By bizzzdev Marketing SEO 20/12/2022

Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4: A Comparison

According to BuiltWith, about 28 million websites and about 74% of most popular websites on the Internet use Google Analytics. However, even with the instrument being at the top, different tools are available for marketing analytics services. In this regard, Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4 comes toe-to-toe. As a result, let’s explore critical differentiating factors between both tools and make an evidence-based decision on which one can provide better results for your business.

Establishing the Context

In most cases, Universal Analytics is presented as a previous iteration of Google Analytics 4. This is because the approach predominantly uses first-party cookies to get the user data. However, with most web browsers adopting more stringent data privacy regulations, there is an ongoing plan to transfer to third-party cookies. That is why Google Analytics vs. Universal Analytics comes into question.

Apart from cookies, the primary point of differentiation between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics comes from measurement models. Keeping that in mind, let’s explore these different approaches to understand how both tools measure the data they process as a part of a successful marketing strategy.

Measurement Models in Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4

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Session-Based vs. Event-Based Data Models

In a nutshell, UA is the tool Google uses to track website data. G4 is the approach to get a broader grasp, making it possible to get data from both websites and apps. Respectively, on a basic level, GA 4 is an excellent instrument for in-depth analysis.

When dealing with data, Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4 is a session-based model vs. an events-based model. What does it mean? UA can get user data when a cookie is added to a web browser. Later, user actions are grouped and later ungrouped and terminated after 30 minutes of user inactivity. With an events-based model, the method is different. GA 4 still needs a cookie to function. However, it also requires the following aspects:

User IDs
Device IDs
Google signals.

These allow GA 4 to engage in a cross-platform tracking approach. In comparison, you can only track one action simultaneously with an event-based method. In such a context, in terms of measurement approaches in Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4, the critical difference is between session- and event-based methods.

Identity Spaces

The other difference in measurement methods between UA and GA 4 is identity spaces. Google uses these to name particular identifiers the company tracks, the ones we mentioned above. So at this point, there is a distinction between identity spaces within the scope of Google Analytics Universal vs. GA 4.

In short, UA focuses on identifiers like device IDs. This one is used to track users. In addition, UA can track Google signals directly from users signed into their Google accounts. However, UA cannot integrate the data when tracking these identifiers, so it should be analyzed separately. This makes cross-platform or cross-device tracking almost impossible.

In comparison, GA 4 gathered the data from user IDs, device IDs, and Google signals. Besides, the approach makes it possible to integrate all the data from different identifiers and sources. Moreover, it grants cross-device and cross-platform tracking. As a result, with identity spaces presented by GA 4, there is a higher chance of getting insights into a customer journey to know how to promote your website better.

Metrics

Along with measurement models come metrics. For example, universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4 relies on the following variables:

User Metrics. GA 4 tracks the total number of users, including new and active ones. In turn, UA distinguishes new users from active ones. Besides, for UA, the primary user metric is all about the total number of users, while for GA 4, the primary metric is linked to only active users.
Views and Pageviews. Next, come views and pageviews. In Google Analytics 4 vs. Universal Analytics, UA has two pageview-related metrics. Namely, it is a unique pageview and just pageview. With GA 4, there is only a mere pageview.
Bounce Rates. In UA, the bounce rate equals the percentage of user sessions without any user action involved apart from visiting and leading a webpage. In GA 4, the bounce rate does not equal the percentage of engaging sessions. In short, an engagement session is one in which a user stays on a webpage for more than ten seconds. Respectively, for Google Analytics 4 vs. Universal Analytics, the bounce rate is a different variable.
Automatic Event Collection. For GA 4, events are the foundation. Every given user interaction is presented and measured as an event. In turn, while UA uses events, the platform deconstructs them into category, action, and label aspects. What GA 4 has and UA lacks automatic event collection. Once you install GA 4, it collects and analyzes all the events. This grants access to enhanced measurement and tracking capabilities.

All in all, when it comes to comparing Universal Analytics vs. Google Analytics 4, some points suggest clear distinctions. First, GA 4 is clearly a great tool for cross-platform and cross-device tracking. In turn, UA is the instrument with a focus on session-based measurement. As a result, UA will suffice if you plan to track website usage data only and do not need additional tracking capabilities. However, if you want to tap into enhanced data measurement options, consider GA 4.

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