Why Google Analytics is Switching to Google Analytics 4 and How to Switch Over Manually

04/25/2023

Released in 2005, Google Analytics is a free web analytics service where users can view statistics and have access to basic analytical tools for their websites. These tools help website owners optimize their sites for search engines and better market their sites and potential businesses. Since 2012, Universal Analytics (UA) became the default property type. In 2020, Google released Google Analytics 4 (GA4), giving users the option to use either. 

Starting July 1st, Google Analytics will not only switch to GA4, but it’ll also stop its data collection for UA properties. And they'll solely support GA4 rather than giving users the choice to either GA4 or UA. Even though it’s almost two months away from now, it’s recommended you switch over sooner rather than later.

Why is Google Switching to Google Analytics 4?

Internet users today are becoming more aware of their privacy online in recent years. With that concern, many users have opted out of tracking cookies, which are text files that collect data about a user’s behavior on their browser. When you first go to a website, many times, it’ll ask if you agree to accept tracking cookies. As users learn more about internet safety, more and more people are opting out of tracking cookies. For Google Analytics, that changes things because UA captures data by relying on first-party cookies. With more people opting out, UA’s data set will become less helpful moving forward. GA4, however, uses event-based data modeling to gather data.

How to Switch Manually from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4

To manually switch over to GA4:

• Create a GA4 property and data stream
• For a site that already has analytics, start by going to the Admin (lower left) in Google Analytics
• Make sure the right account is selected in the Account column (if you only have one Google Analytics account, it’s already selected)
• Select the Universal Analytics property that currently collects data for your website in the Property column
• Click GA4 Setup Assistant in the Property column
• Click Get started under I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 Property
• In the Create a new Google Analytics 4 property pop-up, depending on how your site is currently tagged, you can either:
• Create and continue
• Create property
• Select the option that best describes your situation on the Set up a Google tag page and follow the instructions to finish creating your new GA4 property
• Collect website and app data
• Turn on Google signals
• Add users

Even though it’ll automatically switch over (if you haven’t opted out), Google still recommends you manually switch to GA4 before the deadline on July 1st. The reasoning behind this is simple: the sooner you switch, the more data you’ll collect in the new system. And that data collection will be vital to help determine trends and insights and how to improve your overall business and marketing plans. If you need help migrating your data from UA to GA4, we have experts ready to help you with your SEO and other marketing needs.

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