Google Analytics 4 vs Universal Analytics Comprehensive Comparison
If you’re like most professionals in the digital marketing sector, you’re likely already aware that, in just a few months, Google’s iconic Universal Analytics tool will officially be no more. Instead, it’s being thoroughly replaced by the newer Google Analytics 4, but what does that really mean for you as a marketer?
Here we’ll go over all the details regarding what you need to know about Google Analytics 4 vs Universal Analytics.
For example, how do the two really stack up against one another?
We’ll also cover everything you need to know to determine whether you should switch to GA4 or explore other alternatives.
What Is the Difference Between Google Analytics 4
User privacy has been an increasingly important concern online for a while Ws Database now, so it’s probably not surprising that GA4 will take a very different approach to concerns like visitor privacy, data collection, and so forth.
GA4 doesn’t collect or store IP addresses, which is really the biggest privacy change.
It’s easier to delete data upon user request or as desired by the admin under the new GA4 model.
You also have options for how long GA4 holds onto data.
Data Collection
You’ll also find that the way Google Analytics 4 collects data, in general, is very much in step with today’s omnichannel digital landscape.
In 2012, when Universal Analytics first hit the scene, only about 45 percent of web users had smartphones, and the number of collective apps out there was only in the hundreds of thousands.
Comparatively, at the start of 2021, 85 percent of people had a smartphone, and there were nearly 5 million apps out there. Naturally, those numbers have only continued to rise in the two years since.
GA4 takes these changes and ongoing trends into account, as well as the way the average buyer’s journey has changed as a result. You will now be able to view, assess, and compare data from all of your streams (including apps) in one convenient place.
Can I Use Both Universal Analytics and Google Analytics
Support for Universal Analytics will officially become a thing of the past in July of 2023, so the day will eventually come when you’ll need to switch entirely from one platform to the other. But in the meantime, it’s possible to start fleshing out your future GA4 implementation while continuing with Universal Analytics.
For example, you can send events to both platforms using Google’s double-tagging approach. This will allow you to start building a data history in GA4 that EU Phone Number will be ready and waiting for you whenever you are ready to switch over permanently.
