Google Analytics 4 (GA4) vs Universal Analytics

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Google Analytics 4 is the latest and newest version of Google Analytics after Urchin, Classic and Universal.

Universal Analytics uses the concept of Users, Pageviews and Sessions, while GA4 uses the concept of Events.

Trackify have outlined some of the key differences between GA4 and Universal Analytics below.

Hits

Google Analytics 4 measurement is event based which means unlike Universal analytics, all interactions are an event:

google analytics 4 hits

Pageviews

Pageviews in Universal analytics translate to the page_view event in Google Analytics 4 properties. When you set up GA4, a page_view event is automatically triggered from the gtag.js snippet or the Google Analytics 4 Configuration Tag in GTM.

Sessions

GA4 session metrics are derived from the ‘session_start’ event which is automatically collected when a user engages in an app or website. The Session duration is calculated based on the time span between the first and last event in the session. This will no doubt lead to discrepancies between universal and GA4 metrics.

Events

Google Analytics 4 events fall into four categories:

  1. Automatically Collected - these are automatically logged from the gtag or gtm configuration

  2. Enhanced Measurement - these are a special set of events that can be enabled or disabled via the GA4 interface. Events include file_download, scroll and video_start.

  3. Recommended Events - these are events with predefined names and parameters that are recommended for different business types. These events require custom code changes.

  4. Custom Event - these are events that you name and implement yourself (similar to Universal analytics). These events also require custom code changes.

Dual Tracking Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4

Trackify recommend setting up Dual Tracking to run both Universal and Google Analytics 4 at the same time to ensure you preserve historical data and take advantage of the new platform as soon as possible.

Note - because GA4 and Universal Analytics have different measurement concepts (as explained above) it is likely there will be variations between the data.

Setting up New Google Analytics 4 Website Tracking via Google Tag Manager

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Google Analytics 4 is Google’s newest version of Google Analytics. (If you haven’t heard about GA4, you can find out more about the features and benefits here).

Trackify recommend setting up Dual Tracking to run both Universal and Google Analytics 4 at the same time to ensure you preserve historical data but get to take advantage of the new platform as soon as possible.

If you are using Google Tag Manager, here are the steps you need to take to set up Google Analytics 4 yourself:

Step 1 - Setup a Google Analytics 4 Property

Navigate to the Property Column within your Admin section of your Google Analytics account.

Click the blue ‘Create Property’ Button, select Apps and Web (even if you don’t have any apps) and click Continue:

Apps and Web Google Analytics

Give your Property a relevant name, select an Industry Category and ensure your Reporting Time Zone and Currency are correct. Once completed click ‘Create’.

GA4 Create Property

Step 2 - Setup a Web Data Stream

Now you’ve created your Google Analytics 4 property - it’s time to get some data!

Under ‘Set up a data stream to start collecting data’ select ‘Web’

Google Analytics 4 Web Stream

Enter your Website URL and Stream Name and click ‘Create Stream’:

Creat Web Stream GA4

Note that by default, Google Analytics 4 will track Page Views, Scrolls, Outbound Clicks, Site Search, Video Engagement and File Downloads. If you don’t want to track any of these, you can unselect them under ‘Enhanced Measurement’.

Now that you’ve created your stream, make note and copy your measurement ID:

Measurement ID Google Analytics

Step 3 - Setup a GA4 Configuration Tag in GTM

Head over to your Google Tag Manager container for your website and create a new ‘Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration’ Tag:

GA4 Configuration Tag GTM

Paste in your Measurement ID from your Google Analytics 4 property and ensure ‘Send a page view event when this configuration loads’ is ticked. Give your tag a name, set it to Fire on All Pages, save and publish your changes:

Google Tag Manager GA4 Configuration Tag

Step 4 - See your Data in Real Time

Head back over to your new Google Analytics 4 Property and click on ‘Realtime’ in the menu to see your data coming through:

Google Analytics 4 Realtime

If you’re not seeing any realtime data come through after 5 minutes try using the GTM debugger to troubleshoot or get in touch.

Google Analytics 4 has Landed

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Today Google Analytics launched Google Analytics 4 - Google’s vision for the future of analytics.

Previously in beta and named ‘App+Web’, Google Analytics 4 is now the default for all new properties in Google Analytics. This is the 4th version of Google Analytics after Urchin, Classic and Universal:

Google Analytics 4 GA4

Here’s what you get from Google Analytics 4 (GA4):

  • Improved data controls for better management and control of data collection and retention

  • Automatically surfaced insights using machine learning

  • Cross platform reporting across web and mobile apps

  • Advanced analysis features

  • No hit limits

  • Unsampled reports

  • Big Query Integration

  • Deeper Google Ads integration

  • Lifecycle Reporting

  • Privacy centric design to align with industry changes such as ITP and GDPR

  • Works with or without cookies

  • Migration Tools

  • No ongoing costs - it’s free!

Trackify recommend setting up Dual Tracking to run both Universal and Google Analytics 4 at the same time to ensure you preserve historical data and take advantage of the new platform as soon as possible.

Find out more about Google Analytics 4 here or get in touch.