Google has launched Google Analytics 4 ("GA4"),which improves upon it's predecessor by being able to process data from multiple platforms (websites and apps). "Universal Analytics was built for a generation of online measurement that was anchored in the desktop web, independent sessions and more easily observable data from cookies. This measurement methodology is quickly becoming obsolete," said a Google spokesperson.
GA4 uses an event-based data model instead of relying exclusively on cookies so that it can operate across multiple platforms. The new Analytics product will also be more up-to-date with current privacy trends, offering more comprehensive and granular controls for data collection and usage, and will also no longer store IP addresses.
Universal Analytics (the previous generation) will stop processing new data on July 1st 2023, although your data will still be available for a further 6 months. To continue receiving audience data after this point, you will need to upgrade your website to use GA4 by firstly creating a new GA4 "property" for your website within the Google Analytics control panel and then having your web developer update all of the tracking code snippets on your website to the new code.
