Ep 464: Why You Need to Shift to GA4 Now With Jordan West

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On July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics properties will stop processing data. All data will then flow to Google Analytics 4. You may still access your analytics reports for a period of time, but it is now critical to migrate your property settings to Google Analytics 4 before June ends.

In this episode, Jordan West talks about the big switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. He discusses how GA4 will help you grow your business and shares the steps on how to migrate to GA4.

Listen and learn in this episode!

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

• Universal Analytics is sunsetting this July and will be replaced with Google Analytics 4.
• All data will still be accessible six months afterward.

About Google Analytics 4:

• GA4 is Google’s next-generation measurement solution.
• GA4 is an events-based data model that lets you view a unified user journey across your website.
• It uses Google machine learning to bridge any gaps in your data with model insights and predictive capabilities.
• It doesn’t rely exclusively on cookies.
• It is built to keep up with the changing ecosystem so you can learn about your customers even better.

Migrating Over Google Analytics 4:

1. Create a GA4 property in your GA account. 
2. Create a web data stream and copy the tag ID you’ll use for the next step. (You do not have to connect your Google Merchant Center to complete your GA4 tag setup process, but you should connect it afterward.)

Go to Online Store > Preferences > Google Analytics section > Click Manage Pixel > Click Connect Your Google Account > Select the Tag ID from the GA4 property that you want to connect over to your Shopify Store > Click Connect Your GA4 property

1. Add GA4 tags to your Shopify store.
2. You might also need to migrate your audiences, conversion funnels, and goals to GA4 in your Google Analytics account.

• If you’re using Universal Analytics audiences, you need to migrate those audiences to your GA4 Property. You can identify the same user based on GA4 data and export those audiences to your linked Google Ads account.
• If you’re using your Universal Analytics to track Google Ad conversions on your Shopify store, migrate them to GA4. 
• GA4 uses events to track and measure conversions instead of Goals in the eCommerce report UA uses.
• Set up Events > Mark them as Conversions in GA > Link your Google Ads account to your GA account > Import your Conversions into Google Ads.
• Get this done before the end of June. Get this done now.

Google Support Links:
Make the switch to Google Analytics 4:
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/10759417?hl=en
Shopify: Set up your Google tag:
https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/12183125?sjid=4944420470053676156-AP
Migrate your goals, users, audiences, and ads links from Universal Analytics:
https://support.google.com/analytics/topic/13012887?hl=en&ref_topic=10737980&sjid=4944420470053676156-AP