GA4: Welcome to your updated analytics dashboard
Written by Fransisca Smith
With less than two weeks to go before the switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), it’s now a good time to get acquainted with your new data dashboard.
Universal Analytics (UA) is taking its final bow and sunsetting on the 1st of July 2023. This means that Google will be making the switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4), bringing with it a more modern approach to reporting and analysing data. In this article, we’ll explore the key differences in GA4 and share some tips on how to manage your data and dashboard. *If you haven’t already created a GA4 property, you’ll need to do so to make the switch. You can read more here about how to migrate to Google Analytics 4.
Once you have a new GA4 property and it is receiving data, the next step can be to define and create the conversion events or layouts you want to have in GA4. As this will be a new property with no historical data or configuration, you will need to replicate conversion events from Universal Analytics into GA4. After this, you can also start to customise your setup with the new reporting capabilities of GA4. You can read more regarding account structure here.
Event-driven data model
GA4 introduces a shift from session-based data collection to an event-driven data model. In Universal Analytics, the focus was on tracking page views, sessions and goals. However, GA4 emphasises the collection and analysis of individual events, such as clicks, video views, downloads, and more. This shift allows for a more granular understanding of user interactions and enables better analysis of complex user journeys across devices.
Enhanced cross-platform tracking
One of the significant advancements in GA4 is its ability to track user interactions across multiple platforms and devices (web and app). Universal Analytics primarily focused on website tracking, but GA4 integrates app tracking seamlessly.
Machine learning insights
GA4 uses the power of machine learning to provide actionable insights and automated reporting. The platform offers more advanced analysis capabilities, such as predicting churn rates, calculating lifetime value, and identifying segments with the highest conversion potential. With AI-driven insights, businesses can make data-informed decisions and optimise strategies for further growth.
What has happened to Bounce Rate and where can I find it in GA4?
Both Engagement Rate and Bounce Rate are used to measure engagement on your website or app. However, it’s important to note that both metrics are defined in terms of engaged sessions:
⭐️ A session is a period during which a user is engaged with your website or app.
🚀 An engaged session is a session that lasts longer than 10 seconds, has a conversion event, or has at least 2 pageviews or screenviews.
This means that:
📈 Engagement Rate = The percentage of engaged sessions
📉 Bounce Rate = The percentage of non-engaged sessions (or sessions that lasted less than 10 seconds).
Most notably, when moving into GA4 you won’t have an immediate view of bounce rates as you did in UA. However, moving to GA4 doesn’t mean you’ll lose the ability to track bounce rates, if this is a meaningful metric for your organisation. Follow the steps below to add bounce rate to your reports:
✅ In GA4, navigate to the left-hand side and select ‘Reports’
✅ Select the ‘Page and Screens’ report under Life Cycle > Engagement
✅ Select the ‘Customise Report’ button
✅ Once in the report, select ‘Metrics’ in the right-hand side menu
✅ Search ‘Bounce Rate’ and add it to your report
✅ Don’t forget to ‘Save’ your report before you exit!
What happens to historical data in UA?
After July 1, 2023, you’ll be able to access your previously processed data in your Universal Analytics property for at least six months. We strongly encourage you to export your historical data during this time to avoid any data loss. Read more here to find out how.
Where can I find more help?
We highly recommend Skillshop’s GA4 course which takes you through all of the major changes to your new analytics platform. It’s completely free to complete and shouldn’t take too much of your time. Alternatively, Google Analytics has a support hub full of useful articles and helpful tips.
If you need help or advice with your GA4 migration or still have questions about the transition, don’t hesitate to get in touch with someone on the Crucible team!