4 Things You Need to Know About Moving to GA4

Using and understanding your Google Analytics can easily put you ahead of the competition.

From studying a renters' site search to monitoring the lifecycle to signing a lease, you can improve your business through data-driven decision-making.

But, if you're new to the latest release of GA4, there's more to know than just signing up.

What is GA4?

GA4, also known as Google Analytics 4, is the fourth major release of Google Analytics and a new way to track visits and activity on your website and app. Think of it as the latest and greatest analytic tool that offers some new functionality for marketers and business owners. You may also know GA4 as the former tracking property App + Web that recently went through a beta stage.

How is GA4 Different from Other Releases?

Google is continually improving its tools to keep up with the evolution of search, and help businesses meet consumer demand. At its core, the latest release of GA4 embraces the buyer's journey to gather the most up-to-date insights.

GA4 benefits your community by offering more insights, data, and customization. You can run your business more efficiently when you have a deeper sense of what renters want from your business and can predict their behavior.

Important: GA4 gives you more control and predictability over the renter's journey from deeper engagement analytics to creating ads that convert.

The buyer's journey varies from business to business, but consider it from a renter's perspective. As a potential renter goes from a lead on your website to sign up for an apartment tour, you can use GA4 to help inform your Google ads.

For example, you can look at everything from the time between a lead to signing a lease to figure out how to time your ads appropriately. Google Analytics 4 also allows remarketing to re-engage users based on their behavior when using your website or app.

Should I Delete Universal Analytics and Use GA4 Instead?

No, not yet. Although you should eventually get up to speed with GA4, you also shouldn’t allocate so much time or resources to learning the new tool if it compromises running your business efficiency. Universal Analytics will get deprecated on July 1st, 2023.

Tip 💡: Keep Universal Analytics & GA4 running simultaneously as you learn how to use GA4 better. By the end of June 2023, you'll be a pro, and the transition should be smooth.

What are the Pros of Using GA4?

Before diving into GA4, here are some pros to consider and how it impacts your multimedia business.

Funnels

Funnels in Universal Analytics were challenging to tweak and apply to your historical data. Google fixed the issue in the latest version and allows for funnel building and using them for your collected data.

If you're new to using funnels for multifamily housing, they can help you visualize the steps renters take to lease an apartment, from the beginning of their search to a signed lease.

The results are immediate insights into where they're stumbling in the process and how to improve. You may discover that your schedule a tour page has a low conversion rate, and consider adding social proof or additional touring options to improve.

Audience Triggers

Universal Analytics already allows you to create audiences to use in your Google Ads, but GA4 takes it to new levels with audience triggers. When a potential renter joins the audience you're measuring; they can generate an event. This event could include signing up for more information and can now be measured as one of your KPI conversions. You can even use GA4 to track a conversion based on how long they're hanging around your page or reading more about your rentals.

Flexibility

One of the main benefits of Google Analytics 4 is its flexibility. Sure, it's not perfect, but there's more flexibility than ever to refine your conversions, reimagine your data modeling, and access your app and website data in the same place. The interface is also more flexible, with the ability to modify your reports and access more information from your GA library.

Marketers also know flexibility in a changing industry like multifamily is a must.

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What Are Some of the Cons of Using GA4?

We just scratched the surface of potential pros with GA4, but that doesn't mean there’s not a share of cons to consider. As with any new software, some hurdles will be overcome to make the tool work for your multifamily marketing.

There's a Learning Curve

Anytime you adopt new software, there will be a learning curve, but mastering GA4 seems especially steep. If you look around at online reviews, you'll see the complaints rolling in that GA4 seems tailored to larger corporations and companies than small businesses. You'll need to spend some time getting familiar with the tool to maximize its impact on your marketing efforts.

Historic Data Doesn't Transfer

If you've been using Google Analytics as your main source of truth for years, the idea of starting from scratch is less than optimal. Unfortunately, historical data just doesn't transfer to GA4.

The issue is reason enough to stick with Universal Analytics as you get up and running with the new version. On the upside, you can use the opportunity to start from scratch and make the most of your time and current data.

The User Interface Is Different

The learning curve with GA4 ties into the difference in interfaces. If you're a pro at Universal Analytics, it's challenging to find the reports you need. Expect it to take time to get up and running and be comfortable with the interface. You'll also need to manually create the settings you were already using in Universal Analytics.

Next Steps

When you're competing for renters in a competitive marketplace, it's more important than ever to master your multifamily marketing and the renter’s journey. Figuring out GA4 is worth your while, but that doesn't mean you can't simplify your marketing journey.

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