Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is a successor of Universal Analytics (UA) that helps track and analyze user interactions on websites and apps to provide insights into user behavior and website performance.
With a shift from session-based to event-based data, GA4 enables a more comprehensive understanding of the user’s journey.
This new model not only handles data differently but also changes the way accounts are set up. Unlike UA’s structure, which revolves around properties and views, GA4 introduces a new concept – data streams.
In this article, we’ll explore what data streams are, how they work, and why they are crucial for your analytics. This information will provide a starting point for understanding GA4’s account structure and how you can use it to your benefit.
Simply put, a data stream is a collection of data from your websites or apps that gets transferred to the Google Analytics platform. When setting up your Google Analytics 4 properties, make sure to link each of your applications to the appropriate data stream. For each property, it’s possible to have as many as 50 data streams, with the option of including up to 30 data streams from applications.
Google Analytics 4, with its advanced features, is a significant upgrade over its predecessor, Universal Analytics. The updated version lets you put data from various sources into one property. You can follow user actions across different platforms and sessions using only one reporting interface.
This is made possible by using intelligent identity resolution powered by machine learning. In the previous version, you had to create separate properties for each platform type, such as websites and mobile apps.
Although this new approach requires more initial planning and setup, it offers a streamlined interface to analyze user interactions across different platforms in one consolidated view rather than keeping a user’s web and app activity separate.
When you create a data stream, a unique measurement ID (G-ID) is generated. This ID allows Google Analytics to identify your data stream and carry out data collection. Google Analytics 4 will begin collecting data as soon as the G-ID is put to the source code of your website (and once some visitors have begun engaging, creating events for your data stream to broadcast).
After your data streams have started collecting data, you can explore it using Google Analytics 4 reporting and visualization capabilities.
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Here’s how to set up data streams in your GA4 account:
If you’ve already created your data streams, you can look at them and modify them by repeating the previous steps and clicking on each stream.
To ensure GA4 tracks data on your website, you have two options for installation: Installing with the native tracking code or installing with Google Tag Manager. Let’s go over the steps involved for both of those options.
If your website doesn’t support GA4 plugins or lacks a native GA4 integration, you can ask your developers to embed the native GA4 tracking code (gtag) into the website’s source code.
Go to GA4 Admin section > Data Streams > Choose your new data stream. After that, click on the option “View tag instructions.”
Next, click on “Install manually” and copy this code:
Send this code to a developer and ask them to embed it in the <head> section on every page of your website.
If you want more control and flexibility in handling tracking codes, consider installing GA4 with Google Tag Manager.
2.Next, go to your Google Tag Manager container, select “Tags,” then “New,” and opt for GA4 configuration
Input the ID you copied from the GA4 interface into the Measurement ID field.
In the Triggering segment, choose “Initialization – All pages,” then assign a name to the tag, for example, “GA4 Configuration.” Ensure to save the tag.
Once you activate the preview mode, the new GA4 tag should appear among the tags that have been fired.
Once Google Analytics 4 is installed, the next step is to carry out a test. The DebugView section is the main feature for debugging data in GA4.
Under the Admin section on your GA4 account, go to DebugView.
You should now see data in the DebugView. For a detailed list of parameters, click on each event.
If all goes well, go ahead and publish the GTM container!
Congratulations, your GA4 property is now successfully receiving data!
When setting up a data stream for your website, you can use enhanced measurements, a feature set introduced in Google Analytics 4. The main goal of this feature is to allow marketers to get additional data in the reports without relying on developers or Google Tag Manager.
When you switch on enhanced measurements, GA4 collects specific data automatically. This helps you quickly see reports about important user activities on your website, which is helpful. These measurements incorporate page views, video engagements, outbound link clicks, file downloads, and onsite searches. You can also set up tracking events to collect data specifically beneficial for your business.
Let’s dive into these elements in more detail.
These user behavior insights are valuable for refining content, marketing strategies, and user experience. Here’s how they can help you improve your site:
It’s important to know what kind of data you’re collecting from your users through Google Analytics 4. Ensure only to collect information that users have agreed to give. Always check the terms of use for Google Analytics 4, the terms for any services connected to it, and any privacy laws that apply to you or your users. Make sure you’re not collecting any personal information that breaks these terms.
GA4 comes with many changes, and it might take some time to get used to it. Overall, you can now set up various streams in GA4, and analyze data from any stream in the standard and explore reports.
And while views are no longer available, GA4 does provide a powerful analytical engine that lets you filter and save reports. Plus, enhanced measurements are a handy feature that offers additional analytics and simplifies tasks.
We hope that our article has provided you with a better understanding of how data streams work in GA4 and that you can use this information to improve the management of your GA4 accounts.
At Play Media, we harness the power of GA4 to track and evaluate engagement and traffic across your digital platforms. We offer expert analysis of this data to provide valuable insights for your business. Stay informed about the latest Google Analytics 4 breakthroughs by keeping an eye on our blog.
Reach out to us today to discover how we can assist you in utilizing data and flourishing in the digital world!
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