4/12/2023
December 4, 2023
On October 14, 2020, Google announced the release of the new version of Google Analytics: Google Analytics 4 (GA4). With this version, Google has redesigned the entire analytics tool to offer businesses a deeper
understanding of how their users interact with their products and services. Without further ado, let's explore the top ten changes brought about by Google Analytics 4.
The first and most important change is the user-centric, event-driven approach. In previous versions, data was organized into sessions. Now, GA4 focuses on user actions (events), whether it's a page view, a click, a search, a purchase and so on.
GA4 now lets you combine data from different devices and platforms (such as the web and mobile apps) into a single report, offering a more comprehensive view of user interaction with your brand.
GA4 uses machine learning to fill data gaps caused by users blocking cookies. This keeps a clear view of conversion attribution and customer purchase paths.
GA4 offers more customizable and flexible reporting than ever before. Users can now create their own events and parameters without having to use code.
GA4 now provides a detailed overview of the customer lifecycle, showing user actions from first contact with your brand through to conversion and loyalty.
The new version of Google Analytics lets you import events directly from Google Ads, which can help you understand how advertising campaigns influence user behavior.
GA4 has been designed with privacy in mind, offering greater flexibility to help companies comply with privacy regulations, such as the RGPD in Europe.
Thanks to machine learning, GA4 can now automatically detect and report anomalies in your data, enabling potential problems to be identified quickly.
Using machine learning, GA4 can now predict future trends, such as the sales potential of certain customer segments.
Finally, GA4 uses a new tracking code (gtag.js) that replaces the old one (analytics.js). This may require an update to your website, but Google provides guides to ease this transition.
In summary, Google Analytics 4 offers a host of new features and enhancements designed to help businesses better understand their users and make data-driven decisions. As always with new tools, there may be a learning curve, but the potential benefits are worth the effort to adapt.
