Get Ready for GA4

From the 1st of July 2023 Google will be sunsetting its current version of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics). This means that Universal Analytics will cease to work, and an installation of GA4 will be required. In this blog we will detail how to set up a new GA4 property.

What is Different About GA4?

• GA4 does not rely exclusively on cookies, meaning that more traffic data is viewable. We have noticed through testing and our research that sites with GA4 installed experience approximately a 3X upturn in traffic.
• GA4 uses an event-based model to deliver user-centric measurement.
• GA4 is more privacy focused than Universal Analytics and will not store a user’s IP address.
• One limitation of Universal Analytics is its session focus with reports based around what a user does in a single session, rather than a user’s (often) multiple touchpoints with a website. Google felt that this measurement methodology was quickly becoming obsolete and GA4 addresses these issues.

What Should I Do?

GA4 is available to implement within all Analytics dashboards and it is important that it is installed as soon as possible to ensure that you have as much legacy data before the switch, as any pre-existing data will be lost once Universal Analytics is sunset.

If you would like to setup GA4 yourself information on how to do this can be found here:

https://www.orcaonline.co.uk/pulses/google-analytics-4-tutorial-how-to-create-a-ga4-property/.

After creating the GA4 property you will also need to setup tagging on your site so that you can track conversions/button clicks/etc. on your site.

If this all sounds a bit daunting, we are offering to set up a GA4 property without tagging for our clients at a special rate of £50 or set up GA4 with all necessary website tagging for £95*. If you would like Orca to set up GA4 for you then please email us and let us know.

*Any existing goal tracking within your current installation will be transferred over to GA4 and we can discuss if there are any additional conversions you would like to measure.