Universal Analytics stopped processing data in July 2023. GA4 is now the only option. Here's what changed and how to make sense of your new analytics.
Is Universal Analytics Really Gone?
Yes. As of July 1, 2023:
What Happened
- Universal Analytics (UA) stopped processing new data
- Historical UA data is still accessible (for now)
- UA properties are read-only
- All new tracking must use GA4
Why Google Made the Switch
- Privacy: GA4 is more privacy-compliant
- Cookieless future: Built for a world without third-party cookies
- Better insights: Event-based tracking vs. session-based
- Cross-platform: Tracks web, app, and offline together
Events vs. Sessions: The Mental Shift
GA4 requires a new way of thinking:
Universal Analytics (Old Way)
- Session-based: Tracks user sessions (visits)
- Pageviews: Primary metric
- Goals: Simple conversions (form submit, purchase)
- Limited: Can't track complex user journeys
GA4 (New Way)
- Event-based: Tracks every user action as an event
- Events: Page views, clicks, video plays, form submissions, etc.
- Flexible: Define custom events for anything
- Better: See complete user journey, not just sessions
The Key Difference:
UA asked: "How many sessions?" GA4 asks: "What did users do?" This shift enables better insights into user behavior and conversion paths.
Setting Up Key Conversions in GA4
Conversions in GA4 are just events you mark as "conversions":
Default Events (Auto-Tracked)
- page_view: Every page load
- scroll: User scrolls 90% down page
- click: Outbound link clicks
- video_start: Video plays
- file_download: File downloads
Enhanced Measurement Events
GA4 can automatically track:
- Form submissions (if form has "submit" event)
- Site search (if search parameter in URL)
- Video engagement (plays, progress, completions)
- File downloads (PDFs, documents)
Custom Events
Track anything you want:
- Button clicks
- Newsletter signups
- Chat widget opens
- Calculator completions
- Any user action
Marking Events as Conversions
In GA4, mark important events as conversions:
- Go to Admin → Events
- Find the event you want to track
- Toggle "Mark as conversion"
- It now appears in Conversions report
Building Custom Reports That Look Like the Old Ones
GA4's default reports look different. Here's how to recreate UA-style reports:
Recreating "All Traffic" Report
In GA4:
- Go to Reports → Acquisition → Traffic acquisition
- This shows sessions by source/medium
- Customize to add more dimensions (campaign, etc.)
- Save as custom report
Recreating "Landing Pages" Report
In GA4:
- Go to Reports → Engagement → Pages and screens
- Shows pageviews and engagement metrics
- Add secondary dimension: "Session source"
- Filter to show only landing pages
Recreating "Goals" Report
In GA4:
- Go to Reports → Engagement → Conversions
- Shows all conversion events
- Add breakdown by source, medium, campaign
- Compare to previous period
Why You Might Need BigQuery
For advanced analysis, GA4 connects to BigQuery:
What is BigQuery?
Google's data warehouse. GA4 can export data to BigQuery for:
- Advanced analysis: SQL queries on your data
- Data retention: Keep data longer than GA4's limits
- Custom reporting: Build reports GA4 can't do
- Data integration: Combine with other data sources
When You Need BigQuery
- You need data older than 14 months (GA4 free limit)
- You want to do complex SQL analysis
- You need to combine GA4 data with CRM data
- You're building custom dashboards
- You have high data volumes (millions of events)
BigQuery Costs
- Free tier: 10 GB storage, 1 TB queries/month
- After free tier: Pay per GB stored and queried
- Typical small business: $0-50/month
- Large businesses: $100-500+/month
Conclusion
GA4 is different, but better. The event-based model gives you deeper insights into user behavior. Set up key conversions, build custom reports that match your old UA reports, and consider BigQuery if you need advanced analysis. The learning curve is worth it—GA4 provides better data for better decisions.
