA4 to compare key metrics with historical UA data and ensure consistency.
Conversion validation: Analyse conversion trends in GA4 and compare them to your UA data to verify accuracy.
Data filtering: Understand how user acquisition methods might impact data in GA4 compared to UA for accurate comparisons.
Additional Checks:
User permissions: Ensure relevant users have access to both UA and GA4 properties.
Reports and dashboards: Adapt your reports and dashboards to analyse data in GA4's new format.
Future-proofing: familiarise yourself with GA4's features and advanced capabilities to leverage its full potential.
Remember, GA4 offers a different perspective compared to UA. While initial comparisons might seem different, focus on understanding trends and user behaviour patterns in GA4 for
valuable insights.
By checking these aspects, you can confidently confirm your successful migration from UA to GA4 and ensure continued data collection and analysis for your website or app. If you
encounter any issues or have further questions, don't hesitate to consult Google's official resources or seek help from analytics professionals.
Event to make sure are firing to track success
The specific events you should set up in GA4 depend on your unique business goals and user journey. However, there are some recommended events that provide valuable insights
across various industries:
Basic Tracking:
.page_view: Tracks every page load, providing website traffic overview.
.scroll: Captures how far users scroll down a page, indicating engagement.
.session_start: Marks the beginning of a user session, helping analyse session duration.
.user_engagement: Records various engagement actions like button clicks, video plays, and form submissions.
Ecommerce Tracking:
.view_item: Tracks product page views for understanding product interest.
.add_to_cart: Captures product additions to the cart, revealing intent to purchase.
.begin_checkout: Indicates that users initiate the checkout process.
.purchase: Records completed purchases, essential for measuring revenue.
User Engagement and Conversions:
.sign_up: Tracks user registration or account creation, signalling valuable engagement.
.level_up: Captures user progress within your platform or app, indicating deeper engagement.
.login: Monitors user logins, providing insights into returning users and user retention.
.search: Records user searches within your website or app, revealing content interests.
.share: Tracks content sharing on social media or other platforms, measuring reach and virality.
Advanced Events:
.file_download: Captures file downloads, indicating resource usage and interest.
.video_complete: Tracks video completion rates, revealing content effectiveness.
.custom_event: Create custom events for unique actions specific to your business, capturing tailored insights.
Additional Tips:
Prioritise events based on business goals: Identify events that directly contribute to achieving your objectives.
Start with essential events: Implement core events first, then expand based on your needs.
Use clear and concise event names: Descriptive names enhance understanding and analysis.
Track relevant parameters: Include additional information like product IDs or categories for deeper analysis.
Test and refine your events: Monitor event data and adjust as needed to capture valuable insights.
Remember, the ideal events to set up in GA4 are those that provide actionable insights about your users and how they interact with your website or app. By focusing on relevant
events and tracking them effectively, you can gain valuable data to optimise your user experience, marketing campaigns, and ultimately achieve your business goals.
A measurement framework is a structured way to define, measure, and track the performance of a project, initiative, or organisation. It helps to ensure that everyone is on
the same page about what is being measured, why it is being measured, and how the results will be used.
In summary:
UA: More traditional, session-based analytics with limitations in privacy and user journey tracking.
GA4: Modern, event-based platform with advanced features, stronger privacy focus, and cross-platform capabilities.