Google Analytics is an analytics tool from Google that provides website operators and online marketers with detailed information about their websites and their visitors.
Google Analytics 4 is the next generation of the Google Analytics platform and offers improved functionalities compared to the previous version, Universal Analytics. GA4 collects data-based information from websites and apps to provide a deeper understanding of the customer journey. It uses event-based data instead of session-based data and offers advanced features such as predictive models and privacy controls.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced several notable improvements and changes compared to its predecessor, Universal Analytics. Here are some of the key functionalities and advances.
The 10 most important functionalities and advances:
New property and data streams:
GA4 is a new type of property in Google Analytics that collects both website and app data . GA4 is based on event-based data as opposed to session-based data in the previous version (Universal Analytics).
AdSense integration
By upgrading to GA4, users can, for example, create connections between GA4 properties and AdSense accounts. This makes AdSense data available in GA4 reports and explorations. By combining AdSense data with other website metrics such as traffic sources and user behavior, deeper insights can be gained and patterns identified to optimize ad revenue.
User-centric approach:
GA4 places a greater emphasis on understanding user behavior by considering users as a central dimension. This shift enables a more comprehensive analysis of user engagement across multiple touchpoints. Through these enhanced tracking capabilities, GA4 enables a better understanding of the customer journey. It captures events and actions on your website or in your app to gain more detailed insights into user behavior.
Improved reporting:
GA4 introduces an updated reporting structure and redesigned reports. The new user interface provides a cleaner and more intuitive user experience. In addition, GA4 offers an exploratory data analysis tool that provides deeper insights into user behavior.
More machine learning:
GA4 integrates advanced machine learning capabilities that enable automated insights and predictions based on collected data. These predictive analytics capabilities can help companies analyze and predict user behavior. These functions can provide recommendations for action without the need to create complex models.
Emphasis on real-time data & new metrics
Real-time data monitoring is emphasized more in GA4, providing users with up-to-date information on user behavior and engagement.
GA4 introduces new metrics, such as engagement rate, which replaces bounce rate. These new metrics provide alternative ways to measure user interaction and behavior on websites and apps.
Improvements for developers:
GA4 introduces a debug view to help developers troubleshoot and validate data collection. This feature contributes to the accuracy of the tracking implementation.
Improvements in the use of analytics.js website tags:
When moving from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4, customers who have tagged their websites with analytics.js can use a feature called"Connected Site Tags" to reuse their existing tag. Enhancements have been introduced that allow advanced e-commerce, custom dimensions and metrics, and other tag customization data to be passed to GA4 properties
New recommendation for Search Console linking:
When Google detects an unlinked Search Console account, it will now display a recommendation to link the Search Console account to Google Analytics. Linking the Search Console account will give you access to new Search Console dimensions as well as organic search query and organic search traffic reports from Google. This allows you to analyze your search queries and search traffic data.
What about privacy controls?
GA4 includes privacy controls such as the ability to measure cookielessness. This means that data can be collected even if cookies are disabled. GA4 also offers behavioral and conversion modeling features to improve tracking and analysis of user data.
Conclusion
These are just some of the improvements that have been introduced in Google Analytics 4. The transition to GA4 brings with it a range of new features, improved tracking capabilities and updated reporting that gives marketers and analysts valuable insights into user behavior on websites!
Privacy gray area:
Although Google places great importance on protecting data and keeping it confidential, there are concerns about privacy when using Google Analytics. One reason for this is that Google Analytics 4 is not fully compliant with the GDPR despite additional data protection-oriented functions. In particular, there are concerns that Google Analytics 4 does not adequately protect the data of EU citizens and residents against US surveillance laws. In addition, there are concerns about the need for consent and the use of cookies when using Google Analytics 4. Data protection authorities in various countries have already prohibited companies from using Universal Analytics without user consent.
European alternative to Google Analytics?
Some of our customers have switched to etracker in the course of the GA4 upgrade and the associated gray areas of data protection. etracker is a web tracking company based in Germany that enables cookie-free tracking without consent.
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