Preparing for Google Analytics 4


SEO Associate
Bianca Matos
June 1, 2022
Preparing for Google Analytics 4 – Ontario SEO

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest improvement to Google’s analytics suite. This next-generation approach to analytics makes privacy-first tracking, machine learning, and integrating multiple channels a priority.  The internet has modernized and so should your measurement tools.  

Answer your marketing questions with real data from Google Analytics 4

Universal Analytics was created when people browsed the internet mainly on desktops. It allowed for easily observable data from cookies and independent sessions. Now, the internet is heavily geared towards the mobile experience.  As cookies are becoming obsolete and as the demands for data privacy are increased, Google has developed Google Analytics 4 to adapt to the constantly changing internet landscape.  

What is Google Analytics 4?

Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google’s web analytics tool. This tool lets you track and measure user traffic and user behavior across multiple channels. A new feature of GA4 is being able to track users across websites, software, and applications. Google’s main goal with Google Analytics 4 is to shift the way data is measured to focus more on a user’s journey from the first time they visit a site to when they convert.

Benefits of Using Google Analytics 4 

  • Gives a more complete understanding of your customer journey across devices and from start to finish  
  • Uses Google’s advanced machine learning to interpolate gaps in user data to give a better overall picture of site traffic and user behavior.  
  • Designed for the future and for a world that relies less on cookies or personally identifying data 

Universal Analytics will stop processing new data on July 1, 2023

Transition Now to Google Analytics 4  

Google has announced that Universal Analytics will be obsolete next year. Come July 1, 2023, you will not see new hits being collected and reported through Universal Analytics. And while that date seems miles away, now is the time to transition to GA4.  

Setting up GA4 now will provide you with historical data that will be important when comparing key metrics when Universal Analytics has ended. Businesses use historical data to plan budgets, allocate sales efforts, and determine the success of marketing tactics. Without this information, those decisions become increasingly difficult. Set your business up for success by initiating Google Analytics 4 now.  

At Ontario SEO, we are constantly staying up to date on the latest developments in website measurement. With the digital environment constantly changing, partner with an agency that can help you plan for the future. Speak with our website analytics experts to transition your website to Google Analytics 4.