Understanding a brand new strong analytics platform like Google Analytics 4 may be fairly difficult for a marketer who has labored with Common Analytics for many of their profession, however shouldn’t discourage you. This new technology of Google Analytics has basic and complicated adjustments which would require a studying curve. This isn’t to say it’s best to abandon Common Analytics, however relatively begin monitoring Google Analytics 4 in parallel.
At a high-level, there are numerous noticeable adjustments with the GA4 platform’s UI and the reporting construction – gathering totally different metrics than Common Analytics. With time you’ll perceive the way to navigate this new platform like a professional.
Whereas there are many variations between the 2, I’ll cowl 3 key differentiators on this put up that I consider entrepreneurs ought to perceive when approaching the brand new information assortment mannequin utilized by Google Analytics 4, identified within the business as “the way forward for analytics”.
New Knowledge Assortment Mannequin: Occasion-Based mostly
A paramount change between Common Analytics and Google Analytics 4 is how information is collected. The Common Analytics measurement mannequin is hit-based, that means analytics will collect and report information on hit sorts equivalent to web page views, occasions, social interactions, and e-commerce transactions.
However, the Google Analytics 4 measurement mannequin is event-based, that means that issues measured by hits in Common Analytics at the moment are measured with occasions in GA4. Basically, any interplay may be captured as an occasion and is classed into 1 of 4 occasion sorts, which can be in additional element inside the “Enhanced Occasion Construction” part under. In Google Analytics 4, session metrics are a part of the “robotically collected occasion” occasion sort. Beneath you’ll discover a visible representing this basic distinction.
Enhanced Occasion Construction
One of many main variations in Google Analytics 4 is how occasions are tracked, considered and interpreted.
In Common Analytics, we think about occasions as a method to monitor person interactions that happen in your web site, that are measured independently from pageviews. Sometimes, these would symbolize person interactions equivalent to button clicks, downloads, hyperlink clicks, kind submissions, video performs, and/or every other valued interplay a person takes on the positioning.
When decoding occasions in Common Analytics, entrepreneurs have relied on a set and considerably restricted occasion schema to interpret detailed details about the precise actions that have been taken. This schema is often known as occasion class , occasion motion, occasion label (elective) , and occasion worth (elective). These occasion fields are at present used to interpret a person’s interplay by passing static or dynamic values which assist us additional perceive an occasion. This may be seen as considerably limiting for a marketer for the reason that occasion schema solely offers 4 occasion fields to go data by for evaluation and reporting functions.
In Google Analytics 4, this occasion schema has been fully modified. Google took a brand new method by classifying occasions into 4 classes:
- Routinely Collected Occasions
- Enhanced Measurement Occasions
- Really helpful Occasions
- Customized Occasions
The occasion sorts “Routinely Collected Occasions” and “Enhanced Measurement Occasions” don’t require any extra change to your code as they’re set as much as acquire robotically. The one caveat for “Enhanced Measurement Occasions” is that it’s essential to have the “Enhanced Measurement” function enabled.
In contrast, “Really helpful Occasions” and “Customized Occasions” are extra superior types of information assortment that require including occasions to your code, equivalent to by a tag administration system like Google Tag Supervisor.
Many entrepreneurs consider the Google Analytics 4 event-based mannequin is extra versatile and never as limiting. Not like the Common Analytics occasion schema, Google Analytics 4 makes use of parameters (as much as 25 customized parameters with every occasion) so as to add context to occasion information. These parameters are represented by name-value pairs and permit for a deeper understanding of an occasion in comparison with Common Analytics. Beneath, you will discover a visible representing an occasion setup to trace video interplay by way of Google Tag Manger.
New Account Hierarchy: No Extra Views
It would come as a shock to a Common Analytics advocate, however Google Analytics 4 removed views! Shifting to a brand new information assortment mannequin comes with many adjustments. Google Analytics 4 has now applied “Knowledge Streams” as a part of its new construction. Knowledge Streams are sources of knowledge that feed into your property. The distinctive function about information streams is that you could be modify filters to view and analyze your information much like a view in Common Analytics.
There are three sorts of information stream platforms accessible:
Caveat* You could solely have one sort of knowledge stream (iOS app, Android app, Internet) per property.
Wrap Up
Whereas there are many noticeable variations between Common Analytics and Google Analytics 4 that may take time to totally comprehend, this put up coated 3 basic areas I consider a marketer ought to perceive when approaching Google Analytics 4:
- Insights into the brand new information assortment mannequin
- Up to date Occasion Construction
- Adjustments in Account Hierarchy
If you need to be taught extra about these platforms, schedule a Google Analytics Session with our group!
