23 Feb From Google Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4
Insights from the Majestic podcast
As a freelance SEO consultant, I was delighted to receive an invitation to participate in The Majestic SEO podcast about Google Analytics and the shift to its latest version GA4. It was an incredible accolade to be recognised as an industry expert and given the opportunity to share my insights with a wider audience.
What a great boost for a small business owner in Cornwall to be put on a global stage and a new experience for 2023. Maybe there’s a new career path in podcasting for me!
So, here’s how it went, all from the comfort of my home office.
At the beginning of February, I joined David Bain, (Podcast host) on the Majestic SEO Podcast along with Chloe Christine from CC Digital, Jean-Marc Courtiade (Matomo Consultant & Trainer), Petr JanoÅ¡Ãk from Smartlook and Piotr Korzeniowski from Piwik PRO for an informative conversation about what’s next for Google Analytics and the change to GA4.
To give you an insight to the topic, the situation is this, Google Analytics is a popular web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic and user behaviour. Currently, it’s estimated that there are about 28.1 Million websites that use Google Analytics, with 1.6 Million being from the UK!
GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics. Which has been redesigned to help businesses better understand their customers’ behaviour across multiple platforms and devices. The main difference is that GA4 uses a new tracking method that focuses on events rather than page views. This means that GA4 can capture more detailed user interactions, such as clicks on links and video views, and provide more useful user data. There is also hope that it will work more effortlessly with Google Ads and support Google Ads data-driven conversion tracking.
In a nutshell, goodbye Google Analytics and hello GA4.
Unpacking the Conversation: What’s Changing and Why You Should Care
During the podcast, we discussed the significant changes brought about by the move to GA4, how it affects marketers and businesses and how they can leverage GA4 to improve their campaigns’ performance. We talked about the new features it will bring, including machine learning, cross-device tracking, and event-based tracking.
The conversation also highlighted the need for businesses to review their analytics software and consider alternative options, specifically when there are privacy concerns. While GA4 offers many exciting features and benefits, it may not be the best fit for all businesses.
Google Analytics vs Alternatives: Which is the Best Fit for Your Business?
Google Analytics has reigned supreme but there are several alternatives available, each with its own unique features and benefits. Some alternatives to Google Analytics include Matomo, which is a platform I’m currently testing. Others include Adobe Analytics, Piwik PRO, and Clicky.
Ultimately, your goal as a business is to find a tool that helps your business gain valuable insights into your customers’ behaviour and improve your overall marketing strategies.
“Behind the Mic: My Candid Take on Being a Guest on the Majestic SEO Podcast”
As a small business owner, being selected to join leading industry thinkers on the podcast was a tremendous opportunity. Being able to share my expertise with others is an incredibly valuable experience, and I look forward to appearing on a few more in the future.
If you are concerned over the death of Google’s well-loved Google Universal Analytics you’re likely, not alone. However, if i can offer one bit of advice, don’t leave it until the last minute to switch over to GA4. The current version of Analytics will cease to work in June this year. Therefore my advice is to switch over to either GA4 or a new analytics platform as soon as possible to start collecting and testing data before you no longer have Universal Analytics to compare to.
To watch or listen to my Podcast appearance you can use the links below.
