If you were used to Google Analytics Universal (GAU) but now feel lost with Google Analytics 4 (GA4), you’re not alone. GA4 isn’t just an update—it’s a whole new way of tracking website activity. Many people find it confusing at first, but don’t worry! We’ll break it down in a simple way so you can start using it confidently.
Key Dates to Know
GAU Sunset Date: Google officially discontinued Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023. After this date, data collection in GAU stopped.
GA4 Launch Date: Google introduced GA4 in October 2020, giving users a transition period before GAU was phased out.
Even though GA4 has been around for a while, many businesses are still struggling to fully adopt and understand it. The learning curve can be steep, but the sooner you get familiar with GA4, the more actionable insights you can unlock.
1. How Data is Tracked: Events Instead of Sessions
The biggest difference is how GA4 tracks user activity.
GAU: Tracked data in "sessions," meaning it grouped all the actions a user took in one visit.
GA4: Tracks everything as an "event." Page visits, clicks, and purchases are all events.
What This Means for You
GA4 gives you more flexibility in tracking user actions, but it may feel unfamiliar at first. Instead of thinking about user visits, think about what users actually do on your site.
2. No More Bounce Rate – Now It’s About Engagement
In GAU, "bounce rate" measured the percentage of visitors who left after viewing only one page. GA4 uses engagement rate instead.
GAU Bounce Rate: Showed how many users left without clicking or interacting further.
GA4 Engagement Rate: Measures if a user stays for at least 10 seconds, views multiple pages, or completes an action (like a purchase).
What This Means for You
Instead of focusing on visitors leaving, GA4 helps you see how engaged your audience really is.
3. Easier Event Tracking (No Extra Setup Required!)
In GAU, tracking actions (like video plays or button clicks) required Google Tag Manager or extra code. GA4 simplifies this:
GAU: You had to manually set up tracking for anything beyond page views.
GA4: Tracks common actions automatically, like scrolling, clicking links, and playing videos.
What This Means for You
GA4 makes it easier to track important actions without extra work!
4. Conversions Are Now More Flexible
GAU used "goals" to track things like form submissions or purchases. GA4 replaces this with "conversions."
GAU Goals: Required specific setups like tracking URLs or session length.
GA4 Conversions: Lets you choose any tracked event as a conversion.
What This Means for You
You have more control over what’s considered a conversion, making reporting more relevant to your business.
5. Reports Are More Customizable
GAU had fixed reports you could pull up easily. GA4 focuses on custom reports through the Explorations tool.
GAU Reports: Standard reports were pre-built and easy to access.
GA4 Explorations: Allows you to build custom reports tailored to your needs.
What This Means for You
You’ll need to take time to set up reports, but once you do, they’ll be much more useful.
6. No More Views – Now It’s Data Streams
In GAU, "Views" allowed you to filter data easily. GA4 replaced this with "Data Streams."
GAU Views: You could create different views (e.g., one for external traffic, one for internal users).
GA4 Data Streams: Merges website and app data, requiring more filtering within reports.
What This Means for You
Instead of switching between views, you’ll use filters and segments inside GA4 reports.
7. Stronger Privacy Controls (But No More IP Filtering)
GA4 is designed to comply with stricter privacy laws. That means some old tracking methods are gone, like filtering by IP address.
GAU: Allowed IP filtering to exclude internal traffic.
GA4: Focuses on user-level data protection, requiring new filtering methods.
What This Means for You
You’ll need to adjust how you filter internal traffic, often using Google Tag Manager.
How to Get Started with GA4
If GA4 feels overwhelming, start with these simple steps:
Turn on Enhanced Measurement – This will track key interactions automatically.
Mark Key Events as Conversions – Identify what matters most and set those as conversions.
Explore the Reports Section – Spend time looking at different reports to see how data is structured.
Try Google’s Demo Account – Google offers a sample GA4 account so you can practice without affecting your own data.
Final Thoughts
GA4 is a big change, but it offers more control and better insights. The key is to think in terms of "events" instead of "sessions," set up reports that fit your needs, and take advantage of automatic tracking features.
For decision-makers, understanding GA4 is crucial for making data-driven business decisions. While it requires some learning, embracing GA4 will provide better insights and more accurate measurement of marketing success.
Once you get comfortable, GA4 will give you even better insights than GAU ever did!
Reach out to us if you are looking for help. Or read more about our services here: https://frankfam.co/performance-and-marketing/
