Google first announced Google Analytics 4 (GA4) in 2020, and a year later they announced that they will sunset Universal Analytics (UA) properties by 2023. Since then, LexBlog has been steadily migrating clients to the new GA4 version ahead of the July 2023 deadline. GA4 is a significant upgrade from UA offering new features related to device tracking, insights, and integration with machine learning and other Google ecosystem services.
Link to New GA4 Features New GA4 Features
The latest version of the Google Analytics platform introduces several new features compared to the previous UA version. Some notable upgrades include:
- Cross-device tracking: connects user behavior across multiple devices, allowing for more accurate tracking of a user’s journey across your site
- Improved events tracking: provides a more comprehensive view of user behavior and engagement on your site, rather than just pageviews
- Data visualization: adds more intuitive interfaces and reports for visualizing analytics data
- Automated insights: generates important trends and insights straight to your dashboard
- Ecosystem integration: GA4 better integrates with Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform, and Google BigQuery
- Machine learning: each of these features and more utilize machine learning algorithms to track and organize data on the platform
Link to LexBlog transition process LexBlog transition process
Our team has been working weekly to transition hundreds of blogs to the new GA4 properties. We’re about 25% complete and will ramp up the transition rate as the July 2023 deadline draws nearer. We expect to have the process fully complete well before the deadline.
Blogs that previously used UA properties will have both a UA and GA4 property up until the date Google automatically deletes the UA properties. It should be noted that historical data associated with UA properties will not automatically transfer to the GA4 property. Instead, the GA4 will be a clean slate of analytics data. LexBlog clients may request exports of their UA data leading up to the sunset deadline. Google states on their support page:
On July 1, 2023, standard Universal Analytics properties will no longer process data. You’ll be able to see your Universal Analytics reports for a period of time after July 1, 2023. However, new data will only flow into Google Analytics 4 properties.
There is no set priority for which blogs are migrated first, and you’re free to request fast-tracked migration to GA4 at any time.
We’re committed to ensuring a seamless transition and providing ongoing support as needed. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. We encourage clients to take advantage of the transition to GA4 and to start seeing the benefits as soon as possible!
For more information about GA4, please visit this Google support document.