In today’s digital world, data is everything. Understanding your website traffic is crucial to the success of your online business. That’s where Google Analytics comes in.
With its powerful insights and reporting tools, Google Analytics has been the go-to for website owners and marketers for over a decade. However, with the release of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), there has been a significant shift in how data is collected and reported.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why GA4 is essential for small businesses, and go over ways to get help with the GA4 transition, so that you can continue to make data-driven decisions that drive your online business forward.
About Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4, or GA4, is a new-and-improved property of Google Analytics that was released in October 2020. GA4 replaces Google’s older Universal Analytics and 360 Universal Analytics properties and is being referred to by Google as “the future of Google Analytics.”
In case you’re not familiar with Google Analytics, as the name suggests, it’s a web analytics platform offered by Google that allows you to track and analyze your website traffic. As of April 2022, over 28 million websites were using Google Analytics, including the majority of the most popular websites on the web.
For small businesses, Google Analytics is an essential tool for understanding their website’s performance and gaining insights into their audience. By using GA, small business owners can easily see what’s working and what’s not, allowing them to focus their marketing efforts on what’s most effective.
With GA’s ability to show essential facts about the audience, including demographics and behavior, businesses can make informed decisions to optimize their website for their target audience. The best part is that it’s easy to use, and it’s completely free, making it an excellent resource for small businesses looking to make data-driven decisions without breaking the bank.
Although GA4 promises many exciting and important improvements (which we’ll explore in detail below), many Google Analytics users have become accustomed to the ease and comfort of Google Analytics’s Universal Analytics legacy property and are hesitant to make the switch to GA4. The complexity of GA4 has many small businesses at a standstill, unsure of how to proceed.
Why Switch to Google Analytics 4?
So why go through the effort of migrating all your data to GA4 if Universal Analytics is working perfectly fine for your business? Well, because you don’t have a choice if you want to continue to leverage the power of Google Analytics!
According to Google, on July 1st, 2023, all standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits. And all 360 Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits on July 1st, 2024.
This required transition might seem like an unnecessary chore, but switching to GA4 is essential for businesses that want to keep up with the latest advancements in data collection and analysis. GA4 offers a more user-friendly and streamlined interface, allowing for more efficient data analysis and reporting.
Additionally, GA4 utilizes advanced machine learning and AI technologies to provide more accurate insights and predictions about website user behavior. With the shift towards privacy-centric online advertising, GA4 also provides more robust tools for tracking and understanding user consent and preferences, making it a crucial tool for businesses looking to comply with evolving privacy regulations. By switching to GA4, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and make better data-driven decisions that drive their success in today’s digital landscape.
GA4 is a new property designed for the future of data measurement and reporting. Here’s what GA4 offers compared to older Google Analytics properties:
- A focus on events and user behavior tracking instead of sessions and pageviews.
- Cross-device tracking enables tracking users across multiple devices, including mobile apps and the web.
- Enhanced machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities, including predictive metrics and insights into user behavior.
- Improved privacy controls and consent management features to help businesses comply with privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
- Integration with Google Ads, making it easier to analyze and optimize your advertising campaigns.
- A simplified and more user-friendly interface that provides easier access to critical metrics and reports.
- Deeper integration with Google Marketing Platform, allowing for more comprehensive reporting and insights across all marketing channels.
- Enhanced reporting capabilities, including the ability to create custom reports and dashboards.
Get Help with the Transition to GA4
Switching to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an important step for small businesses looking to stay competitive in the digital marketplace. However, attempting to migrate data and set up GA4 on your own can be overwhelming, especially for businesses without technical expertise. This is why it’s highly recommended that small businesses seek help from experienced Google Analytics professionals who can guide them through the transition and help them get the most out of the new features and capabilities of GA4.
With a professional GA4 transition service, businesses can create customized dashboards that consolidate their most vital data in one place, making it easier to analyze and interpret. They can also help integrate GA4 with other Google tools like AdWords, Search Console, and Site Search, providing more comprehensive reporting and insights across all marketing channels. Additionally, professionals can help businesses track events on GA4 and customize the tracking code across multiple properties, unlocking the full potential of the platform.
Overall, the benefits of working with a professional team for the GA4 transition are clear. By leveraging the expertise of a professional GA4 service, small businesses can make a seamless transition to GA4 and continue making data-driven decisions that drive their online success. Fortunately, we have several services designed to help small businesses
What’s Included in Our GA4 Migration Service
Here at Flyrise, we offer a simple GA4 migration service to help you take advantage of everything this new platform has to offer.
Avoid the headache with an effortless transition that will set you up with advanced, technical performance tracking that utilizes the full capabilities of GA4:
- Create/Upgrade One domain
- Activate Google Signals
- Exclude internal traffic
- Connect Ads Account
- Setup referral exclusion
- Add users and permissions
- Test & verify tracking/data
- Enhanced Measurement Tracking
- Import conversions to Ad Account
- Connect to Google Search Console
- Setup Cross Domain Tracking
- Setup GA4 test property
- Custom Event Tracking
- Goal Conversion Tracking
- Create remarking audience(s)
A Seamless Transition to Google Analytics 4 with Flyrise!
Transitioning to Google Analytics 4 is crucial for small businesses looking to stay competitive in the digital marketplace. However, it’s a complex process that requires technical expertise. By working with our team, businesses can enjoy a smooth transition to GA4, unlock the full potential of the platform, and continue making data-driven decisions that drive their online success.
Don’t let the complexity of GA4 hold you back, take advantage of our GA4 setup services and enjoy a seamless transition to Google Analytics 4 before time runs out!