Google will begin routinely configuring your Common Analytics properties to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for you. However you truly don’t wish to do that for a lot of causes.
Is your GA4 already arrange? You would possibly nonetheless be topic to “auto-migration.” Learn on for extra particulars about it and the best way to choose out.
Making the change to GA4
On February 9, Google despatched an e mail saying they’ll quickly begin configuring Google Analytics 4 for customers beginning in March (as early as this week).
Which means that when you’ve got a Common Analytics (UA) property however haven’t migrated to GA4, Google will create a GA4 property for you primarily based on lots of the settings you might have in UA, reminiscent of your targets, audiences, Adverts hyperlinks, customers, and extra.
However what’s Google’s definition of “haven’t migrated”?
State of affairs 1: You’ve a UA property and haven’t arrange a GA4 property. The UA property isn’t opted out of the auto-migration setting.
This might be a typical state of affairs for individuals who haven’t had the time or don’t wish to arrange GA4. That is basically the “lengthy tail” of consumers Google needs to maintain on GA.
In the event you simply didn’t have the time or need to do the migration, maybe this isn’t a nasty choice for you. However bear in mind that your information could look fairly completely different. (Extra particulars on how the migration works beneath.)
State of affairs 2: You’ve created a GA4 property however haven’t linked it to a UA property. Google doesn’t realize it’s the identical as your UA property and doesn’t think about this migrated.
Have you ever seen this popup modal in GA4? Probably sure, as a result of it pops up each time you log in or refresh.
What does linking do? It tells Google that you’ve got created a GA4 property tied to a UA property.
Will that cease Google from automigrating you?
Not essentially.
That may rely upon how a lot of the GA4 setup assistant you might have accomplished (extra on that in a second).
State of affairs 3: You’ve created a GA4 property and linked it to a UA property however haven’t accomplished all GA4 Setup Assistant steps.
In the event you’re not opted out of migration in UA, then Google will begin filling within the gaps for you on this state of affairs.
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Utilizing the GA4 Setup Assistant
The GA4 Setup Assistant is a 12-step device that helps you observe your GA4 migration progress.
It has some fairly helpful instruments included, reminiscent of assist with viewers migration and a extra simple course of for Google Adverts linking.
Adverts linking
Typically, you will need to have twin admin entry, which means you should be an admin on each the Analytics and Adverts accounts to hyperlink. It may be irritating and time-consuming to make sure you have the fitting entry ranges.
The setup assistant device references the hyperlinks you might have in UA and doesn’t require admin entry to Adverts to hyperlink. That is nice in case you are having somebody not usually concerned in Adverts serving to you migrate, reminiscent of a contractor or company.
When you click on Import from Common Analytics, a brand new display exhibits you all the Adverts hyperlinks you might have arrange in UA.
You may test or uncheck the packing containers for what you wish to import to GA4 after which hit Import chosen Adverts hyperlinks. It is as straightforward as that.
Conversions
The device will reference your conversions in UA and test if they’re eligible (i.e., occasion or vacation spot targets) for migration to GA4.
Targets utilizing different objective sorts or regex should not presently eligible for migration, however possibly sooner or later.
This migration display is much like the Adverts linking display. Examine the eligible targets you wish to migrate to GA4 conversions. Ineligible targets might be grayed out.
You’ve the choice to vary the identify of the conversion. I like to recommend leaving it within the underscore format.
Customers
This one is not as flashy, however when you’ve got a number of customers with entry to your UA property that you simply wish to copy to GA4, it might be probably the most useful device.
When you choose Import from Common Analytics, it is going to ship you to a help center article detailing the method.
You will have to make use of a Google Sheets Add-on device for this. It feels like work, nevertheless it’s fairly fast and painless. The assistance middle article provides nice step-by-step directions on the best way to use it.
Why some customers would possibly wish to choose out
Again to the warnings I’ve in retailer for you…
For instance you fall into State of affairs 3 (that’s, you might have created a GA4 property and linked it to a UA property however have not accomplished all GA4 Setup Assistant steps).
No matter you haven’t marked as full within the GA4 Setup Assistant device might be achieved for you.
That is the place, in my view, issues can get fairly sketchy quick.
Sure, I simply advised you the Setup Assistant has some helpful instruments. However they’re useful as a result of you possibly can management the migration your self.
For all 12 steps within the Setup Assistant, you will need to mark them Full even when you’ve got not achieved them – except you need Google to do it.
That is particularly essential for these seven steps:
- Turning on Google Alerts.
- Establishing Conversions.
- Defining Audiences.
- Managing Customers.
- Linking to Google Adverts.
- Bidding to GA4 conversions.
- Focusing on adverts to GA4 audiences.
Let’s break just a few of those down:
Linking to Google Alerts
Google Alerts is required for remarketing/retargeting with Google merchandise. However some international locations could have authorized implications or restrictions, so I might recommend checking along with your authorized group to make sure.
Managing Customers
I simply stated how a lot I like this characteristic. However with nice energy comes nice duty. You need to test the entry being granted, as there could also be customers you don’t want emigrate. In the event you let Google do it, they will migrate everybody from UA.
Bidding to GA4 conversions
That is the place the true hazard begins. In the event you let Google migrate your conversions for you, and you have not checked them, you are taking their phrase that you’re nonetheless contemplating the actions from UA that they may migrate to be essential.
Then, in case you let Google bid to these conversions in Adverts, they’re altering the targets from UA to GA4 conversions that you’re spending actual cash towards.
In the event you didn’t arrange these conversions, you threat an automatic course of spending your cash in a method you might not need or that isn’t optimized towards your present targets.
Focusing on Adverts to GA4 Conversions
Identical issues as above. You’ll have Google migrate audiences for you, hoping they’re adequate, after which bid towards them along with your cash. Your oversight is taken out of the method.
So what’s going to migration appear to be?
For some issues, like conversions, they might append a UA_ to the identify of the conversion in GA4 to point that it got here from UA. Different issues could not have any indication of the place they got here from.
Satisfied? Here is the best way to choose out
So are you satisfied but that it is best to choose out of automigration? Right here’s how.
In your Common Analytics account, go to Admin > Property column > GA4 Setup Assistant.
Scroll to the underside and toggle off the change for “Robotically arrange a fundamental GA4 property.”
Opting out will forestall the UA property from being migrated.
In the event you do not choose out however are linked (that popup modal we hold getting), then you will have to Mark as full all 12 steps (or no matter you don’t need automigrated) within the Setup Assistant in your GA4 property.
If you don’t choose out or don’t mark all as full, Google would possibly migrate some or your entire UA property to a GA4 property beginning as early as this week.
The extra sophisticated your UA property, the later will probably be migrated since they’ll doubtless begin with less complicated properties.
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