You might have heard that Google introduced an alternative Analytics platform – Google Analytics 4 (GA4) – in 2020. If you haven’t already made the switch, you’ve been using the former default platform, Universal Analytics (UA). (If you’re a KLIQ client, we’re currently running both for you.)
Then in 2022, Google announced that UA would be “sunset” (a slow phase out of the platform before it’s ultimately retired) and GA4 would take its place as the default Google Analytics platform. From July 1 2023, UA hasn’t processed new data, and as of 30 June 2024, UA properties are no longer collecting data or available.
So – why was UA replaced instead of just being updated, and what has been the impact for business owners?
Why is Google Analytics 4 a new platform instead of an update to Universal Analytics?
GA4 offers a lot more in terms of both security and capability. So significant are these upgrades, they affect the way data is collected from a foundational level.
The drivers for this change included an increased focus on privacy and compliance with privacy laws being introduced across the globe.
Unfortunately, even with upgrades, UA’s access to data would eventually have become so limited it would be redundant.
What B2B benefits does GA4 offer?
While privacy compliance is obviously an extremely important feature… let’s be honest, it’s a hard one to get actually excited about. But thankfully GA4 offers more than that! The way it is built focuses on building a bigger-picture perspective with lots of context – perfect for interpreting into marketing and business decisions.
GA4’s built in machine learning and artificial intelligence modelling allows for powerful data collection, even when users are using cookieless browsing.
One big change that we’ve welcomed with GA4 is that instead of “hit types”, GA4 tracks “events”. This is a shift away from context-light pageview metrics, and instead allows marketers to capture data that paints an analysis of the activities that really matter in your organisation.
GA4 also is doing a much more accurate job of knowing when the same user is accessing your site on different devices – providing a better understanding of the whole customer journey.
Not to mention, powerful features that were premium add-ons in UA like predictive analysis and anomaly detection are now part of the standard offering.
What your B2B business stands to lose if you don’t transition to GA4 by June 30, 2024?
While our advice has always been to start using GA4 ‘sooner than later’ – now GA4 is the only option. We’ve gone beyond questions of incompatibility between UA and GA4 and into a fully-fledged focus on GA4 with all it has to offer.
When it comes to the transition to GA4, the best case scenario is that you managed to switch to GA4 by 1 July 2022, giving you at least 12 months of data collected in GA4, side by side with the UA data you were already collecting.
But we all know that ‘stuff happens’ and if you hadn’t transitioned early, and now find yourself in an analytics no man’s land, here’s what you’re facing:
- If you haven’t transitioned to GA4, you’re not collecting or processing analytics data.
- If you hadn’t exported historical UA data by 1 July 2024, you’ve lost access to it.
The real life impact will be to:
- Decision making based on real-time data insights, because… without GA4, you’ll face disruptions in their regular reporting and analysis, as UA data will no longer be updated.
- Reporting, because… without GA4, you’ll be experiencing disruptions in your regular reporting, and if you don’t have access to your UA data, your ability to make historical comparisons will also be lost.
- Integrations, because… many third-party tools and platforms have stopped supporting UA, making it harder to integrate and sync data across different systems.
And to top it off, without GA4 switched on, your business may be vulnerable to compliance issues as GA4 has inbuilt ways to manage compliance with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.
You’re also missing out on enhanced features like cross-device tracking, AI-driven insights, and more detailed user journey analysis.
Worst of all, if you’re not currently set up for GA4, you potentially may find yourself lagging behind competitors who are leveraging the advanced capabilities of GA4 for better user insights and marketing optimisation.
But, like we always say, there’s no need to panic. Help is at hand. Book a consultation to find out more about harnessing SimpliGA Reports, to streamline your GA4 analytics process, while easily sharing your data, which in turn helps you make better decisions for your business.
Why your B2B Business should set up GA4 ASAP?
If you find yourself in a position where you’re not connected to GA4 and not able to access your historical UA data, there’s no time to waste.
Connecting GA4 as soon as possible is essential and should be at the top of your to-do list to ensure you’ve re-started data collection and are once more able to leverage advanced analytics capabilities for better business insights and strategies.
In its current iteration, GA4 seems to be built primarily for expert marketers, rather than business owners who DIY. But our mission has always been – and always will be – to help you interpret data to make the strongest business decisions.
Feeling overwhelmed after the GA4 transition? You’re not alone, and we're here to help. At KLIQ, we've successfully guided many clients through this shift, ensuring a smooth transition and unlocking new opportunities. Whether you prefer a hands-on or hands-off approach to data and analytics, we're flexible to your needs. If you'd like a virtual training session on GA4, how it’s working for your business, and the potential it brings, that’s a conversation we’d love to have.
Simplify your GA4 analytics with SimpliGA user-friendly B2B reports in minutes
The advanced features of GA4 can make it challenging for businesses to use. That’s why we recommend SimpliGA Reports as a user-friendly analytics report that allows you to access and make sense of your GA4 data in one place with a familiar Universal Analytics style audience, acquisition, visitor behaviour and conversion views.
Have questions about how SimpliGA Reports will help you create effective, powerful reports with just one click? Try our free demo of SimpliGA and view our one-time pricing plans or get in touch for a chat about how SimpliGA will strengthen and simplify Google Analytics for your business.
