Google Analytics 4 - the new standard

Data views vs. data streams

Already when opening GA4 for the first time, the obvious difference in the administrative structure is noticeable. Only one data view can be found in the property, and consequently it is no longer possible to switch between different views within a property. This makes GA4 much leaner than Universal Analytics, which forced the structure Account > Property > Data View. However, this does not mean that the entire website data can only be viewed in consolidated form. The whole thing just looks a bit different in GA4 than we know it from Universal Analytics.

In order to segment data according to certain criteria, so-called data streams are used in GA4. Thus, for example, a website and an app can each run into their own data streams, but still be viewed in a consolidated view. Additionally, for a website with different country or language directories, it is possible to create separate data streams per directory on the same domain. As with Universal Analytics Property, each data stream has its own tracking ID. Which data should go to which data stream can be set in the setup, e.g. via Google Tag Manager. By using the comparison tool and selecting "Stream ID" as the dimension, one can easily switch between the selected data streams. While some streams are excluded, it is also possible to look at multiple streams at the same time. 

To avoid data corruption, care should be taken to set up data streams so that there is no duplication between data.

GA4 database

Another essential difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics is the way data is collected. While GA4 data is based on events and parameters, Universal Analytics collects data at the session and pageview level. Here, even an event is treated as a pageview. This means, especially in practice, that GA4 offers more extensive possibilities to expand the data pool with helpful information through any interaction of additional parameters. Thanks to this data collection, less sampling occurs, reports consequently receive more "real" data on average, instead of being based only on a certain percentage of actual data.

Google Analytics Events

Events are by default part of the advanced integration in Universal Analytics, so they cannot be basically tracked once the Analytics code is integrated for the first time. In order to display events in the appropriate reports, code snippets must first be included and retrieved at the right time via JavaScript or the tag manager. In GA4, however, there are events that can be measured "out of the box". These mainly include various clicks within apps, furthermore events like downloads, outgoing clicks or scroll tracking on websites are captured.

Another difference and a big advantage of GA4 are event parameters. In Universal Analytics, you only have parameter categories, actions and labels available, as well as the possibility to transfer values (e.g. currencies). GA4 offers even more scope with up to 25 event parameters that can be used and named individually. Of course, these parameters can be used like the previous Universal Analytics parameters. In addition, they make it possible to expand events in a much smaller, more detailed and more informative way. One thing to keep in mind here is the limit of 500 individual event names. This should be more than enough for most GA4 integrations.