Google Analytics (GA) has been a popular web analytics tool for many years. It provides valuable insights into website traffic, user behaviour, and other important metrics that can help businesses make data-driven decisions. In October 2020, Google launched a new version of Google Analytics called GA4. This new version is designed to help businesses better understand their customer journey across different platforms and devices. In this blog post, we will discuss how to move to GA4 and take advantage of its features.

Step 1: Understand the Differences Between GA4 and Universal Analytics

The first step in moving to GA4 is to understand the differences between it and Universal Analytics (UA). GA4 has a more advanced tracking system that uses events and parameters instead of pageviews and sessions. This means that you can track more detailed user interactions, such as clicks, video plays, and form submissions, instead of just pageviews. GA4 also uses machine learning to provide more accurate insights into user behaviour and can track users across multiple devices and platforms.

Step 2: Create a GA4 Property

To move to GA4, you will need to create a new property in your Google Analytics account. You can do this by following these steps:

1. Log in to your Google Analytics account and select the website you want to track.
2. Click on the Admin button in the bottom left corner of the screen.
3. In the Property column, click on the Create Property button.
4. Select the Web option and enter your website details.
5. Select the Create button to create your GA4 property.

Step 3: Install the GA4 Tracking Code

After creating your GA4 property, you will need to install the GA4 tracking code on your website. This code is different from the Universal Analytics tracking code, so make sure you install the correct one. You can find the GA4 tracking code in the Admin section of your GA4 property.

Step 4: Configure Your GA4 Property

Once you have installed the GA4 tracking code, you will need to configure your GA4 property. This includes setting up data streams, events, and goals. Data streams are used to collect data from different platforms and devices, such as mobile apps and websites. Events are used to track user interactions, such as clicks and form submissions, and goals are used to track specific user actions, such as purchases or sign-ups.

Step 5: Set Up Custom Reports and Dashboards

Finally, you can set up custom reports and dashboards in GA4 to get a more detailed view of your website performance. You can create custom reports to track specific user actions, such as video plays or button clicks, and custom dashboards to see a summary of key metrics, such as traffic sources and user behaviour.

In conclusion, moving to GA4 can provide businesses with more detailed insights into their customer journey and user behaviour. By following these steps, you can create a new GA4 property, install the GA4 tracking code, configure your GA4 property, and set up custom reports and dashboards to take advantage of its features. It’s important to understand the differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics to ensure a smooth transition and make the most of GA4’s advanced tracking capabilities.