Google is officially deactivating Universal Analytics (UA) this Saturday, July 1st. And if you haven’t switched to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) yet, Google will do it for you.
GA4 is a powerful analytics platform, but is it the right solution for you, even if it’s free?
Fundamentally different from UA, GA4 requires you to learn a new way of tracking data and new interfaces. So, even if you’ve been using Google Analytics for years, GA4 is a whole new system that you need to learn.
Now is the perfect time to make sure this new analytics system is right for you.
Here’s a guide to determine that for yourself.
Weak points GA4
“There are certainly reasons to look elsewhere, depending on your budget, depending on the type of tracking you need,” says Sharon Mostyn, CEO of Mostyn Marketing Group. “What I’m seeing with a lot of healthcare customers is that Google has blatantly said we’re not HIPAA compliant. So that’s a good reason to consider alternatives.”
GA4 is a fundamentally different platform from Universal Analytics. It uses event-based tracking, which means it tracks user interactions with your website or app as individual events. This contrasts with Universal Analytics, which tracked user sessions as a series of visits.
The event-based tracking model in GA4 has several advantages. This:
It allows you to track a wider range of user interactions. It provides more granular data about user behavior. It relies less on cookies, making it more future-proof.
But there are disadvantages to be aware of with GA4.
In addition to privacy concerns, control over your data is one of the many things to worry about.
No support
“There’s a threshold that occurs based on whether you have Google Signals turned on,” Mostyn said. “So if you’re looking at all your data, there can be a bit of a black box with GA4.”
Another problem: the lack of support or incorporation of GA4. This means a lot of work for large companies with complex websites and data that have to install and customize it.
Businesses of all sizes must realize that there is now a cost to long-term data storage. Although GA4 includes a free connection to BigQuery, Google’s data warehouse, there may be fees to access and process your data.
Questions to consider
Here are some other questions to consider when deciding on a web analytics platform:
Business objectives and goals. What do you want to achieve with your analytics? Need to track specific metrics like sales, leads, or website traffic?
Features and functionalities. Does it have the features you need, such as event tracking, integration with other tools, or advanced analytics?
Learning curve. How easy is it to learn? Do you need to spend hours on courses or tutorials?
Ease of use. How easy is it to use? Can you easily track the metrics you need and generate reports?
cost. How much does it cost? Do you offer a free plan or a trial version? There is maintenance or other delays
The future Is the platform ready for the future? Will it be able to cope with your changing business needs?
support. Is support available? How quickly can you get help if you have problems?
data How do you handle large amounts of data? How easy is it to export data?
Stack integration. How easily can it be integrated with other marketing tools?
By considering these factors, you can choose a web analytics platform that fits your specific needs and helps you achieve your business goals.
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