February 16, 2023
By: Tiffany Hindman
Starting July 1, 2023 Google’s Universal Analytics (UA) property will stop processing data and be replaced by Google Analytics 4 or GA4. Google will however still allow access to any Universal Analytics data processed in the last 6 months. Google strongly recommends exporting important historical reports before the July cut off.
What is GA4?
Universal Analytics has been around for a decade, so to keep up with the world’s ever changing technology GA4 was launched. GA4 is the next generation of Google Analytics (GA) website tracking software, and is their fourth major release. The key reasons for this update are cross-channel data measurement capabilities and increased focus on customer privacy.Difference Between Universal Analytics and GA4
Metric
Universal Anaytics (UA)
GA4
User Metrics
Two Options: Total Users, and New Users
Three Options: Total Users, Active Users, and New Users.
Tracking
Websites Only
Websites and Applications
Pageview
Reported total number of pages viewed (counting repeated views of the same page)
Total number of web pages and app screens a user sees (counting repeated views of the same page)
Filtering Options
Yes
No
Purchases
Data is pulled from products array using GA provided JS and collected in a purchase event
Data is pulled from items array however GA does not provide additional JS and expects you to provide the information when collecting a purchase event on your own
Session
- If a user is on an active session when midnight rolls around a new session will be started
- If a user has new campaign parameters, a new session will begin
- Sessions do not restart at midnight
- If a user has new campaign parameters a new session will not begin
Conversions
- You define a goal to indicate what user actions are to be considered conversions
- Only counts one conversion per session per goal
- You define a conversion event for each action you would like to count as a conversion
- Counts every instance of the conversion event, even if the same event happens multiple times during the same session
How to update your WordPress site to GA4
This tutorial assumes you already have a Google Analytics account and have Universal Analytics set up.1. Log into your Google Analytics account
2. Click the settings icon in the lower left hand corner
3. Click GA4 Setup Assistant
4. Click Get Started
5. A pop up will appear – click Create and Continue
6. After the successful creation of the GA4 property you will click – Go to your GA4 property
7. Connect your new GA4 to existing analytics
- Return to the admin area of GA by clicking the settings icon in the lower left hand side
- From the dropdown in the middle column select the existing UA property
- Then click tracking info > tracking code
- Copy the Tracking ID
- Switch back to the GA4 property in the dropdown under the create property button
- Select data streams
- Click on the existing data stream property
- Scroll down to the Google tag area and select manage connected tags
- Paste the copied UA ID in the provided area then click connect
- Click the “X” at the top left to close the Connect a tag pop up
8. Install the tracking code on your WordPress site
- After following the steps above you should still be seeing your web data stream
- Scroll to the bottom under Google Tag and select View tag instructions
- A pop up will appear – if you are unsure which platform or plug ins you are using on your site you can click the scan button and GA will help identify the property for you (*note – the sites url should be pre-populated in the field)
- Google Analytics has two plugin suggestions for WordPress – MonsterInsights and Site Kit plugin
- Upon choosing one of these plugins Google will provide instructions on how to update the plugin with the new GA4 code
- All that’s left is to follow the step by step instructions provided by Google and you’re done!
Moving to GA4 is a must before the July 2023 deadline. Google recommends doing this sooner rather than later. This will allow you time as the user to get used to the new metrics as well as download any current data you wish to keep.