Share
How to Set Up Google Analytics 4?
Recently, Google has been altering its vision realization, a vision that aims “to provide access to the world’s information in one click.” For example, with the new Google Analytics 4, the company has successfully implemented a customer-focused measurement rather than a device-specific measurement.
Google has shifted its data collection methods drastically, aligning it with the cookieless reality we are heading. Now, Google can achieve its vision by collecting many different customer IDs on surfers, gathering URLs from resellers, and gathering unique Google signals on users who have consented to personalized ads.
As of October 2020, a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) property (formerly known as an “App + Web” property) is now the default when you create a new property for your website.
It is worth getting to know the new system, work methods, implementation methods, and data collection. This article will guide you through the steps.
How to Set Up Google Analytics 4?
Whether you are new to Google Analytics 4 or in the process of migrating an old account, It is worth getting to know the new system, work methods, implementation methods, and data collection.
The difference between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics
Google Analytics 4 tracks both web and app data within the same property, while Universal Analytics tracks screen views within separate mobile-specific properties.
If you track both web and app data in a Google Analytics 4 property, make sure to account for the additional app traffic when comparing the two page view metrics.
Google Analytics 4 features increased measurement capabilities – a system that can measure automatically and monitor advanced operations. Google Analytics Universal can also measure these actions, but additional performance is required.
Create your property on GA4
Start with the setup. There are two options to start with Google Analytics 4:
1. Create a new property U
2. Upgrade an existing property.
In this article, I will be focusing on creating a new property, so we will choose the option of “Create property” -> “Get started.”
After creating the property, connect GA4 to the Google Ads account and the Tag manager. Next, click “Setup assistant” -> “Linking” and then click “Link to Google Ads.”
After linking your Google Ads account, go to “Property settings” and copy the Property ID. Open the Google Tag Manager and create a new tag – “Tags” -> “New” -> “Tag Configuration” -> “Google Analytics:GA4 Configuration”.
Copy the Property ID to the Measurement ID tab and then click “Triggering” -> “All Pages.” Then, save and submit.
Now, GA4 is connected to your Google Tag Manager and Google Ads accounts.
Enhanced measurement
As mentioned before, Google Analytics 4 includes Enhanced Measurement – a system that allows you to automatically measure and monitor the advanced operations, such as Pageviews, Outbound clicks, Scrolls, etc.
Enhanced measurement screen settings are in the data stream tab. After you click on “WEB,” the settings will appear, and you will be required to define which adjustments you would like to make according to your business needs.
Once you have set “Enhanced Measurements,” click on “Data Retention,” and select how long you want to save the data, the options are 2 to 14 months.
With the new Google Analytics, events are collected automatically by default. However, each event is enabled to send parameters with it.
Google added the data deletion request to test data or any irrelevant data to the account, which means that data parameters, dates, etc., can be deleted at any time.
How to set up conversions on Google Analytics 4?
Setting up conversions on Google Analytics 4 is simpler than on Universal analytics. First, click the “Configuration” button on the left menu. Then, click “Events.”
If you want to set an event as a conversion, click the toggle on the right. Once this is enabled, every time Google Analytics collects the event, a conversion will be counted in your reports.
It is perfect if you want to track people watching videos or see them scrolling, but if you want to enable the page view event as a conversion, then every time someone views a page on your website, a conversion will be counted.
However, this doesn’t work if you only want to track a “thank you” page or confirmation page as a conversion in Google Analytics. If you want to track a specific page as a conversion, like your “thank you page,” you will need to track that individual page as a unique event first.
There are two ways to do this: The first option is to create a new event inside Google Analytics based on an existing event. The second option is to configure a new tag in google tag manager that will send an event every time someone views the “thank you page.”
Google Analytics 4 Audiences
You can create audiences to report on groups of users; apart from using audiences to focus on your reporting, audiences are also handy for remarketing campaigns on your linked Google Ads account.
If you are just getting started with audiences, you will see two pre-defined audiences that are automatically available: “All users” and “Purchasers.”
“All users” refers to users who visited your website or used your app. “Purchasers” are the users who completed an E-commerce transaction on your website or made an in-app purchase.
Google Analytics 4 Reports and Trends
Custom Definitions
“Custom definitions” is where you can register what has been sent with events as either custom dimensions or custom metrics to use in your reports. There are lots of default metrics and dimensions automatically available in Google Analytics.
Google has even added metrics and dimensions that weren’t available previously, so if you are just getting started, just remember you can add extra dimensions and metrics to your reports using “custom definitions.”
Trends
Due to machine learning models developed by Google, the new Analytics 4 can identify and alert you about significant changes in your website or app activity. For example, risings in product demand that result from changes in customer needs.
You can even predict what your visitors will do in the future with the help of the machine learning model. With Google Analytics 4, businesses will be able to accomplish their primary goals of increasing revenue, app sales, lead generation, and customer engagement with their brand.
The Google Analytics 4 system will make further significant changes in working methods in the future, and by July 2023, it will become the default system.
Final Thoughts
Whether you are new to Google Analytics or in the process of migrating an old account, this article has covered the fundamental aspects and benefits of GA4.
If you are migrating to the new Analytics, now is the perfect time to study the system and gather information about the performance on the site so that you will be ready when the time to move to the new system comes.
The sooner we prepare for this moment, the more data we will be able to accumulate, and the transition between Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 will be as smooth as possible.
Don't forget to share this article!
PPC Marketing Expert?
Get things done with Adcore Marketing Cloud.
5 essential PPC tools under one roof.
Back to top