How to Perform a SWOT Analysis for SEO
This article was originally published in Search Engine Journal on February 18, 2021. Marketers considering an SEO initiative have a seemingly [...]
Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably heard a lot of talk about Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Google’s newest analytics platform that is set to replace Universal Analytics completely.
However, if you’ve been hesitant to use it, we suggest you start now because what you might not be aware of is that UA data is being fully phased out on July 1st, 2024. which means if you don’t start transferring your data to GA4, you’ll lose it.
Don’t start panicking yet, we’re here to help shed some light on GA4 and make sure that you can make the transition with ease before it’s too late. So, read our blog post to learn everything you need to know about GA4 and how to transfer your UA data to GA4.
What is GA4?
If you haven’t heard of GA4 or don’t fully understand it, don’t worry—we’ll break it down for you. GA4 is the latest version of Google’s analytics platform. It offers a variety of benefits over the previous version, including the ability to create audience triggers and cross-domain tracking. It also features more advanced metrics to track engagement, predictive metrics, and a customizable interface. This is just a fraction of what GA4 can do, making it a valuable tool for businesses.
What does this mean for businesses?
This means that after July 1st, 2024, no historical overview or year-over-year data will be available. This can be a significant loss for businesses that rely on this data to make informed decisions about their marketing strategies. That’s why it’s critical to start using the platform now so the transition to GA4 is seamless.
So, what can you do about it?
Luckily, a couple of options are available to stop you from losing all the data you’ve collected over the years. Firstly, you can store all your previous data in a secure cloud environment. This will ensure that you have access to it even after it has been sunsetted. Secondly, you can merge your old data with the new GA4 data, something we highly recommend doing. This will allow you to bring historical year-over-year analysis and insights to your business by effectively integrating your data groups.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, it’s important to note that not all old data will translate to GA4. You must ensure that your events and conversions are properly tracked before and since GA4 came into the spotlight. This will ensure that you have accurate and reliable data to work with when UA sunsets.
So, are you ready to take advantage of GA4’s power?
The benefits of GA4 are endless, but you need to know how to use it correctly to reap them. It’s critical to ensure that you are currently set up to digest and manage the dashboard and know how to track and understand the data correctly to take full advantage of what GA4 has to offer.
At the end of the day, sunsetting UA may seem like something to fear, but it is a powerful tool that will help businesses grow. Taking the necessary steps to store or merge your old data will help ensure that your business is ready for when GA4 takes over UA in July.
Want to make informed decisions about your marketing strategies and stay ahead of the competition? We can help! Contact us today to learn more about G4A and how we can help you get set up before UA sunsets on July 1st, 2024.
