GA4 What is it?
Google GA4, or Google Analytics 4, is the latest version of the Google Analytics platform. It was introduced by Google in October 2020 as the successor to Universal Analytics (UA). GA4 offers an updated and more advanced approach to tracking and analyzing website and app data.
Here are some key features and aspects of Google GA4:
User-centric measurement: GA4 focuses on tracking user interactions across multiple devices and platforms, providing a more comprehensive view of the customer journey. It uses an event-based data model rather than relying solely on pageviews, allowing you to track and analyze specific user actions and behaviors.
Enhanced data collection: GA4 incorporates machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques to provide deeper insights into user behavior. It automatically collects more data by default, including user engagement, scroll depth, video engagement, and file downloads, without the need for manual customization.
Cross-platform tracking: GA4 enables tracking across various platforms, such as websites, mobile apps (Android and iOS), and offline data sources. It helps unify data from different platforms to provide a more holistic view of user interactions.
Data analysis and reporting: GA4 offers a more flexible and customizable reporting interface compared to its predecessor. It provides a range of pre-built reports and data exploration tools, allowing you to gain insights into user acquisition, engagement, and conversion. The platform emphasizes user-centric metrics like user engagement and lifetime value.
Privacy and consent controls: GA4 incorporates enhanced privacy features to comply with evolving data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). It includes advanced options for data deletion, user consent management, and customization of data retention periods.
Integration with Google Ads and BigQuery: GA4 seamlessly integrates with Google Ads, allowing you to leverage your analytics data for more effective advertising campaigns. Additionally, GA4 supports integration with Google BigQuery, enabling you to export your data for advanced analysis and data warehousing.
It's worth noting that while GA4 is the future direction of Google Analytics, Universal Analytics (UA) is still supported and widely used. Transitioning from UA to GA4 may require careful planning and consideration, depending on your specific tracking and reporting requirements.
Google continues to refine and expand the capabilities of GA4, so staying up to date with the latest features and developments is recommended for those using the platform.
