3 features you should NOT use in Google Analytics 4

TL;DR

Do not use automatic form tracking, collect Universal Analytics data, or import goals from Universal Analytics in Google Analytics 4.

Transcript

Google analytics 4 has a lot of new features introduced and of course some features are still missing but there are three features in Google analytics 4 that you should not use at all why let me explain so the first feature is automatic form tracking if you go to the admin of Google analytics 4 property then go to data streams select your website d... Read More

Key Insights

• 💁 Automatic form tracking in GA4 can result in incorrect form submission data, making it unreliable for tracking form interactions.
• ⛔ Collecting Universal Analytics data in GA4 is not recommended as it may transfer technical debt and limit flexibility.
• 🧑‍🦽 Importing goals from Universal Analytics to GA4 is inefficient as it requires manual configuration and has limitations.
• ❓ Proper planning and evaluation are essential before migrating to GA4 to determine valuable tracking features.
• 👣 Migration to GA4 is an opportunity to start fresh and implement only necessary and relevant event tracking features.
• 🫵 GA4 has a limit of 30 conversions per property, compared to Universal Analytics with 20 goals per view.
• ❓ Rethinking event structure and identifying valuable insights are important during the migration process.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why should automatic form tracking be disabled in Google Analytics 4?

Automatic form tracking in GA4 may incorrectly track form submissions, leading to inaccurate data. It can track forms that were not submitted successfully and may not track forms that were actually submitted successfully.

Q: What is the purpose of the "Collect Universal Analytics data" feature in GA4?

The "Collect Universal Analytics data" feature is designed to help businesses migrate to GA4 faster by translating events tracked by the older version of the tracking code to GA4. However, it can result in transferring technical debt and tracking irrelevant or incorrect events.

Q: Can goals from Universal Analytics be imported into Google Analytics 4?

Yes, goals from Universal Analytics can be imported into GA4, but there are limitations. Only destination goals and event-based goals can be migrated, and goals using regular expressions or other types of goals will not be migrated. Manual configuration is still required for event tracking.

Q: Why is it important to properly plan and evaluate before migrating to Google Analytics 4?

Proper planning and evaluation are crucial before migrating to GA4 to determine what features and insights are valuable to the business. Migrating shortcuts or unnecessary goals can lead to a cluttered and inefficient tracking setup.

Key Insights:

• Automatic form tracking in GA4 can result in incorrect form submission data, making it unreliable for tracking form interactions.
• Collecting Universal Analytics data in GA4 is not recommended as it may transfer technical debt and limit flexibility.
• Importing goals from Universal Analytics to GA4 is inefficient as it requires manual configuration and has limitations.
• Proper planning and evaluation are essential before migrating to GA4 to determine valuable tracking features.
• Migration to GA4 is an opportunity to start fresh and implement only necessary and relevant event tracking features.
• GA4 has a limit of 30 conversions per property, compared to Universal Analytics with 20 goals per view.
• Rethinking event structure and identifying valuable insights are important during the migration process.
• A structured and planned migration from Universal Analytics to GA4 is advisable for long-term benefits.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Automatic form tracking in Google Analytics 4 can lead to incorrect form submission data, tracking forms too often or not at all.

• Collecting Universal Analytics data in Google Analytics 4 is not recommended as it may bring along technical debt and limit flexibility.

• Importing goals from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 has limitations and still requires manual configuration, making it inefficient.