Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Complete Guide and Tutorial
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Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Complete Guide and Tutorial


Google Analytics 4 (GA4): Complete Guide and Tutorial

Understanding your website's performance is essential for any business. This is where Google Analytics comes in. Google Analytics has been the go-to tool for tracking website traffic, user behavior, and conversions for years. However, as technology and consumer behavior have evolved, more advanced analytics tools are needed. Enter Google Analytics 4 (GA4), the latest version of Google’s analytics platform that promises to revolutionize how we track and analyze data.


Google Analytics 4 is not just an upgrade from the previous Universal Analytics; it's a complete overhaul. It offers more insights, better integration with Google Ads, enhanced tracking capabilities, and a strong focus on privacy. This means it focuses on users' actions on your website or app, providing a more accurate view of user behavior. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or a beginner, transitioning to GA4 might seem distressing, but it’s necessary. We’ll cover the process - how to set it up, the role of GA4 migration services while reporting, and best ways to use GA4 reports. 


Should I Switch To Google Analytics 4?

The big question for many marketers and business owners is: Do you need to switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) right now? The answer is: Yes. 


It's not just a suggestion to switch to GA4; it is a requirement to stay competitive and keep up with the latest data. This does not mean that you must abandon Universal Analytics. The best way to do this is to create a GA4 Property alongside Universal Analytics. This dual setup lets you collect data in GA4 and still have access to familiar reports. It gives a deeper understanding of website performance, allowing you to know more interesting features about GA4. 


Better data collection = better-informed marketing strategies


Setting Up GA4: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up GA4 is relatively straightforward but requires some technical knowledge. Here's a guide that will help you get started.


Create a New GA4 Property: Log in to your Google Analytics account. From the Admin panel, click "Create Property" and select GA4. If you already have a Universal Analytics property, you can set up a GA4 property alongside it.


Install the GA4 Tag: Once your property is created, you must install the GA4 tracking code on your website. This can be done manually by adding the Global Site Tag (gtag.js) to your website’s HTML.


Configure Data Streams: GA4 allows you to create data streams for your website and mobile apps. A data stream is a flow of data from your site or app to GA4. 


Customize Events and Conversions: Unlike Universal Analytics, where goals were used to track conversions, GA4 automatically tracks a set of recommended events, but you can also create custom events tailored to your business needs. 


Link to Google Ads: If you use Google Ads, linking it to your GA4 property is crucial. This will enable you to track the performance of your ad campaigns and understand how they contribute to your overall marketing goals.


What is the Role of GA4 in Reporting?

It's getting harder to track users who use multiple platforms and devices.


GA4 is an innovative solution using enhanced machine-learning techniques to fill data gaps. Create a single user experience for all data associated with the same identity.


Finally, GA4 simplifies the reporting interface so that marketers can easily spot trends and inconsistency in data.


In summary cards, GA4 provides overview reports instead of a list of reports predefined to cover all possible cases. Simply click on the scorecard to go deeper.


Best Ways To Use GA4 Reports


1. Home page Overview: Your Quick Performance Test 

The first time you log into GA4, you will see a summary of the traffic, conversions, and revenue for the property you are tracking. This dashboard gives you an instant overview of your website or app's performance.


What you can learn quickly from your GA4 homepage:

  • Where do new users come from

  • Top-performing campaigns

  • Most viewed pages and screens



2. Realtime Report:

The next default report in GA4 is the real-time report. This report can be extremely useful for monitoring events that occurred within the past 30 minutes. It provides a real-time view of user interaction on your website or app.


Use the Realtime Report to:

  • Confirm tracking code functionality

  • Monitor the impact of a Youtube video

  • Track a new product drop


"View User Snapshot"

The "View User Snapshots" feature stands out in the Realtime Report. This feature, located in the upper right corner of the Report, provides a detailed look at a single user's interaction with your app or site. It allows you to see the user's device and location and the events they have triggered. 



3. Life Cycle Report:

The life cycle report reflects the stages of acquiring, engaging, monetizing, and keeping users. These reports will help you to understand how users interact throughout their journey with your website or app.


Ideal for answering questions like:

  • How Do Users Enter the Conversion Funnel?

  • How Do Users Behave Once They’re in the Funnel?



4. Explorer Reports - Exploration

The new Exploration feature is GA4's biggest change, or at least the one that is believed to have the greatest impact on marketers. It offers several advanced techniques and a template library that's not available anywhere else.


Create A New Analysis

  • Log in to your Google Analytics account.

  • Click Explore.

  • Choose the method you wish to use for data analysis.



Easy Steps to Read Analysis Hub Reports 


  1. Return to the Analysis Hub

  2. Variables column: In the variables column, you can select which data to use for your analysis. Date range, segments, dimensions, metrics.

  3. Tab Setting Column: In the tab settings column, you can specify your analysis technique, add dimensions and metrics, or apply segments.

  4. Segments: Group of users. Drag and drop group of users into your report to compare their behavior. Click on the plus symbol to add your segment if you do not see it.

  5. Dimensions: These are the things that you want to analyze. For instance, active users, event count, transactions, etc. Drag and drop the dimensions in the Tab Setting area to create rows or columns.

  6. Measurements: Metrics provide numbers for your analysis. Add metrics in the Values section of Tab Settings.

  7. Visualization: Choose the look of your report. Table, pie chart and line graph are just some of the options available for exploration.

  8. Values: Drag and drop the metrics you want to show as columns. The cell type can be displayed in a bar graph, plain text, or heat map.

  9. Tabs: Tabs display your visualizations. Tabs can be added to an analysis up to 10. Click the plus symbol to add a tab.

  10. Display: Interact with the data by clicking on a data point within the visualization.


Conclusion

By transitioning to GA4, you can take advantage of its advanced features, such as GA4 funnel analysis report, event-based tracking, and enhanced measurement, to gain more actionable insights into your website’s performance. 


For smooth migration services, you can go with Makkpress Technologies, an eCommerce marketing company specializing in upgrading performance to migrate stores to GA4. MakkPress Technologies is a trusted choice because it has been in the eCommerce market for over 13 years.


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