If you monitor your company’s website, web traffic and metrics, you have most likely heard by now that Google’s “Universal Analytics” will soon be completely replaced by Google Analytics 4 (GA4). It’s a big deal, because it isn’t simply a software upgrade, but rather an entirely new Google interface. Learn more about this new platform and discover the top eight reasons for using GA4 right now.
8. Collect Insights with a New Focus on Privacy
Data privacy in 2022 is a top priority among web users. State consumer privacy acts are reacting to citizen demands and enforcing stricter privacy laws. So far this year in 2022 alone, 35 states and the District of Columbia have either considered, introduced or passed 200 consumer privacy bills. It’s a growing concern that matters to the majority of Americans. That’s why privacy is such a big focus in the new GA4 platform. GA4 doesn’t rely on IP tracking like the current Google Universal Analytics – so it’s a huge step forward for privacy-focused consumers.
7. Start Making Better Data Driven Decisions
Data-driven decisions are so important, especially for the fast-moving telecom and data center industries. GA4 has you covered by moving away last-click attribution and focusing on attribution as the default model moving forward.
Data-driven attribution gives your company a much more detailed and accurate view of your company’s website stats to help you make decisions on the go.
6. Use Events Instead of Session-Based Data
The current Google Universal Analytics (UA) platform used by your website is based on a session-based model that was actually formed before cell phone data was even a thought. This means that the UA measurement was really built for independent sessions on a desktop and users were tracked with cookies.
With the latest update, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is more agile and versatile than ever. In addition to providing better insights into your visitors’ habits, GA4’s event-based model allows you to build a variety of custom reports specifically designed around the users rather than sessions or hits.
5. Prepare for Several New Upgraded Features
Do not let rumblings that GA4 features don’t seem as vast as the current version sway you. If anything, be relieved that GA4 will be more streamlined and easier to use. GA4 includes new funnel features which were not readily available in the previous version or were a paid extra.
With GA4 funnels, you can visualize the steps your users take as they complete tasks on your site. This can help you identify where to improve the user experience on your site.
4. Achieve Greater Flexibility with Custom Reports
GA4 encourages the use of custom reports for your data. Over time, your dashboard of analytics will become less cluttered and you will be able to find the most relevant data for your telecom business faster, so you can make more informed decisions at a moment’s notice.
3. Say Goodbye to Cookies
Cookies allow a website to remember information about visitors. We’ve all heard the term and cookies are prevalent on the web. While they can be helpful for users returning to a site when shopping, they are a privacy risk that shares data with third-party services. Since more website users are opting out of data sharing and are uneasy with consumer privacy issues as we mentioned earlier, using cookies to collect your data is becoming less trustworthy and harder to track.
GA4 fixes the problem by focusing on machine learning and artificial intelligence to track and analyze data without relying on cookies.
2. Use GA4’s More Intuitive Interface
Universal Analytics can be cumbersome and overwhelming, especially to new users trying to learn how to collect data. We’re happy to report that your business will find GA4 easier to use and navigate once you make the switch. Even better? GA4 is built to cater to your individual business, which means you should be able to get the data you need to help you navigate and make the right data-decisions for your business quickly.
1. Start Building Historical Data Today – GA4 Will Automatically Replace the Current Google Universal Analytics in July 2023
There’s no way around an eventual conversion from Google’s “Universal Analytics” to GA4. Businesses around the world that use the widely popular website analytics platform are preparing for a July 2023 replacement to the latest platform with exciting and new data insights. It makes sense to make that conversion now so you are comfortable with the new platform and are a step ahead of other telecom and data center companies with new data insights.
Not Sure Where to Start? Reach Out to JSA to Learn How GA4 Can Benefit Your Business
Upgrading Google Universal Analytics to GA4 and getting a handle on the new version might seem like a daunting task.
Look no further than JSA’s in-house digital marketing team to guide you through it. Our amazing team is here to help data center, network infrastructure and telecom clients navigate GA4 and incorporate it into your marketing plan that also includes digital ads, search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing. Reach out to our team today to learn more.
