Google Analytics 4: The Next Generation of Google Analytics is Here

Google Analytics 4 is an excellent tool for analyzing website traffic and user behavior.

Google recently announced a new version of Analytics, expressing it as the new default version of the company's well-known data collection and online traffic analysis software.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the company's most recent web and app tracking experience. GA4 is Google Analytics' newest default tracking setup, previously known as "Web + App Properties." Although businesses and websites with current web properties can keep monitoring in place, for the time being, GA4 is expected to become the standard by 2022.

GA4 is not an enhancement to Google's Universal Analytics, but rather a completely new means of tracking users across websites and apps that will eventually become the norm.

What are the differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4?

The measurement model used by Universal Analytics and GA4 is the most significant distinction between the two. Universal Analytics uses a measurement model based on sessions and pageviews.

A session is a collection of user engagements (hits) with a website that occurs over a set period of time. Multiple page views, events, and eCommerce purchases can all be part of a single session.

Google Analytics 4, on the other hand, employs a measurement model based on events and parameters. Any contact can be captured as an event, according to this principle. As a consequence, in GA4, all Universal Analytics hit kinds are converted to events.

The elimination of monthly hit limits is another key distinction between Universal Analytics and GA4. Universal Analytics' free version had a monthly limit of 10 million hits. That is no longer the case.

However, the number of various events that can be captured in GA4 is limited (500). There is no limit to the number of hits that can be accumulated at the time of writing. As a result, a number of clients have already chosen to use GA4 as their primary analytics tool.

The following are the key features of Google Analytics 4 that you should be aware of:

• Smarter AI-powered Insights and Predictions
• Deeper Integration with Google Ads
• Customer-Centric Measurements and Customer Life Cycle Reports
• More Granular Data Control

Is it prudent to update GA4 at this moment?

The answer is unmistakably yes. Because the data from the "old" Google Analytics is not included in GA4. This is due to the fact that not only the front end but also the back end of Google Analytics has changed as a result of this update. As a consequence, you'll have to start collecting data from your website all over again. So, if you wait until Google Analytics 4 is fully operational before updating, you'll be missing out on a lot of data that you won't be able to evaluate because Google Analytics 4 hasn't yet collected it. It's not true that if you upgrade, you'll lose your current Analytics. For the time being, you can use both versions together. It's unclear when Google Analytics will fully transition to GA4. Even if you are not planning to use GA4, it is still a good idea to update Google Analytics ahead of time.