Everything you need to know about Google Analytics 4

The evolution of Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that allows website owners and marketers to track and analyze user behavior on their websites. Google Analytics Universal was the standard for measuring website traffic and behavior for years. We’ve been accustomed to it for a long time, but since July 2023, the new Google Analytics 4 has become the standard. Over the years, Google Analytics has changed significantly. Many tools have been added and altered from the beginning until now.

Urchin (2005): Google Analytics was originally based on the Urchin software that Google acquired at the time. This marked the beginning of Google Analytics with basic statistics and traffic data.
Google Analytics 2.0 (2007): This version introduced several new features, including an improved user interface, advanced segmentation, and new reporting.
Google Analytics 3.0 (2009): In 2009, asynchronous tracking was introduced, which improved page load times. Additionally, custom variables, event tracking, and expanded mobile tracking capabilities were introduced.
Google Analytics Real-Time (2011): Real-Time Analytics was added, allowing users to view live traffic data from their website, such as the number of active users on the site at any given time.
Universal Analytics (2012): UA was a major update that enabled more flexible tracking, including tracking users across different platforms and devices.
Google Analytics 4 (2020): Google Analytics (GA4) represents a significant shift in how data is collected and analyzed. It focuses on user-centric tracking rather than session-based tracking.

The approach of Google Analytics 4

The most notable change is the event-based approach. Google Analytics 4 focuses on tracking events that occur on the website or app. This means Google Analytics no longer solely focuses on page views and screen views but looks further into interactions on web pages, scrolls, and purchases.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence

Within the new Google Analytics 4, various machine learning and AI technologies are utilized. Google introduced this to enable more in-depth analyses for a website. With this large amount of data, predictive reports can be generated.

The new system, for example, can predict the number of purchases on a website based on previous data and behavior. These insights are highly valuable for marketers, as they can set up effective targeted campaigns. This can be further optimized through audience segments that Google Analytics 4 can create.

Cross-platform tracking

With the new Google Analytics tool, user behavior across different platforms and devices can be tracked and analyzed. This tool was added because users now easily switch between different devices to access a website or app. Cross-platform tracking provides marketers and website owners with better insights into the full customer journey, even when it occurs across multiple devices. Google Analytics 4 can thus track a user who starts on a desktop computer and completes a purchase on mobile.

This allows brands and marketers to better understand their audience and create specialized marketing campaigns since it offers a broader view of the customer journey across various devices.

Privacy and data protection

In recent years, concerns about user data privacy have increased, and for this reason, Google Analytics 4 includes new features to ensure user privacy and compliance with regulations. The most significant new feature is the data deletion option. This allows users to delete data and events. Additionally, user information can be displayed anonymously, as companies can choose to anonymize the last octet of the IP address, making it impossible to identify individual users based on an IP address.

Another powerful privacy feature is the “consumer opt-out,” which enables users to express their preference not to be included in Google Analytics 4 analyses.

User interface

The user interface offers more flexible reporting capabilities, allowing businesses to better respond to their needs. Google supports businesses in gaining deeper insights and making more effective (marketing) decisions.

The new interface ensures data analysis is easier and more intuitive for both beginners and experienced Google Analytics users. Google displays the most important data and graphs on the dashboard. The data is easily customizable so that each user can create their own report. This includes different dimensions and metrics for detailed analyses. Additionally, the new interface is designed with mobile use in mind, providing access to data and analyses on various devices.

The interface is developed to provide users with the data and analyses they are looking for at any time.

Event funnels

This new tool allows you to track users during specific interactions on the website or app. With event funnels, you can clearly see where users drop off and where they convert. This helps identify and address bottlenecks in the conversion path early.

Lifecycle reports

The lifecycle report tool helps understand user behavior over the lifecycle. This allows you to analyze the entire lifecycle of a visitor, from the first website visit to a returning interaction on the website. The reports provide insights into the relationship, engagement with the site, and conversions over different periods. You can see how long a user stayed on the website, as well as when and how often they return.

You can also see which events drive multiple interactions on the website, which is essential for analysis and optimization.

How to install Google Analytics 4?

Setting up a Google Analytics account isn’t difficult, but there are some important steps involved in creating an account. Let’s walk you through the key steps:

Step 1: Create a Google Analytics account
Go to the Google Analytics website: https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/.
Click on “Sign in” to log in with your Google account and click on “Get Started.”
Next, enter a name for the account, the website URL, and other information to set up the account correctly.

Step 2: Create a new property
Once the account is created, navigate to the “Admin” section in the left navigation bar. Then click “Create Property” under the desired account, if you have multiple accounts in your Google account. Select “Website” as the platform option and enter the correct information. Click on “Set up data stream” to configure the data stream for your website.

Step 3: Install the data stream
There are different ways to install the data stream:

• Add the Google Analytics tag manually to the website. Do this by adding the Google Analytics Measurement ID snippet to the HTML code of the website, just above the closing tag. Ensure this is installed on every page of the website to accurately track all data.
• Use a Content Management System (CMS). Install a Google Analytics plugin for a CMS. Activate the plugin and configure it with a Google Analytics 4 Measurement ID. This plugin will automatically add the Google Analytics 4 tag to your website and start collecting data.
• Use Google Tag Manager. If you don’t have a Google Tag Manager account, create one at: https://tagmanager.google.com/. Once the account is created, add a new Google Analytics 4 configuration tag and configure it with the Google Analytics 4 Measurement ID. Set the correct triggers to activate the tag on the desired pages. Publish all changes to make the tag live on the website.
• Use a website builder. If your website is built with an online website builder like Wix or Shopify, you can usually enter the Google Analytics 4 Measurement ID in the platform’s settings. The platform will automatically add the Google Analytics tag to the website without requiring you to add any code.

Step 4: Verify the installation
After the Google Analytics 4 tag has been added to the website, wait a few hours for Google Analytics to start collecting data. To check, return to the reporting section to confirm that the data is displayed correctly.

How to create a custom report in Google Analytics?

With Google Analytics 4, you can easily create a custom report to gather specific data and insights for your business. Here are the main steps to create a custom report in Google Analytics 4:

1. Log in to Google Analytics and navigate to GA4. This will bring you to the main overview.
2. Navigate to the appropriate property and then to the data you want to create a custom report for.
3. In the left sidebar, under “Customize,” click on “Custom Reports.”
4. Click on “New Custom Report.” Here you can create a report.
5. Create the custom report as you wish:
   • Give the report a name and description: A good description is important to quickly and easily find the report later.
   • Report structure: Choose the dimensions, metrics, and other settings you want to include in the custom report. For example, dimensions can include a source or medium, and metrics can include engagement duration, page views, conversions, or other elements.
   • Add filters: If you prefer working with filters, you can add them to the custom report. Filters can include or exclude specific data based on certain conditions, depending on what you want to analyze in the report.
   • Scope and segments: Set the date range for your custom report and add specific segments. This allows you to further refine the data according to your preferences and needs.
6. Save the custom report: Once you have configured and saved the custom report, it will be added to the list of custom reports in your Google Analytics 4 account.
7. View and analyze the custom report: Go back to the main dashboard of Google Analytics 4 and navigate to “Custom Reports” in the left sidebar. Here, you’ll find the created report. You can now use it for detailed analysis.