Google Analytics leads the market, holding over a 70% market share — and there’s a good reason for that. It’s powerful, free and widely available. If you have analytics on your site, you’re probably using Google Analytics. If not, it’s time to look at using it.
Google is changing its analytics technology. Its classic Universal Analytics (UA) platform is going away, being replaced on July 1, 2023 by Google Analytics 4 (GA4). These platforms do not share data and should be considered entirely separate data streams, despite both being Google Analytics solutions.
The GA to UA Switch
Why the change?
Google has incorporated more natural-language search and reporting capabilities into GA4, among other things. One of the main reasons for the change is compliance. Many jurisdictions have implemented data control, privacy and individual security measures to better protect user information. GA4 is a response to these regulatory changes. Google’s highly detailed data was a boon for marketers, but privacy legislation like Europe’s GDPR has forced Google to change its data collection methods. This changed the way many statistics are measured. The new yardsticks don’t work with the old system.
Still want to hold onto UA? Too bad; UA will stop collecting new data on July 1, 2023. Google Analytics is preserving historical data for review and analysis, but you won’t receive any new information.
If you’re a current UA user and haven’t added a GA4 property for a site that’s using UA right now, Google is starting to create GA4 accounts automatically. This is happening throughout March 2023. You can wait and let Google set up your new GA4 property, but we’d recommend you set it up yourself. Google doesn’t know all the ins and outs of your current Analytics setup, and if you want more fine-grained control over how your website’s traffic is measured, you’re better off creating a new GA4 property manually. You can do that under Admin > Create Property in your Google Analytics dashboard.
Here’s a brief walkthrough of how to get started with Google Analytics and set up a new property.
If you’re already using Google Analytics, now is the time to change over from UA to GA4 — and if you’re not using Google Analytics, now’s a great time to set up a GA4 property.
GA4 pairs easily with Rainmaker Platform Andromeda. Here’s how you can set it up.
Adding Google Analytics to Your Website
Good news — adding GA4 is still just as easy as it has always been. You can add the tags manually to any website. And if you are on Rainmaker Platform Andromeda, it’s even easier — you can simply authenticate, select the new GA4 property and you’ll see a summary of your analytics in the dashboard and a full report summary in Results.
Don’t let the UA to GA4 changeover catch you off guard or assume that Google’s automatic update will magically deliver the data you need to manage your business. Create a GA4 property for your site today and start to familiarize yourself with it as it measures your traffic. Have questions about adding GA4 to your Rainmaker Platform site — or any site for that matter? Just drop us a line, anytime.
Best Regards,
Ed Bardwell
President
Rainmaker Digital Services