GA4 Questions & Answers

Google Analytics is a free tool by Google that helps brands measure performance and track goals. On July 1, 2023 Universal Analytics (GA 3) stopped processing data and businesses will have to upgrade to GA4 in order to track their website performance. If you haven't upgraded your account yet, we can help.

Upgrade to GA4

Frequently Asked Questions

GA4 can be confusing at first, even for experienced Universal Analytics users. Here's a list of frequently asked questions.

What is GA4?

Google Analytics is Google's free analytics service that enables you to measure traffic and engagement across your website. GA4 is the latest version of Analytics, having officially replaced GA3 (the previous version, also known as Universal Analytics) in July 2023.

When Did GA3 Officially Stop Collecting Data?

Most accounts stopped collecting data on July 1, 2023. Google reported that some accounts may see data for a few days beyond that.

Is Google Analytics 4 free?

Yes, the basic GA4 platform is completely free. Google still offers a paid version called GA360, but this is typically only necessary for large agencies and enterprise corporations.

What are the biggest changes with GA4?

There are a number of significant changes in the new platform. From a technical standpoint, the main difference is that GA4 is user-based whereas GA3 was session-based. In other words, GA4 is focused more on how individuals interact with your website over time, as opposed to GA3 being more focused on what happened in each individual visit to your website.

In addition, GA4 offers a more comprehensive (but also challenging) custom reporting interface. It also allows for more customization of audience segments, which can be used for analysis or for remarketing campaigns.

Did Universal Analytics automatically move to GA4?

Google automatically created GA4 accounts for users who didn't migrate on their own, but it is highly recommended that you further customize your GA4 account beyond the default settings.

How do you set up GA4?

If you're unsure how to get GA4 set up, let us do it for you. The basic process typically involves creating the free account, then using Google Tag Manager to install it on your website. If you have an ecommerce business, you will need additional steps and/or plugins for your website to accurately track revenue. Much like GA3, you will want to make sure you identify your conversion actions (sales, leads generated, downloads, etc.) so that you can track performance over time.

Do you need Google Tag Manager for GA4?

Google tag manager is not required for GA4 but it is recommended. Using GTM will allow users to see more detailed data.

What are the default events in GA4?

The following parameters are collected by default with every event, including custom events.

language
page_location.
page_referrer.
page_title.
screen_resolution

A full list of Google's default events can be found here.

What is a GA4 Predictive Audience?

An audience with at least one condition based on a predictive metric, such as purchase probablity, which Google calculates based on a machine learning process.

What is a Data Stream in GA4?

A Data Stream is similar to what was called a "View" in GA3. Typically, you will want a separate data stream for each web or app property you wish to track independently.

Where is my GA4 tracking ID?

You can find your GA4 measurement ID on the Admin section in your property. Please note that you may multiple ID numbers in your account, such as Account ID and Property ID, in addition to your Measurement ID. The Measurement ID is the number you will typically need for any installation purposes.

Does GA4 integrate with Google ads?

Yes, GA4 links with Google ads to allow you to track performance and target your custom audiences.