Google Analytics released a new measurement solution called Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with advanced reporting tools to monitor your website traffic data. However, the new version does not allow you to transfer over past website traffic data collected in the previous version, Universal Analytics (UA).
You can have both UA and GA4 tags running simultaneously so you can have both types of analytics collecting data at the same time. UA, which most websites are currently using, will be sunsetted and stop processing new website traffic data on July 1, 2023. We strongly recommend that we set up GA4 soon so that you can build up historical data in preparation for the transition to the new analytics.
New GA4 Geography Feature Tutorial
Learn how to filter by geography for all reports in the tutorial below. You’ll learn how to select a location (country and/or state) and then see every report for that location. This is great for campaigns and learning what content is most effective for your national vs. regional audiences.
Notable Differences Between UA and GA4 Users:
- The way that Users are calculated has changed. Previously, in UA, Users were anyone (robot or real person) who visited your site. They all counted towards the total count of visitors.
- GA4 focuses on Active Users (also shown as Users). This is anyone who clicked, scrolled, or interacted with your site in some way. So the data around users in the new analytics experience is more accurate to people actually visiting your site. So don’t be surprised if this number is lower when you compare the data from the old (UA) to the new (GA4).
In Conclusion:
We know change is hard, and learning the new Google Analytics is daunting. We’re learning right along with you! There are many new features, which we will cover in future posts. For now, it’s highly recommended that you at a minimum install the new GA4 tag so you can collect data before the big transition on July 1, 2023.
Learn how: How to Install Google Analytics 4 with Google Tag Manager
Additional Resources:
[UA & GA4] Comparing metrics: Google Analytics 4 vs Universal Analytics
About The Author
