Since it was first launched in 2005, businesses across the world have used Google Analytics to monitor and enhance their website performance. The tools within Universal Analytics allow users to track website traffic, measure audience demographics, monitor bounce rates, keyword performance and much more. Although the Google Analytics tool has seen various updates to its functionality over the years, Google recently announced that its analytics platform will be getting a complete overhaul. From July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics as we know it will cease to function and websites will need to switch to Google Analytics 4 to carry on measuring their websites’ performance.

Why is this update different to the others?

This update to the Google Analytics tool will completely transform metrics data as well as the User Interface. In fact, it’s actually more like a complete overhaul of the tool and all its features, rather than an update. A highly significant difference is that GA4 will be centred on ‘events’ as opposed to ‘sessions’ and ‘users’, as is currently the case with Universal Analytics. As Google themselves explain, the current and previous versions of its analytics were based around the desktop web, whereas GA4 will have much more cross-platform functionality to match the evolution of online consumption. Significantly, the data measurement doesn’t rely on cookies, in large part to comply with user privacy regulations. For example, IP addresses will no longer be stored by the platform.

How will this change affect my website?

You will need to optimise your website in order to take full advantage of the new capabilities of the GA4 tool. And from July next year, Universal Analytics will simply stop collecting data from your website. That means that you will no longer be able to use the tool to gather important data such as bounce rates, campaign metrics, page views and organic or referral traffic. 

Do I really need to upgrade to Google Analytics 4?

The short answer is, yes. If you don’t upgrade, from July 2023, you won’t be able to monitor the performance of your website and you will only have access to historic data for 6 months. No new data at all will be collected as Universal Analytics will cease to exist.

July 2023 might sound like a long way off, but anticipation is key and evolving with the changes means that your business will be ready to smoothly migrate to GA4. At Slava Communication we are already updating the websites of our clients in readiness for GA4 to ensure a seamless transition. 

The reports available on GA4 will differ to those of the current Universal Analytics as well as the User Interface. You can already add the new version of Analytics to your existing account, which means that not only can you begin to gather comparable data, but you will have time to familiarise yourself with all of the features and ensure that you are getting the most out of this powerful tool.

While this new-look Google Analytics interface might appear daunting at first, it brings a whole host of benefits for businesses to maximise its potential for invaluable insights on marketing and the buyer’s journey. These include highly detailed information on user metrics whilst maintaining GDPR compliancy, AI-powered technology, a comprehensive view of the customer journey, and spam prevention to ensure that traffic statistics for campaigns are as accurate as possible. In short, those businesses who begin preparing for the transition now will reap the rewards once Universal Analytics becomes obsolete in July 2023.

Can you help me prepare my business for GA4?

Yes, we can! Our SEO experts and website pros have their finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to migrating businesses to GA4. With further developments sure to be rolled out before GA4 goes live in July 2023, we are closely monitoring for any further updates. Our experts can carry out a full audit of your website to ensure that site tags are correctly configured, User IDs are consistent to take advantage of the new app and website functionalities, and that reports are optimised for each specific client’s marketing and business growth requirements. 

While Google itself has provided a wealth of support articles on the upcoming GA4 migration, all of the changes being introduced are likely to leave many businesses user who are accustomed to the current Universal Analytics scratching their heads.

If you’d like to ensure that your business is ready for the switch to GA4, then there’s no time like the present to get in touch with us now for a helping hand. You can contact us here, give us a call or even drop by for an informal chat and find out how to ensure that your company’s website is all geared up for the great Google Analytics revolution.