As we all know that Google has introduced a new version of Google Analytics called Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with new exciting features, and Google is pushing all of us to move to GA4 and most of us have custom tracking on our websites using Universal Analytics even the GA4 properties are not supported by popular WordPress Google Analytics plugins. You can connect a GA4 property to your existing Universal Analytics property and track your website traffic stats in both GA4 and Universal Analytics properties, and once Google releases GA4 fully, it will be easier for you to upgrade as your old analytics data will still be there.
Note: Analytify will start pulling and sending data to GA4 properties as soon as Google Analytics GA4 SDK’s are fully available for public. GA3 is still alive till July 2023.
So, here we will see how to integrate Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with Universal Analytics (GA3) and track your website analytics in both Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4.
When integrating the two properties together, you may already have a GA4 property or you might want to create a new GA4 property.
If you already have created a property for your website in Google Analytics 4 then you have to follow the suggested steps to integrate GA4 with Universal Analytics to track the website traffic analytics in both GA4 and Universal Analytics.
1. Log in to your Google Analytics account, and click on “Admin”.
2. After clicking on the “Admin”, a new window will open from where you have to select the GA4 property under the column.
3. After the selection of GA4 Property, a new window will open where you have to click on the Data Streams option in the “Property” column.
4. In the Data Streams window select the website for which you have created GA4 property.
5. A new window will open, where you will find your measurement ID, just copy that ID.
5. Now go back to your Universal Analytics property from the Property column.
6. In the Universal Analytics property column, click on the Tracking Info > Tracking Code and click on the Connected Site Tags.
7. Now in the Connected Site Tags window simply paste the GA4 Property ID that you have a copied and click on the Connect option.
Note: After Successful connection, it will display like this.
Now you have your Universal Analytics property connected to your Google Analytics 4 property.
If you don’t have a GA4 property for your website then you have to follow the given steps below to connect the GA4 with Universal Analytics.
1. Log in to your Universal Analytics account and navigate to Admin.
2. Now click on the GA4 Setup Assistant under your Property Column.
3. After Clicking on the GA4 Setup Assistant, a new window will open where you have to click on the Get Started button in I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property.
4. After clicking on the Get Started button a new window will open where you will find that your GA4 property is connected with Universal Analytics in the Connected Property section.
5. Now refresh your browser, after refreshing your browser select your GA4 property that you have created from your property column.
6. After the selection of GA4 Property, a new window will open where you have to click on the Data Streams option in the property column.
7. In the Data Streams window select the website for which you have created GA4 property.
8. A new window will open, where you will find your measurement ID, just copy that ID.
9. Now go back to your Universal Analytics property from the Property column.
10. In the Universal Analytics property column, click on the Tracking Info > Tracking Code and click on the Connected Site Tags.
11. Now in the Connected Site Tags window simply paste the GA4 Property ID that you have a copied and click on the Connect option.
Note: After Successful connection, it will display like this.
Now you will start getting analytics from Universal Analytics to GA4 and easily track your website traffic stats.
That’s how you can easily connect your Google Analytics 4 with Universal Analytics and one of the major benefits of connecting GA4 with Universal Analytics that website owners/users will not lose their website analytics data.
Note: You can use any of the above methods to integrate Google Analytics 4 with Universal Analytics account.
