Google Analytics 4 (GA4) replaces Universal Analytics (UA) with an event-based data model focused on user journeys across web and apps, while UA relies on session-based hits like pageviews. For beginners, GA4 simplifies setup for modern tracking but requires rethinking reports and events compared to UA's familiar structure.
Core Data Model Differences
GA4 tracks all interactions as events with parameters (e.g., page_title), unlike UA's multiple hit types (pageviews, events, social, transactions).
- UA: Sessions and pageviews form the foundation; events need categories/actions/labels.
- GA4: No hit types—everything is an event; automatic parameters send with each, up to 25 custom ones.
This shift supports app + web tracking in one property via data streams (up to 50 per property), eliminating UA's separate properties and views (Account > Property > View).
Key Feature Comparisons
| Aspect | Universal Analytics (UA) | Google Analytics 4 (GA4) |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking Focus | Sessions, pageviews, hits (e.g., 10M hit limit) | Events, parameters (no data limits) |
| Structure | Account > Property > Views (3 recommended per property) | Account > Property > Data Streams (no views) |
| Cross-Device | Cookie-based; separate web/app properties | Unified with Google signals, first-party cookies, AI modeling |
| Conversions | Goals (4 types: destination, duration, etc.) | Any event marked as conversion (more flexible) |
| Reports | Pre-built (Acquisition, Behavior); fixed dashboards | Explorations, customizable cards; equivalents like Realtime > Users in last 30 min |
| Privacy | Third-party cookies; fragmented journeys | Privacy-first (GDPR-ready), cookie-less options |
| Data Retention | Up to 50 months or indefinite | 2 or 14 months |
Google provides a migration tool to convert UA goals to GA4 events, easing the switch.
Beginner Tips for Transition
- Start with GA4's Reports > Realtime for UA-like overviews (e.g., Events → Event count by name).
- Use Explorations for custom analysis, replacing UA's Audience/Cohort reports.
- Enable Google signals for better cross-device insights without cookies.
- Test events via Google Tag Manager; avoid copying UA logic directly.
GA4 integrates better with Google Ads (import conversions, audience targeting) and offers machine learning predictions, absent in UA. By July 2023, UA stopped processing new data, making GA4 essential.
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