Google Analytics is one of the main tools used to measure and understand how users interact with a website. Starting July 2023, the Universal Analytics version will no longer be available for specialists, which means all sites need to understand and transition to a more modern platform known as Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

After July 1, 2023, all Universal Analytics properties will become read-only, and by the end of the year, all data recorded in the older versions will be deleted and cannot be recovered. Therefore, it is important to start a gradual transition to Google Analytics 4 in order to measure and compare data over a full year before Universal Analytics is completely phased out.

If you are wondering what’s new in Google Analytics 4, there are several changes that can be analyzed from multiple perspectives. The purpose of this article is to detail these changes and explain why it is important to transition to the new GA4 as soon as possible.

Universal Analytics VS. Google Analytics 4

1. Users, Not Sessions

One of the main changes in Google Analytics 4 is the shift from session-based reporting to user-based reporting. In the current Universal Analytics version, users can have one or more sessions. For example, a user sees a product in a newsletter and clicks because they are interested. They want to buy but first search for similar products on Google and click on a product from the same site. Universal Analytics records these interactions as two separate sessions, even though the user never left the site.

Google Analytics 4, on the other hand, reports this as a single session. As a result, you may see fewer sessions, but don’t worry, because the data will more accurately reflect reality. Consumer choices are often influenced by product appearance, and common marketing practices show that multiple visual elements can help consumers differentiate products. However, U.S. research indicates that sometimes the opposite occurs.

2. User Engagement, Not Bounce Rate

In the current Universal Analytics version, the bounce rate measures a user who visits a single page without taking any other action. For example, if a user visits a website and regardless of how long they spend on that page, if they don’t take any further action (like visiting another page), it counts as a bounce.

With the switch to GA4, the bounce rate concept is replaced with user engagement. In short, a user is considered engaged if they view multiple pages or spend more than 10 seconds on a page. This change provides a much clearer picture of user paths and behaviors on your site than was possible with Universal Analytics.

3. Tracking Without Cookies

Google Analytics 4 was designed to eliminate the need for cookies to track user activity. A cookie is a local file that anonymously stores user data when they visit a website and is especially useful for remarketing campaigns.

The problem with these cookies is that they can track activity across other sites, not just the one being visited. These are called third-party cookies, used to better understand user behavior, but with new privacy regulations, they can be problematic.

On the other hand, some cookies are used only by the source site, which is easier for users to accept because their activity isn’t tracked elsewhere. These are called first-party cookies, such as those used to remember products added to a shopping cart. GA4 relies on these first-party cookies.

Additionally, with a new user-tracking system based on machine learning and the new attribution model, GA4 can accurately evaluate the channels generating the actions we track. The attribution model has shifted from the “last indirect click” used in Universal Analytics to the “data-driven” model in GA4. With this change, cookies may no longer be necessary to track user activity in the future.

4. Event-Based Data Measurement

Universal Analytics uses a session- and pageview-based model, while GA4 relies on event and parameter tracking. The older version only tracks Page Views, whereas GA4 recognizes that users can do more than just click on a page. They can scroll, click buttons or external links, watch videos, and more.

These events can be tracked in GA4, allowing almost any user interaction on a website to be measured. Each event can have different parameters, although it’s not mandatory. For example, GA4 has a page_view event, which can include parameters such as page_location (URL) and page_title.

Conclusion

Since Google announced it will completely stop data collection via Universal Analytics in July 2023, all businesses must adapt to the new technology and install Google Analytics 4 in time. We recommend installing GA4 as soon as possible for sites with historical data to allow year-over-year and month-over-month comparisons. Use both versions simultaneously during the transition for a smooth shift, as GA4 represents both the present and the future, whether we like it or not.