What is Google Analytics 4?
If you do anything digital, you’ve probably heard the news that the current version of Analytics (Universal Analytics) will be turned off on July 1st 2023. It’s being replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4), a newer version of Analytics. This comes with a number of new features, different metrics and a new interface. For a full rundown on everything coming with GA4 (and those being scrapped), check out our guide here.
What do these emails from Google mean?
In March, Google will automatically create a GA4 property for you based on your current Analytics set up. Their aim is to provide some information on how to customise this, but for people who don’t use analytics regularly, it’s been a bit mystifying.
Essentially, the GA4 account that Google sets up will be basic, and tailoring it to your needs will take a bit of work. Google has created a “step-by-step” guide for customisation, which includes setting up the data stream, conversions, and audiences - which apparently will only be ‘low to medium effort’. This might be true for straightforward sites, but for complex platforms, it’s a bit more involved getting everything setup correctly.
Should I let Google continue? Can I opt out?
Yes, you can opt out, but there are a few things to consider before you do.
As mentioned, the current version of analytics will stop gathering data at the end of June. This means that unless you have GA4 set up, you’ll stop all traffic, revenue, and engagement tracking in Analytics. If you just need a basic set up, then Google’s auto set up could work for you. However, if Analytics and data is important to you, it would be worthwhile having a more tailored and detailed process.
That’s where we come in
We’ve been getting to grips with GA4 since Google first set it live, and we’ve got plenty of experience configuring it for a range of sites. We can set up proper event tracking, remove unwanted traffic and integrate GA4 with Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, and more. If you’d like our help, or have any questions about Analytics, just get in touch.
