The dawn of a new era in analytics is upon us with the rollout of Google Analytics 4 (GA4). As of July 1st, 2023, Google Universal Analytics accounts will be automatically upgraded to this new generation of Google Analytics. This article delves into the essentials of GA4, its features, and the steps your business needs to take to stay compliant.
Understanding Google Analytics 4
Google Analytics 4 is the next generation of Google's renowned analytics tool. It marks a significant shift from session-based tracking to user, event, and action-based tracking, providing deeper insights into user behaviour across both web and app platforms. This new model allows businesses to better understand their customers' journeys, providing valuable data for marketing strategies.
New features and capabilities
GA4 comes with a host of new features, including advanced analytics, data modelling, and automatic event tracking. These tools provide businesses with a more comprehensive understanding of their customer's behaviour, helping them make more informed decisions. However, as this is a completely new version of Google Analytics, businesses will need to adapt to these capabilities and prepare for a steep learning curve at the beginning.
Data privacy and compliance
From a data privacy perspective, Google Analytics 4 still relies on the use of cookies and requires explicit consent from website visitors. If consent is not given, GA4 evaluates data such as the screen resolution of the end device, which must also be disabled. It's important to note that US authorities have access to all data of US companies through the Patriot Act, a consideration for EU-based businesses using Google Analytics.
Actions for your business
If your business is using Google Analytics, our experts suggest the following course of action:
- Update your Privacy Policy
- Update your Cookie Banner
- Review if your usage complies with GDPR
We highly recommend booking a meeting with your information security expert or contacting one of ours to understand how Google Analytics 4 affects your company. We can guide your business based on your needs to ensure that you stay compliant.
More information about Google Analytics 4 is available on Google’s Help Centre.
Conclusion:
The transition to Google Analytics 4 is a significant leap forward in web and app analytics. By understanding its features and how to use them, businesses can gain valuable insights into their customers' behaviour, helping them make more informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition.
