Google Analytics GA4 is the next-generation method of measuring traffic within the Google Analytics platform. It is set to replace Universal Analytics within the first quarter of the coming year.
Google Analytics 4 is replacing Universal Analytics. On July 1, 2023 all standard Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits. 360 Universal Analytics properties will stop processing new hits on July 1, 2024.
To continue ongoing traffic data collection, we will be migrating managed websites to Google Analytics v4 within the coming months. You should not expect any downtime during said migration as these can be performed without affecting the operations.
The differences in analytics come down to the method in which data is collected and the type of data collected. UA uses older methods of tracking including cookies that can easily be removed from the browser and generally is used to track page views and user sessions, however GA4 goes further in depth and collects additional data including actions those pages such as button clicks, and scrolling.
With the limitation of cookies in world laws and modern browsers, older methods of data tracking are becoming increasingly limited. GA4 will not only maintain existing features, but will actually expand the types of data collected to be more precise on actions taken.