Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics Universal has evolved and made the latest release available: Google Analytics 4.
It used to be called App + Web, the name of which derived from the union of data from the world of apps and the world of the web into a single property.
So the question arises: why is it called GA4 and APP + WEB is not left? The other question is whether we can use it profitably even if we don't have an APP.
Of course we can use it!
When Google Analytics App + Web came out of Beta it became Google Analytics 4.
It has changed the name and concurrently other features have arrived.
One thing we used to hold in high esteem was the views are no longer there and therefore we have to adapt to the new standards.
Now it is fundamental in the concept of stream; certainly the adoption of the new system has been pondered and tested with the beta version some time before the official adoption and so let's trust the experts.
WHY THE NAME GOOGLE ANALYTICS 4? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
Here is the evolution and history of Google Analytics:
1. Urchin (the name before Google bought it) born in 1995
2. Google Analytics Classic
3. Google Universal Analytics
4. Google Analytics 4
What changes?
The new GA4 has nothing to do with Universal Analytics because the logic and data management are definitely changing.
Some details:
• Everything is determined at the event level
• From session centric to event centric
>> events are essential to monitor to understand the feedback on the actions we take
• There are no views >> as I said in the paragraph above
• Streams exist to connect multiple data sources
• The dynamics of stay and engagement time change
• There are automatic events (file download, scrolling, youtube videos, external links)
• Simplified conversion management (objectives do not exist)
• Ability to create advanced reports through the "explore analysis" management
• Cross-domain integrated in GA (no server configure it in tracking)
• Complete ecommerce management (more actions are managed than Universal)
GOOGLE ANALYTICS 4 AND E-COMMERCE
Now with GA4 the actions that can be managed are much more precise and transform the check out into more precise steps:
• begin_checkout
• add_shipping_info
• add_payment_info
All this to have a simplified tracking management that immediately gives us feedback on what is happening associated with the actions we want to monitor.
Now there is also the wishlist.
The implementation with Google Tag Manager changes, both as regards the structure of the data and as regards the management of Google Analytics Tags.
With all these data available, we can certainly decide with greater knowledge of the facts to take to increase the profitability of our e-commerce.
