As the transition from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) approaches on July 1, marketers need to prepare for changes to their analytics. While GA4 offers advanced capabilities like cross-platform tracking, some enhanced privacy features (although not as many as Wizaly), and improved but limited machine learning, it also comes with drawbacks. To maximize your marketing ROI in a world after Universal Analytics, it’s crucial to focus on the right metrics and KPIs. One solution to help you navigate these changes is Wizaly, an all-in-one attribution solution that offers algorithmic attribution modeling, walled garden attribution, customized reports, and optimization features. Let’s explore the key differences between UA and GA4, what changes marketers need to make to their metrics and KPIs, and how Wizaly can help you adapt to the new landscape.
What you need to know about the transition from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4
Pros
- Cross-platform and cross-device tracking: GA4 is built to handle both web and app tracking in a unified platform. This allows marketers to analyze user behavior across various devices and platforms, providing a more comprehensive view of user interactions.
- Improved machine learning capabilities: GA4 offers advanced machine learning insights, helping marketers to identify trends and opportunities more effectively.
- Enhanced privacy features: GA4 is designed with privacy in mind and adheres to some data privacy regulations. It offers better data control and consent management features, allowing marketers to collect and process data more responsibly but is still not GDPR compliant.
Cons
- Custom alerts: Custom alerts from UA are not available in GA4. You’ll need to use third-party tools or other workarounds to set up alerts based on your GA4 data.
- Benchmarking reports: GA4 does not currently offer benchmarking reports, which allowed you to compare your site’s performance against industry averages in UA.
- Bounce rate: GA4 does not calculate bounce rate as UA did. Instead, GA4 uses the “Engagement Rate” metric, which measures the percentage of engaged sessions (sessions with at least one conversion event, or sessions lasting 10 seconds or longer, or sessions with at least 2 page views or screen views).
- Standard reports: Some standard reports from UA, like the “All Pages” and “Landing Pages” reports, are not available in GA4. You’ll need to create custom reports or explore data in the Analysis Hub to find similar insights.
UA to GA4: What Changes Do Marketers Need To Make To Their Metrics and KPIs?
Changes in the Data Model:
One of the most significant changes between UA and GA4 is the event-based data model. While UA tracks user sessions, GA4 tracks events, such as page views, clicks, and video plays. This means that marketers need to adjust their metrics and KPIs to align with the new data model.
Custom Metrics and Dimensions:
While both UA and GA4 support custom metrics and dimensions, GA4 has stricter limits on the number of custom dimensions and metrics. This means that marketers need to be more strategic in choosing which metrics and dimensions to track.
No More Views:
In UA, views were used to create custom data sets based on filters. In GA4, this functionality has been removed, so marketers need to use the new data filters to segment their data. This change requires a new approach to data analysis and reporting.
Suggested metrics and KPIs to focus on with GA4:
- Engagement Rate
- Engagement Time
- User Lifetime
- Organic Search Traffic
- Conversions
Wizaly: The All-In-One Attribution Solution
GA4 is exciting (or daunting) but Wizaly can do all that and more:
- Optimization and Recommendations: Wizaly provides optimization and recommendation features that allow you to adjust your media mix and marketing strategies to improve your ROI. GA4 does not provide specific optimization and recommendation features.
- Algorithmic Attribution Modeling: Wizaly uses algorithmic attribution modeling to analyze user interactions and events across multiple channels and touchpoints, and determine which channels are driving conversions and revenue. GA4 also includes attribution modeling, but it is based on a data-driven approach that distributes credit for each conversion event based on machine learning algorithms.
- Custom Reports and Dashboards: Wizaly provides customized reports and dashboards that allow you to see the metrics and KPIs that are most relevant to your business goals. GA4 also allows for custom reports and dashboards, but the interface can be complex and require technical expertise.
- Integration with Third-Party Platforms: Wizaly integrates with a wide range of third-party platforms, including Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and more. GA4 also integrates with third-party platforms, but the integration options are more limited.
Many marketers may be feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the changes and adjustments they need to make to their metrics and KPIs. While GA4 offers exciting new capabilities, it also comes with some challenges that can leave marketers feeling lost and unsure of how to optimize their marketing strategies for maximum ROI.
Thankfully, all-in-one attribution solutions like Wizaly can help ease these frustrations and challenges. Wizaly provides algorithmic attribution modeling, multi-touch attribution, customized reports, and optimization features, making it easier for marketers to navigate the changes and adapt to the new landscape. With Wizaly, marketers can optimize their media mix and adjust their marketing strategies to improve ROI.
While the transition to GA4 may be frustrating, all-in-one attribution solutions like Wizaly can help marketers make the most of the new platform and achieve their marketing goals. By leveraging the right tools and strategies, marketers can navigate the changes with confidence and maximize their marketing ROI in a world after Universal Analytics.
