Transition to GA4
UND uses Google Universal Analytics (UA) to measure web performance. The current version will be replaced with Google Analytics (GA4) on July 1, 2023.
This transition is far from a cosmetic update. GA4 is a complete paradigm shift in both how Google tracks and reports site activity. Moving to GA4 is like switching to a brand-new piece of software — not just getting the next version. GA4 is an entirely different analytics platform that is not compatible with Universal Analytics.
GA4 is not set up out of the box. Nothing transfers over and most tracking requires custom configuration. We worked with mStoner/Carnegie to get ready for this switchover by completing these tasks:
- Created a GA4 property and set up a GA4 data stream for our website.
- Migrated current UA tracking into GA4.
- Set up a data pipeline to BigQuery to store data long-term.
The learning curve to GA4 is steep. The user interface and reports have been renamed and adjusted. We are unsure if the metrics we need tracked are set up correctly. We are completing multiple trainings to understand what actions and activities need to be tracked and how to track them. We also need to learn how to use custom explorations and custom dimensions to make the most out of GA4.
In other words, our new GA4 version is technically set-up but it is likely not measuring everything we need. We need to learn more.