Google Analytics 4: drawbacks and limitations—is it worth sticking around?

The free variation of Google Analytics, Common Analytics, is the most commonly utilised internet analytics option. The system is so preferred that it dominates 86% current market share, earning Google the marketplace chief. But even although several look at Google Analytics the regular, there are reasons to ask if it is the ideal option for your internet marketing setup—especially because Google declared the sunset of Universal Analytics.

On July 1, 2023, Universal Analytics houses will prevent processing new hits, forcing customers to switch to its successor, Google Analytics 4. Whilst this may possibly seem to be like a purely natural progression, marketers ought to not be fooled.

The learning curve will be steep—Google Analytics 4 is almost an entirely new system and continue to producing. On top rated of that, Google Analytics dangers shedding the users’ belief owing to gray regions all-around the likes of privateness and details possession.

With a privateness-concentrated potential forward, now is the time to seek options that better stability info selection with compliance. With a appropriate analytics platform, marketers make your data collection as it ought to be: predictable and sustainable. Soon after all, marketers and analysts want to process consumer-amount info while constructing have faith in with their visitors.

In this write-up, we will dive into the problems with Google Analytics 4 from a consumer viewpoint and from a privateness and compliance standpoint, so you can make an educated conclusion prior to switching platforms.

Person standpoint: Google Analytics 4 is a step in the incorrect direction

 Google Analytics 4 introduces an altered reporting and measurement technologies that is neither effectively understood nor extensively recognized by the advertising local community.

From a person practical experience point of view, many locate GA4 hard to navigate. But outside of that, there are a host of troubles with the attribute sets. Let us dig deeper into these limitations: 

There is no straightforward way to migrate your info

 Migration is a complicated method and need to be prepared meticulously. Regretably, Google Analytics 4 does not make it any less difficult. Devoid of knowledge or tag migration, all historical info from Universal Analytics will not be transferred to the new platform.

The problem only grows with the organization’s size—you can have hundreds of tags to transfer. So, if marketers must get started gathering facts from scratch, they could as perfectly switch to a new analytic application.

Not-so-intuitive person interface

The most outstanding problem marketers and analysts will possible encounter with Google Analytics 4 is the unfamiliarity with the new interface.

A new dashboard has various promptly clear distinctions from what entrepreneurs are used to running. Hit sorts are important to how Common Analytic properties manage all stats. Hit varieties include things like page hits, celebration hits, eCommerce hits, and social interaction hits.

GA4 does not have any thought of a hit style like Common Analytics takes advantage of. All the things in Google Analytics 4 is categorized as an “event.” This is a large variation.

In order for marketers to have success on the new system, they will have to adapt speedily to maintain the similar momentum they had with this preceding platform.

Boundaries on custom made proportions

A custom made dimension is an attribute that marketers can configure in their analytics software to dive further into their details. It presents the choice to pivot or segment this knowledge to isolate a specific audience or visitors for deeper assessment.

GA4 indeed lets for custom made dimensions to section reports, but there is a rigid limit. You can only have up to 25 person-scoped customized dimensions and up to 50 event-scoped custom dimensions for each assets.

Deficiency of custom made channel grouping

Channel groupings are rule-dependent groupings of marketing channels. When personalized, these groupings enable marketers to monitor the general performance of these channels effectively.

Compared with Universal Analytics, GA4 does not allow for you to build tailor made channel groupings in the new interface. Instead, marketers will only be in a position to use their default channel groupings.

Motivations powering the shorter deadline

 The deadline Google has still left the analytics local community to act is startling. There are several speculations as to why this may be, together with:

1. Google might have been dissatisfied with the speed of adoption for Google Analytics 4 and made the decision to act decisively.
2. Google circumventing some of the lawful warmth that Universal Analytics is going through in the EU.
3. Google wanting to reduce expenses and rid itself of technological personal debt connected with countless numbers of web sites with legacy solutions installed. Considering the fact that GA4 is designed to assist Google’s advertising network, it guarantees additional revenue than the competition.

Now there is a concrete deadline to make the change, marketers will need to have to come to a decision whether they want to start modifying to Google Analytics 4 or start off afresh with a new system.

Privacy and compliance: Google Analytics 4 has a long way to go

If a enterprise operates in multiple countries, marketing groups will need to be conscious of the various troubles resulting from the obligations of equally area facts privateness regulations and intercontinental regulations.

Info defense legislation regularly modifying and restricted stability regulations only complicate factors even further. Studying the tea leaves, we feel GA4 will not past extensive in Europe. Here’s why:

Google Analytics violates European law

Google helps make it hard to collect information in line with the Typical Knowledge Security Regulation (GDPR), which aims to restore regulate of own info to customers and buyers. The regulation necessitates you to obtain explicit consent when processing individual knowledge. Failure to comply with this provision can final result in significant fines or even prosecution.

The latest choice of the Austrian Information Safety Authority (DSB), states that the use of Google Analytics constitutes a violation of GDPR. This usually means that businesses engaged in gathering, storing, and processing information about EU citizens have to alter their guidelines and introduce major technological adjustments to be GDPR-compliant.

There is no clear guideline where by the information is linked by means of Google Analytics

A Google guide implies knowledge is transferred to the closest Google Analytics server hub. Nonetheless, the knowledge may perhaps be stored in a geographic area that does not have enough privacy protection to the EU.

Freshly introduced attributes in GA4 partly deal with this issue by letting the initially part of data selection (and anonymization) on European servers. However, details can, and most very likely will, be despatched to the U.S.

 The long run of internet marketing calls for users’ consent

Whether or not it be the details excellent, resource limits, absence of privateness-helpful features, or transparency in dealing with info, we imagine marketers will probable think about switching platforms.

Piwik Professional excluds the privateness and compliance troubles associated with Google Analytics, making it possible for marketers to acquire info predictably and sustainably. The user interface and attribute sets are similar to Universal Analytics, so marketers and analysts sense at house when switching to our platform.

If you would like to discover additional about Google Analytics possibilities or get more data on the Piwik Pro Analytics Suite, go to piwik.professional.

Nonetheless undecided? Test out our article on addressing the fears about switching to an choice analytics option and the analytic way of thinking you really should be taking: Switching from Google Analytics—here’s what you require to know.