{"id":8084,"date":"2023-04-11T14:02:52","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T14:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thewebkitchen.co.uk\/?p=8084"},"modified":"2023-04-11T14:02:52","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T14:02:52","slug":"what-is-google-analytics-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thewebkitchen.co.uk\/what-is-google-analytics-4\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Google Analytics 4?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google Analytics 4 (or GA4) is the latest version of the web analytics tool created by Google. It was launched in October 2020 and is a significant update to the previous version of Google Analytics (Universal Analytics or UA).<\/span><\/p>\n

Google Analytics was first launched in 2005, when Google acquired Urchin Software Corporation. It was initially called Google Analytics Premium and was only available to paying customers but in 2007, Google launched a free version of Google Analytics, which made it accessible to a much wider audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2013, the version of Universal Analytics we all know and love was introduced. This included many new tracking capabilities and improved integration with other Google products. Since then UA has remained largely unchanged.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2020, Google launched Google Analytics 4<\/a>, a major update to the platform that introduced a new data model and new features such as cross-device tracking, machine learning-powered insights, and enhanced privacy controls.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why was Google Analytics 4 created?<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of the primary reasons GA4 was created was to address the changing landscape of digital marketing and the increasing complexity of user behaviour across different devices and platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

With the rise of mobile devices, social media, and other digital channels, traditional web analytics tools such as UA were no longer enough to provide a complete picture of user behaviour. UA was primarily designed for web tracking, while GA4 provides a more comprehensive approach that includes tracking across mobile apps, web, and offline interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefits of GA4 (and differences from UA)<\/b><\/h2>\n

GA4 is built on a new technology infrastructure and provides a more comprehensive approach to tracking user behaviour across different devices and platforms. It allows marketers and website owners to gather more data and insights about their users, including data on app usage, web browsing, and offline interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several key differences between GA4 and UA:<\/span><\/p>\n