Announced in Oct 2020, Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of the web analytics tool. Since its release, marketers, store owners, and businesses around the world curse GA4 because of its complexities.
Many of them even call it a “horrible” upgrade! 😱
Are you a frustrated store owner thinking the same?
Well, reading this post will change your mind. Let’s see why you should upgrade to Google Analytics 4 in Magento 2 is worth it.
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7 Reasons to Upgrade to Google Analytics 4 for Magento 2 Stores
There are plenty of reasons why Magento 2 store owners must upgrade to Google Analytics 4. Automation capabilities, better reporting, event-based tracking, etc. are some of them.
Some of the top reasons are discussed below briefly:
1. Sunset of Universal Analytics
Universal Analytics is retiring…! 🙁
According to the official reports, the former version of Google Analytics, i.e. Universal Analytics, will stop processing hits from 1st July 2023 onwards. This leaves us with no choice other than upgrading to the GA4 for processing the data.
Here, the good part is that the new incarnation of the analytics tool is better, smarter, and more efficient as compared to the former one. 😉
It is advisable to upgrade to GA4 much sooner before the doomsday of Universal Analytics and start processing the data to have an edge in making more data-driven decisions.
2. Single Platform for Many Devices
The earlier version of Google Analytics had separate properties for collecting data from the web (Universal Analytics) and apps (Google Firebase).
GA4 eliminates the need to set up a different analytics property for your mobile app. These properties have been combined in Google Analytics 4 (app + web implementation). That means businesses can track all the data in just one place.
3. Detailed Reporting
One of the top reasons to upgrade to Google Analytics 4 in your Magento 2 store is the detail reports feature.
Online businesses are fueled by data!
The more precise and detailed data you have, the more accurate business decisions you can take. Google Analytics 4 lets you understand and study the data in one or two dimensions and get better insights.
This power comes from the event-based data model, which collects every bit of information as an event. These events can be further customized or created from scratch to collect specific data. Such customized data analytics lets you study the user behavior at every step of the customer’s journey in your Magento 2 store.
Integrating a Magento 2 store with Google can let you access the treasure trove of data that can help you make data-driven decisions.
PRO TIP: Magento 2 Google Analytics 4 extension by Meetanshi is the most convenient method to connect GA4 with your store. This solution comes with built-in eCommerce events that take the complex stuff out of Magento 2 GA4 integration. You can refer to this blog post Set Up Google Analytics 4 with Magento 2.
4. Better Real-Time Analysis
One of the top features of the new Google Analytics 4 is the ability to access more real-time data.
Such functionality allows you to have better insights into what the users are doing on your website or app in real time as compared to Universal Analytics. Furthermore, the DebugView feature allows testing the real-time data streams.
This gives Magento 2 store owners another reason to upgrade to Google analytics 4 in Magento 2.
5. The New ‘Enhanced Tracking’
Google Analytics 4 is just better at tracking certain types of metrics that unlock tracking the user experience. It comes with the all-new ‘enhanced tracking’ feature that automatically tracks metrics, which correlates with the UX and engagement, such as
- Scroll Tracking
- Click Tracking
- Site Search Tracking
- Video Tracking
- File Downloads Tracking
Such functionality is missing in Universal Analytics. These built-in features are pretty useful when it comes to measuring user engagement with the website/app. They can be easily set up without any manual configuration.
6. User-First Privacy Features
Google has been making its tools and services more user privacy-centric. The latest GA4 comes with updated privacy features, which were not present in Universal Analytics. This helps in following privacy protection laws such as GDPR.
Important privacy updates in Google Analytics 4 are
- IP Anonymization: The previous version of Universal Analytics collected the user’s IP address by default, which is against the GDPR rules. By default, the latest version of Google Analytics 4 anonymizes the user’s IP address to comply with the privacy rules.
- Short Data Storage Duration: Google Analytics 4 stores the users’ data for a shorter period (2 to 14 months) as compared to that of the earlier version.
The GA4 also comes with a consent mode that lets you take consent from the users about specific data collection and processing in Magento 2 store.
7. Free GA4 + BigQuery Integration
Using Universal Analytics, you need to upgrade to the GA 360 (paid version) to get the raw data, which is totally free in Google Analytics 4.
The latest Google Analytics 4 unlocks the potential of analyzing the raw data with tools such as BigQuery. This helps businesses to study the data in a better way, combine it with other sources such as CRM, and get the most out of it.
GA4 + BigQuery integration allows you to manage, access, and analyze the data through SQL and get deeper insights.
In the End
Google Analytics 4 is a fantastic upgrade for Magento 2 store owners. It unlocks the opportunity to access more data and understand the customers in a better way. Believe me, it is truly worth the upgrade!
Don’t be late! Upgrade your Magento 2 store to the latest GA4 before you’re forced to do so on the sunset of Universal Analytics. You can use an extension or follow the manual method to integrate this future-ready analytics tool and leverage its benefits.
Author Bio:
Shivbhadrasinh Gohil is the Wizard of Light Bulb Moments at Meetanshi. He is a Digital Marketer and started optimizing Magento stores in 2010. He has founded 2 successful Magento Agencies since 2014. When not working, you can find him reading books or spending time with his children.
