How to Switch to Google Analytics 4 in WordPress (The RIGHT Way)

Are you still using the old version of Google Analytics on your WordPress site? If so, it‘s time to make the switch to Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

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With the announcement that Universal Analytics will stop processing new data on July 1, 2023, switching to GA4 is no longer optional – it‘s a necessity.

In this post, I‘ll walk you through why you need to make the move to GA4 and show you exactly how to set it up in WordPress the right way.

Why You Need to Switch to GA4 Now

Google Analytics 4 is the latest incarnation of Google‘s web analytics platform. It was released in October 2020 as the successor to Universal Analytics (UA), the version most websites are currently using.

GA4 introduces a new event-based data model that is quite different from UA. It provides a more complete cross-platform view of the customer journey and includes privacy controls to help businesses adapt to a future with limited cookies and identifiers.

While GA4 has been available for a while now, many website owners have delayed making the switch. However, with Google‘s announcement of the UA sunset date, switching to GA4 has become urgent.

Consider these key points:

Universal Analytics will stop processing new hits on July 1, 2023. This means that if you haven‘t set up GA4 by this date, you‘ll be left with no data collection at all.
Historically processed data in Universal Analytics will only be accessible for six months after July 1, 2023. If you want year-over-year data comparisons, you need more than six months of historical data.
The sooner you set up GA4, the more historical data you‘ll have when Universal Analytics stops processing new hits.

Bottom line: If you want to continue tracking your website data without interruption and maintain the ability to analyze long-term trends, you need to set up GA4 as soon as possible.

Setting Up GA4 in Google Analytics

Now that you understand the urgency, let‘s dive into the setup process. The first step is to create a new GA4 property in your Google Analytics account.

Here‘s how:

Sign in to Google Analytics.
Click ‘Admin‘ in the left-hand sidebar.
In the ‘Account‘ column, select the account in which you want to create the GA4 property.
In the ‘Property‘ column, select the Universal Analytics property currently collecting data for your website.
Click on ‘GA4 Setup Assistant‘ in the Property column.
Click on ‘Get Started‘ under ‘I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property‘.
Click ‘Create Property‘ in the pop-up window to create your new GA4 property.

After completing these steps, you‘ll have a new GA4 property that collects data in parallel with your existing UA property. It‘s important to note that data collection in the GA4 property will only begin from the setup date onwards – it won‘t include any historical data.

Implementing GA4 on Your WordPress Site

With your GA4 property set up, the next step is to add the GA4 tracking code to your WordPress site. There are two main ways to do this: manually or with a plugin.

Option 1: Manually Add the GA4 Tracking Code

Manually adding the GA4 tracking code involves pasting the code snippet into the header of your WordPress site. Here‘s how:

In your GA4 property, click ‘Data Streams‘ in the left-hand menu.
Click on your web data stream.
Under ‘Tagging Instructions‘, click the ‘Global Site Tag (gtag.js)‘ tab.
Copy the ‘Global Site Tag‘ code snippet.
In WordPress, navigate to Appearance > Theme Editor.
Find and open the header.php file for your active theme.
Paste the Global Site Tag code just before the closing tag.
Save the changes.

While this method works, it‘s not ideal. Any mistakes in pasting the code could break your site. Plus, you‘ll need to remember to manually update the code whenever there are changes.

Option 2: Use a WordPress Plugin (Recommended)

For most WordPress users, the easier and safer way to implement GA4 is by using a dedicated plugin. This approach has several benefits:

No need to touch any code
Automatic updates to keep your tracking code current
Additional features to maximize your analytics data

While there are several analytics plugins available, we recommend MonsterInsights. It‘s the most popular GA plugin for WordPress, with over 3 million active installations.

Some key benefits of MonsterInsights include:

Quick and easy setup wizard
Ability to connect GA4 and UA properties
Dashboard reports to view key metrics right in WordPress
Enhanced link attribution and file download tracking
Forms tracking, eCommerce tracking, and more

To set up GA4 with MonsterInsights:

Install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin.
Go to Insights > Settings in your WordPress admin.
Click the ‘Connect MonsterInsights‘ button.
Select the ‘GA4‘ option and follow the on-screen instructions to authenticate and connect your GA4 property.
Once connected, go to Insights > Settings > Tracking to enable advanced tracking features.

That‘s it! MonsterInsights will now track and send data to your GA4 property. Plus, you can see key metrics right in your WordPress dashboard under the ‘Insights‘ tab.

Key Differences Between GA4 and Universal Analytics

While GA4 is the evolution of Google Analytics, it comes with significant changes. Here are some key differences to be aware of:

Reporting Interface
: GA4‘s reporting interface is a departure from what you‘re used to in Universal Analytics. Many standard reports have changed or been replaced, so expect a learning curve.

Measurement Model
: GA4 uses a new event-based measurement model, where all hits are classified as events. This is different from UA‘s session-based model with hit types like pageviews, events, transactions, etc.

Views and Filters
: The concept of views and filters doesn‘t exist in GA4. Instead, data is organized into ‘Data Streams‘. Filtering is achieved through the new ‘Explorations‘ feature.

Limits on Custom Dimensions/Metrics
: GA4 allows for up to 50 custom dimensions and 50 custom metrics per property (up from 20 each in UA).

Metrics Changes
: Some familiar metrics like ‘Bounce Rate‘ and ‘Average Time on Page‘ are no longer available in GA4. New metrics like ‘Engaged Sessions‘ and ‘Engagement Rate‘ have been introduced.

Despite these changes, GA4 brings many benefits and improvements, such as:

Cross-device and cross-platform tracking
Better user journey tracking
Machine learning insights and predictions
Enhanced measurement of user engagement
Privacy controls and cookieless measurement

Common FAQs About Switching to GA4

As you navigate the switch to GA4, you may have some questions or concerns. Here are answers to some common ones:

Do I have to switch to GA4?
Yes, if you want to continue collecting website data after July 1, 2023. Universal Analytics will stop processing new hits on this date, so switching to GA4 is necessary.

Can I run GA4 and Universal Analytics at the same time?
Yes, you can set up GA4 to run in parallel with Universal Analytics. This is actually recommended so you can collect data in both properties during the transition period.

Will I lose my historical data when I switch to GA4?
No, your Universal Analytics data will still be accessible for at least six months after the July 1, 2023 sunset date. However, data collected in your new GA4 property will only include data from the setup date onwards.

Is GA4 GDPR compliant?
GA4 offers several features to help with GDPR compliance, such as data deletion, user consent mode, and cookieless measurement. However, GDPR compliance also depends on how you configure GA4 and your website‘s overall data practices.

Making the Switch to GA4

In conclusion, switching to Google Analytics 4 is no longer a choice – it‘s a necessity. With Universal Analytics sunsetting in 2023, setting up GA4 now is crucial to ensure uninterrupted data collection and the ability to analyze long-term trends.

While the setup process and interface changes may seem daunting, the long-term benefits of GA4 make it worthwhile. Its event-based model, cross-platform tracking capabilities, and machine learning insights will give you a more comprehensive and actionable view of your website data.

For WordPress users, using a plugin like MonsterInsights is the easiest and most efficient way to make the switch. It eliminates the need for manual code tweaks and provides valuable features to maximize your analytics data.

Don‘t wait until the last minute to make the transition. Start setting up GA4 today to ensure you‘re prepared for the future of web analytics. Your data-driven decisions will thank you.