Ready to take your digital data power to the next level? Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is Google’s next generation of digital marketing analytic platforms.
Digital marketing analytic platforms help business owners like you by offering insight and information into how people engage with your business website. You may already be familiar with Google’s standard Universal Analytics (UA) – in fact, UA may already be installed on your website (and if it’s not, why not?). Prepare to step your digital marketing analytics up a notch and evolve to new data heights because, on July 1 of 2023, UA will become obsolete and replaced entirely by GA4.
How GA4 Will Impact Your Business
1. Conversion is Key – Business owners who choose not to convert to GA4 lose access to key data, including how well specific products or services sell on your website, whether or not your lead-generating efforts are successful or need tweaking, and which pages on your website need attention.
2. New Reports – GA4 is rolling out new and improved reports for business owners to review, like Customer Lifecycle Reports that showcase customer Acquisition data, Engagement, Monetization, and Retention. This is incredible information for business owners to have at their fingertips and can help you better market to your target audience.
3. Patience Required – A number of GA4 features are still in the process of being rolled out, so while GreenCup Digital maintains now is the best time to convert, it’s important to understand your business’s full conversion to GA4 will take time, strategy, and patience.
Should you upgrade to GA4?
Absolutely. Universal Analytics will soon disappear, leaving your data collection efforts dead in the water. Don’t let the GA4 transition disrupt your marketing progress – migrate to GA4 as soon as possible so you can familiarize yourself with GA4’s new features and easily maintain a firm grasp on the performance of your digital marketing efforts.
How Is GA4 different from Universal Analytics?
GA4 Key Feature #1 – User Tracking: Understanding Your Customers Across Touchpoints
Over the past year, privacy concerns changed how operating systems and browsers track users. Universal Analytics relies on tracking cookies; GA4 depends less on cookies and has built-in privacy controls to keep you compliant with General Data Protection Regulations and the California Consumer Privacy Act.
A buyer’s journey typically contains multiple touchpoints before a transaction is complete. GA4 works by combining data from multiple sites and apps called “Data Streams.” GA4 combs each stream so you can track data, engagement, and conversions on one interface (GA4) and easily understand how your customers interact with your business. This new advancement in cross-platform user tracking allows you to see where your customers hit digital obstacles, so you adjust your content and marketing efforts accordingly.
GA4 Key Feature #2 – Machine Learning: Predicting Customer’s Future Behavior
As digital marketing continues to evolve, staying ahead of the latest trends can feel overwhelming. Machine learning helps reduce overwhelm by providing predictive (think crystal ball into your business’s success potential) analytics.
GA4 helps you make informed decisions about your customer’s likelihood to purchase and, consequently, the potential revenue each customer segment could produce. Knowing what your audience responds to and where to focus your efforts can help your business better allocate your marketing budget while offering the best return on your investment.
GA4 Key Feature #3 – Data Collection: Events and Insights
Under soon-to-be-obsolete Universal Analytics, events are set up to track things like website form submissions, downloads, and video plays. In GA4, every customer engagement interaction is automatically tracked as an event, including user sessions. These event recordings track the overall buyer’s journey and allow you granular visibility into your promotions. Your business can then take these insights and adapt your content strategy to gain more successful conversations. GA4 improvements like these can revolutionize your reporting capabilities while staying accessible, insightful, and user-friendly.
Plan Your GA4 Migration
GA4 can’t access historical data, so the sooner you make the transition, the more data you’ll have when it comes to year-end and monthly reporting. GreenCup Digital believes in the power of analytics to measure your marketing metrics and help your business succeed. For new website development clients, the addition of GA4 comes standard. Do you have Universal Analytics on your existing website and need help migrating to GA4? Let the team of experts at GreenCup Digital take care of the migration process! Connect with us here to learn more.
