If you don't switch to GA4 soon, Google will do it for you, and you really don't want that.

Here are five examples of how this may affect you and why you should pay more attention to it.

GA4 collects user data and event interactions in a completely different way than Universal Analytics (UA). In other words, it uses different data modeling and technology, which means:

1. Interfaces and reports are structured differently from the ones we are used to monitoring in UA, and that will most likely have a big impact on basic users (who are in the majority) and their data interpretation.

For example, one of the most basic reports used in UA - traffic acquisition by source/medium (shown on the left) - is structured differently in GA4. Suddenly seeing this after the switch could cause frustrations and difficulties.

2. Bounce rate metric: Many Analytics users use the Bounce Rate metric as one of the main KPIs in their reports or even include it in their marketing plans (yes, I actually witnessed that 🙂). Well, the Bounce Rate metric as we know it is gone from GA4, so imagine the surprise when the switch becomes a reality.

Explanation: In UA Bounce Rate is calculated as the percentage of single-page sessions in which there was no interaction with the page.

In GA4, the Bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged sessions. In other words, the Bounce rate is the inverse of the Engagement rate.

Since the way bounce rate is calculated in UA and GA4, this metric is going to be very different and likely lower in GA4 than UA.

3. Custom events: More advanced Analytics users who use custom events as part of their reports will have to not only reprogram them, but also restructure the data layer JS. This is because GA4 uses predefined recommended parameters for most frequently used custom events so you will have to align with GA4’s new data model.

Explanation: In UA properties, events carry a category, action, label, value, and any custom information that we add. In GA4 properties, we define an event name, and it carries up to 25 parameters with it. Parameters are additional pieces of information that can describe the event.

4. E-commerce event tracking: Related to the previous example, there may be some challenges with switching to GA4 for e-commerce event tracking (which I see as one of the most important aspects for e-commerce owners and will explain in more detail in my next article), but the benefits of using this new GA4 platform - such as increased flexibility, improved cross-device tracking, and better data accuracy - may outweigh the initial difficulties.

5. Marketing Analytics platforms users may face several difficulties when switching to GA4. Here are a few potential challenges:

• Data mapping: As we already mentioned GA4 uses a different data model than UA, so users of marketing analytics platforms may need to map their existing data to the new GA4 data structure. This can be a complex process, as the data mapping may need to be done manually or through custom scripts.
• Limited integration support: Some marketing analytics platforms may not yet fully support GA4 integration, which means that users may need to use workarounds or custom code to ensure that their GA4 data is properly integrated with their marketing analytics platform.
• Changes to data collection: GA4 uses a different method of data collection than UA, which means that users may need to update their existing tracking codes or implement new ones to ensure that data is properly collected.
• Limited historical data: When switching to GA4, users may not be able to import all of their historical data, which can limit their ability to make accurate comparisons with previous periods.

So letting Google take over the transition to GA4 is a leap into the unknown, which will almost certainly result in a lot of confusion and frustration, which can of course also affect important strategic decisions.

How are you facing the challenges so far?