Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

What is Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google’s web analytics platform, designed to provide deeper insights into user behavior across websites and apps. Unlike its predecessor, Universal Analytics (UA), GA4 is built for a more event-driven approach, focusing on user interactions rather than just pageviews.

The shift to GA4 was driven by the need for more advanced tracking, better cross-device measurement, and increased privacy compliance. With GA4, businesses can track how users engage with content, including scrolling behavior, video plays, outbound clicks, and conversions, all within a single reporting system.

One of the biggest improvements in GA4 is its machine learning capabilities, which provide predictive insights, such as potential revenue from specific user groups or identifying users who are likely to churn. Additionally, GA4 is designed to work more effectively in a world with cookie restrictions and increasing privacy regulations, making it a future-proof analytics solution.

How does Google Analytics 4 (GA4) work?

GA4 works by tracking events, which record specific user actions like clicks, video plays, form submissions, or purchases. Unlike Universal Analytics, where most tracking was based on sessions and pageviews, GA4 focuses on how users engage with content.

Key components of GA4

Events: Instead of tracking generic pageviews, GA4 records user actions as events, including scrolls, outbound clicks, file downloads, and e-commerce interactions.
User Properties: GA4 allows organisations to track custom user attributes, such as location, device type, or customer status, to analyse audience behavior more effectively.
Engagement Metrics: GA4 measures engagement-based actions, such as how long users stay on a page or whether they interact with content, replacing traditional metrics like bounce rate.
Conversion Tracking: Organisations can define specific conversion events, such as purchases or sign-ups, and track them across multiple sessions and devices.

Reports and insights

GA4 offers a new reporting structure that prioritises flexibility and customisation, giving organisations more control over how they analyse and visualise data. Unlike Universal Analytics, where reports were largely predefined, GA4 allows users to create custom reports tailored to their specific needs, making data exploration much more dynamic.

The Exploration Reports feature enables users to build custom reports, analyse user paths, and track trends, helping organisations uncover insights beyond standard dashboards. With options like funnel analysis, segment overlap, and cohort analysis, businesses can dive deeper into user behaviour and identify patterns that impact conversions and engagement. GA4 also offers enhanced real-time reporting, allowing marketers to see how users interact with their site or app at any given moment.

Built-in tracking features

GA4 includes automatic tracking for common events, reducing the need for manual setup. These include:

Scroll tracking: detects when users scroll through most of a page
Outbound click tracking: tracks when users leave the website
File downloads: logs when users download PDFs, images, or documents
Site search tracking: captures what users search for on a website
Video engagement tracking: tracks how much of a video users watch

Server-Side Tracking GA4

GA4 supports Server-Side Tracking, where data is processed on a dedicated server instead of the user’s browser. This improves tracking accuracy, data privacy, and website speed, especially as ad blockers, cookie restrictions, and browser limitations impact traditional tracking.

Unlike client-side tracking, where data is sent directly from the browser, server-side tracking processes information first on a private server before forwarding it to GA4 or other platforms. This ensures better data control, compliance with privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA), and secure handling of user information.

It also reduces page load times, as fewer scripts run in the browser, improving user experience and SEO rankings. Additionally, organisations can filter, clean, and enrich data before sending it to GA4, leading to more accurate and actionable reports.

How to use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) effectively?

To make the most of GA4, it’s important to define clear tracking goals. Whether tracking sales, leads, or user engagement, organisations should set up custom events and conversions to monitor key actions.

Using GA4’s built-in tracking features simplifies setup, while custom events and parameters allow for more detailed insights. Organisations can also use predictive analytics to identify potential trends, such as which users are likely to convert.

A structured setup is key. Organising event names and tracking parameters properly ensures accurate reporting and helps prevent data inconsistencies. GA4 can also be integrated with Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, and BigQuery for a more complete view of user behavior.

For organisations handling sensitive data or struggling with ad blockers, Server-Side Tracking is a useful option. It improves tracking reliability, data security, and compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA.

By using GA4’s event-driven model, custom reports, and machine learning insights, organisations can better understand their audience and make more data-driven decisions to improve their website and marketing performance.

Want to learn more?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a tool with endless possibilities. If you would like advice or need help starting with Google Analytics 4 (GA4), feel free to reach out via the form below
or call +31 651378397.