Google Analytics 4: What Has Changed and What It Means
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) replaced Universal Analytics (UA) in July 2023. It represents a fundamental shift in how web analytics works — from session-based to event-based measurement. Understanding the differences is essential for anyone using analytics to inform decisions.
Key Changes from Universal Analytics
- Event-based model: UA measured sessions and pageviews as primary data. GA4 measures everything as events — pageviews, clicks, scrolls, purchases, and custom interactions are all events with parameters.
- Cross-platform measurement: GA4 is designed to measure across websites and apps using a unified data model
- Privacy-first approach: GA4 uses modelling to fill gaps where consent is not given — essential in a world of declining cookie consent rates
- No Universal Analytics data: Historical UA data did not migrate to GA4 — year-on-year comparisons require parallel UA/GA4 data if you ran them simultaneously
- BigQuery integration: GA4 includes free BigQuery export, enabling SQL analysis of raw event data — a significant capability uplift
Configuring GA4 Properly
- Define and implement key events (conversions) aligned to your business goals
- Configure enhanced measurement events
- Implement custom dimensions and metrics for business-specific data
- Connect GA4 to Google Ads for proper attribution
- Set up BigQuery export for advanced analysis
How We Help
We implement GA4 with proper event taxonomy, conversion tracking, and BigQuery integration as part of all new web projects. For existing sites, we provide GA4 migration and configuration audits.