Google Universal Analytics (GA/UA) ersätts av GA4 - Limetta Digitalbyrå

Analysis

Google Analytics 4 - the next-generation analytics tool

From session-based to event-based

The big news is that analytics is shifting from being session-based to becoming event-based. Google Universal Analytics (GA or UA) as we know it today is session-based and measures user interactions that take place within a certain timeframe. Data is collected, among other ways, through sessions, pageviews or hits. In the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a pageview is instead counted as an event, which means that all interactions a user performs will be counted as separate events.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) - nästa generations analysverktyg - Limetta Digitalbyrå

Google Analytics 4 is therefore not just an update of the existing Analytics. It is fundamentally an entirely new analytics tool built on event-based data. Visually you will recognize GA4, but structurally it is completely different with a number of new features

Google Universal Analytics (GA) is session-based - based on sessions and page views
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is event-based - instead based on events

Bounce rate is replaced by engagement rate

Bounce rate is widely used by many users in the existing GA, but it has been replaced by Engagement Rate in GA4. Is that good or bad? Perhaps bounce rate doesn't say that much. If a user is looking for contact details, googles and lands on your site to immediately find what they're looking for and then leaves the site, it counts as a bounce even though the visit was a successful one for the user. Measuring engagement instead of bounces will mean a greater focus on what the visitor actually does on your site. It will give you a better understanding of how users move through your digital service, when they run into problems and when things work well or less well. If you still want to see bounces you can, but you have to create the report yourself.

Seamless tracking and machine learning

Seamless tracking and machine learning are two other features. Previously you had to use GA for the web and Firebase for apps. Now you will be able to seamlessly track traffic across both web and app and combine the data in a single property. You will therefore be able to get better oversight of the entire customer journey. GA4 also uses machine learning to predict visitors' future behavior. Instead of only analyzing historical data you will be able to access predictive metrics. This will help you spot trends and anticipate future behavior — for example predict increased demand for a certain product or potential revenue from a particular customer segment. Google says you will be able to get smarter insights to improve your marketing decisions and thereby achieve better ROI.

“Smarter insights to improve your marketing decisions and get better ROI”

New reports and metrics

Another major change for those used to Analytics is that in GA4 there are no views under your "property". Furthermore, many reports that previously existed are no longer available. Instead, there are some new reports and greater opportunities to set up your own detailed analyses and reports with the exact parameters you are interested in.

If we look at the left-hand menu, the reports are divided into groups. Some reports you will recognize, while others are completely new. In the previous GA we had, among others, the reports – audience, acquisition, behavior and conversions. In the new GA4 we find, among others, acquisition, engagement, monetization, retention, events and analysis divided into different groups.

Rapporter indelat i grupper i GA4: acquisition, engagement, monetization, retention, events och analysis - Limetta Digitalbyrå

Reports divided into groups

Acquisition in GA4 is quite similar to the corresponding report in the old GA. What appears in the Engagement report in GA4 used to be in Behaviour. In the new Monetisation report you'll find e‑commerce data. In the Analysis report you can choose from prebuilt templates or create your own reports. Besides your visitor's traffic source, for example, you'll be able to see which ad the visitor clicked to arrive at your site and where in the customer journey the visitor is likely to be.

With the new feature Enhanced measurement automatic tracking of events such as page views, scrolls, file downloads and searches is activated. So you don't need to add code to your website or to Google Tag Manager to track these events.

Parametrarna i enhanced measurements behövde tidigare skapas manuellt i Google Tag Manager (GTA) - Limetta Digitalbyrå

The parameters in enhanced measurements previously had to be created manually in Google Tag Manager, but not anymore

Välj bland färdiga mallar i GA4 eller skapa dina egna detaljerade analyser och rapporter - Limetta Digitalbyrå

Choose from ready-made templates or create your own detailed analyses and reports.

With GA4 you can also create audiences by grouping users based on any combination of dimensions, metrics and events. For example customers who have purchased something or who were acquired through a particular campaign. It will also be possible to exclude users from a specific audience.

To make all reports relevant for you, GA4 will require a bit more preparatory work than before. In return you get more flexible options to track events, user flows and conversions relevant to your business. You will also have the opportunity to gain a more complete picture of the customer journey than before.