As a marketer, you rely heavily on data to inform your strategy and drive results. That’s where Google Analytics comes in. 

It is a powerful tool that allows you to gain insights into your audience, track your progress, and understand how your website is performing. 

But, did you know that Google Analytics has undergone a major update with the introduction of GA4?

This new version provides a more flexible and user-centric data model, making it even more powerful for today’s multi-device, multi-channel world. 

In this blog, we’ll explore why you need a custom GA4 migration and provide a step-by-step guide to upgrade your analytics from UA to GA4.

GA4 And the Importance of Migration

In today’s digital world, web analytics is crucial for the success of your online business. 

Without access to data that shows you how your customers interact with your site, you may be missing out on opportunities for growth.  

That’s why tools like Google Analytics have been so powerful in helping businesses understand user behavior on their website.

Google Analytics lets you and your team understand how users engage with your website across the various stages of their buyer journey, from acquisition to retention. This platform provides valuable insights into different aspects of your site. And, it helps you to make data-driven decisions to improve user experience and drive growth.

But as technology continues to evolve, companies must keep up with changes and advancements in order to remain competitive. 

Google has recently announced the launch of its latest version – Google Analytics 4 (GA4). This marks a significant change from its earlier iteration Universal Analytics (UA), released back in 2012.

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So, Why Should You Consider Migrating From UA To GA4? 

Well, GA4 offers businesses more flexibility and adaptability. Not only that but also it helps to cater to the multi-device, multi-channel nature that defines modern user behavior patterns. 

Additionally, it provides enhanced data insights that were not available previously via UA.

To ensure a seamless transition between platforms though, proper preparation is required beforehand. This includes analyzing existing configurations, creating an implementation strategy based on business objectives, identifying key tracking tags needed; and mapping new metrics that align with specific KPIs/goals. 

Migrating to GA4 can seem daunting. But, it can also provide immense benefits by enhancing critical insights into consumer behavior. Also, it provides an even better understanding of the effectiveness of marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Should You Migrate To GA4? Here’s What You Need To Know

If you’re currently using Universal Analytics (UA) and you haven’t yet considered migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it’s time to start thinking about it. 

Why? Because as of July 1, 2023, UA properties will no longer process data. 

This means that if you continue using UA after this date, you’ll be missing out on valuable insights into consumer behavior.

But before making the jump, there are a few things to consider. 

For one thing, GA4 is significantly different from UA and will require some learning curve.

Here are three main reasons why:

• Build Historical Data

Running both tools together gives businesses an opportunity to build up a stash of historical data in GA4. This can improve the accuracy when predicting trends using predictive metrics in GA4.

• Customization

It gives companies time and comfort to experiment with their own custom events and reports in GA4 while UA still runs alongside it.

• Compare The Value Of New Reports

This gives companies the chance to take their time and be flexible. This makes sure that the new GA4 reports are useful as the old UA reports before making any permanent changes.

In addition, migrating from UA offers another benefit by integrating with your current customer data stack. This is something that was previously only available for premium users via BigQuery integration. This allows businesses more opportunities for customer insights through visualization outside of the Google Analytics platform.

So yes – if you’re currently using Universal Analytics then migrating sooner than later is recommended. So, your company doesn’t miss out on crucial web analytics info come July 2023!

How To Migrate UA To GA4?

Are you seeking a way to take your analytics to the best in 2023? It’s time for an upgrade! With the UA to GA4 migration, you can gain valuable insights into user behavior and engagement that will help you optimize your website and improve your marketing efforts.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the migration process with ease:

First of all, you have to ensure access to both UA and GA4 properties in Google Analytics.

If you don’t have access to both, follow these simple steps on how to add a GA4 property.

Familiarize yourself with the differences between UA and GA4 data models, including events and parameters in GA4. 

Understanding these changes will help ensure smooth tracking and reporting throughout the migration process.

Decide what data needs migrating from the UA property to your new GA4 property. And, this data might include goals, segments, custom dimensions, etc. Kindly note that some data may not be fully supported in GA4.

Set up your new tags, triggers, and necessary configurations of events within the Google Analytics 4 property. So that precise data capture is ensured while tracking user interactions across different devices and channels.

Create new goals and events in GA4 to track user behavior on your website. 

With events and parameters, you can track specific user actions. This includes button clicks and video views, to gain more valuable insights into how users interact with your website.

Access the data migration feature in GA4’s Admin settings to transfer UA data to the GA4 property. 

Follow the instructions carefully for a smooth migration process that may take some time depending upon the amount of data being migrated.

Ensure successful migration by verifying accurate tracking of website data. It can be done by checking real-time reports, comparing UA & GA4 analytics reports, and creating custom reports for gauging specific metrics.

Adjust reporting & analysis processes based on new features & user-centric models in GA4. 

You can do it by familiarizing yourself with different types of reports available (such as acquisition reports) & updating goals relevant to business success.

Educate team members about using Google Analytics 4 effectively. 

For that, you have to provide training sessions covering topics like accessing various types of reports available within the GA4 platform plus exploring analysis tools at their disposal.

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