In October 2020, Google launched a new version of Google Analytics: Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Learn how to set up GA4 perfectly for your website and benefit from its many ingenious reports here in the ultimate Google Analytics 4 Guide.
Introduction to Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google’s analytics platform. It was released in October 2020 and offers some interesting new features that were not available before. Google Analytics 4 is the future-oriented platform from Google and should therefore be used by all companies that want to analyze their online activities. In this article, we will give a brief overview of Google Analytics 4 and explain why it is worth switching to this platform.
Google Analytics 4 is a completely new analytics platform based on Big Data technologies. This means that much more data can be analyzed than before. In addition, Google Analytics 4 offers some interesting new features that were not available before. For example, reports can be automatically generated based on the user’s individual needs. In addition, users can now perform their own analytics using the platform to better understand and optimize their online business.
However, companies should be aware that Google Analytics 4 is not yet fully mature. For example, some functions that were already available in previous versions are still missing. Moving from a previous version of Google Analytics to the new platform can also be a bit tricky. Therefore, companies should think carefully about whether they should switch to GA4 now or wait until the platform is further developed.
The basics of GA4
As mentioned above, GA4 is the latest generation of Google Analytics. It was released in 2020 and offers some advanced features and capabilities compared to its predecessors. Some of the key features of GA4 are:
1. events: GA4 is based on collecting events, which can be defined as interactions with your app or website. These events can be triggered by the user, e.g. by clicking a button or scrolling on a page. Events can also be generated automatically, e.g. by playing a video or downloading a file. Data from all events is collected and analyzed in GA4, so you can see exactly what users are doing on your website or app.
2. conversions: conversions are target actions that users can perform on your website or app, such as completing a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. In GA4, you can determine which conversions are important to your business, and then measure and analyze them. This gives you the ability to see exactly what actions users are actually taking on your website or app, so you can respond and optimize accordingly.
3. audiences: with GA4 you can divide users into defined target groups (audiences) and then analyze them. This is useful for identifying specific types of users and understanding how they behave on your website or app. For example, you can create an Audience for all users who have made a purchase in the last 30 days to find out what these users have in common and what further actions they might take.
What data is collected in GA4?
GA4 collects both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data includes things like the number of visitors to your site, the duration of a visit, and the pages that were viewed. Qualitative data includes information such as the age and gender of the person who visited your website, their location, and their search behavior
How does the integration of GA4 with other Google products work?
GA4’s integration with other Google products is one of the main advantages of this tool. By linking with other Google tools, companies can make even better use of their data and make their marketing activities more effective.
If you already have Google Analytics 4 set up, you can integrate with other Google products such as Search Console, Ads, and Tag Manager. This allows you to import data from all these sources into GA4 to get a comprehensive picture of your website performance. In this article you will learn how GA4 integration works with other Google products.
First, you need to enable data collection in your GA4 account. To do this, navigate to the settings and click “Enable data collection”. On the next page, you can then set up integration with other Google products.
To integrate GA4 with Search Console, simply click on the “Search” option. On the next page, you will then enter your URL and click “Next”. GA4 will then automatically collect all searches for your website and display them in your account.
The Google Ads integration is a bit more complex. To do this, first click on the “Ads” option and then on “Link ad accounts”. Then enter your ad ID and click “Next”. GA4 will now import all data from Ads into your account.
Integration with Tag Manager is also relatively simple. To do this, first click on the “Tag Manager” option and then on “Link Container”. Then enter your Tag Manager ID and click Next. GA4 will now import all data from Tag Manager into your account.
After you have completed the integration with all Google products, you should periodically check that all data is imported correctly. If you notice any problems, you can contact Google support.
How do I use the data from GA4 to improve my business?
In Google Analytics 4, there are some new and improved features that you can use to learn more about your website visitors and improve your business.
Here are some of the most important things you should know about GA4:
1. GA4 uses machine learning to better understand your data
This means that GA4 is able to detect possible patterns in your data and thus learn more about your visitors. For example, GA4 can identify whether a certain type of visitor is more likely to click on a certain type of content or perform a certain action on your website. These insights can help you improve your website strategy and ensure you’re delivering the right content to the right visitors.
2. GA4 offers improved real-time reports
GA4 provides enhanced real-time reports that give you more information about your website visitors. For example, you can see how many visitors are on your website, where they are coming from, and which areas of your website they visit the most. This information can help you figure out what visitors are looking for on your site and how you can better help them.
3. GA4 offers advanced reporting features
GA4 offers advanced reporting features that allow you to dive even deeper into the data. For example, you can create custom segments to identify specific types of visitors and create personalized reports to show just the data you’re interested in. In addition, GA4 also allows you to run A/B tests to find out which changes to your website are most effective.
4. GA4 is integrable with other Google products
GA4 integrates with other Google products so you can get even more out of your data. For example, you can integrate GA4 with Google Ads to find out which ads are most effective. In addition, you can also integrate GA4 with Google BigQuery to get even deeper insights into your data.
Conclusion
Google Analytics 4 is a great tool to better understand the activities of your website visitors. Setup is relatively simple and the advanced features give you many options to customize and view your data. Overall, it’s a great addition to any website.