Google Analytics 4: What Nonprofits Need to Know

Tracking your website’s activity with Google has just gotten easier. You may have not heard, but Google has officially rolled out Google Analytics 4, a new kind of tracking property. It is different from Universal Analytics properties, which only support websites, as it supports both websites and apps across multiple devices.

Like more Google updates, there are many new advantages to implementing and transitioning to Google Analytics 4.  Here are some ways your nonprofit can leverage the new data in Google Analytics 4: 

Customer lifecycle-framed reporting

Analytics 4 features new reports that have been reorganized around the customer lifecycle. These reports help you analyze particular aspects of the customer journey. Not only can you get a more complete picture of how your customers engage with your organization across channels, but also devices. Plus, you can provide your own user ID or enable Google signals to eliminate duplicate uses across devices for ad and reporting targeting.

Added granular control

Complying with data regulations is now simpler. With Analytics 4, you can use “consent mode,” which was designed for websites that have to obtain end-user consent to collect analytics data. In addition, data deletion capabilities have improved with this version. You can now comply with deletion requisitions from your users without removing more data than necessary. A preview mode is also available so that you’re able to verify data that you’re planning to remove.

Cookie-less analytics

Third-party cookies are being phased out and as a result, Analytics 4 is adapting with the times. Developers are already preparing to use machine learning modeling to support various modes of analysis.

Additionally, Analytics 4 has expanded codeless features. These add-ons make it easier for you to track and measure your on-site and in-app actions in real-time without adding code or setting up event tracking in Google Tag Manager.

Deeper audience integration with Google Ads

As a marketer using Analytics 4, you are now able to build and maintain audiences from your visitors across the web and on your app. Action reporting of the engaged viewers from your YouTube channel is available as well.

New AI-powered insights + predictions

Machine learning-powered insights in Google Analytics have been available for a while. However, with Analytics 4, these capabilities have been taken to the next level. Now, you can receive automatic alerts about data trends. You may also use this technology to predict churn rates and potential revenue you can earn from a particular set of customers.

The Benefits for Your Nonprofit

The features of Google Analytics 4 mentioned above can help with nonprofits’ online marketing tremendously. They not only provide you with a cross-channel view of the customer lifecycle, but you can use the information they provide more efficiently and effectively.

Analytics 4 will allow your nonprofit to better analyze individual user data and determine the ROI of users across platforms and devices. 

Good news, Google Analytics will still be around for a little bit more. You don’t have to panic just yet! What you do need to do is implement Google Analytics 4 ASAP on your website. No data is transferable from Google Analytics, so you’ll want to add Analytics 4 as soon as possible so you can start collecting data. More importantly, you’ll want to learn and understand Analytic 4 before Q4.

UPDATE: Google will be replaced Universal Analytics with Google Analytics 4 by July 1, 2023. While you have time, we recommend implementing GA4 now. Your data will not be transferable into GA4, so start collecting data as soon as possible. 

Want to hear our thoughts on the best parts of GA4, plus some things to be aware of? Check out our post here.