GA4 vs. Universal Analytics: What Has Changed?
Universal Analytics (UA) was page-view-based: every click on a new URL counted as a session. GA4 thinks in events: every interaction — scroll, click, video play, form submission — is an event. That sounds more complex, but it is more powerful: you can now see what users do on your site, not just which pages they visit.
| Feature | Universal Analytics (old) | Google Analytics 4 (new) |
|---|---|---|
| Data model | Sessions & page views | Events & parameters |
| Cross-device | Limited | ✅ User ID-based |
| Privacy | Cookie-dependent | Cookieless-capable (modelling) |
| Reports | Predefined | Customisable (Explorations) |
| Predictions | Not available | ✅ AI-based forecasts |
| Real-time | Limited | ✅ Full |
| Status | ❌ Switched off (July 2023) | ✅ Current |
Setting Up GA4 Correctly: The 5 Most Important Steps
Step 1: Create a property and set up a data stream
Create a new GA4 property in Google Analytics. Add a web data stream for your domain. Copy the Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX) — you will need it for the integration.
Step 2: Use Google Tag Manager (recommended)
Install Google Tag Manager (GTM) on your website. In GTM, create a GA4 configuration tag with your Measurement ID. GTM allows you to make all further tracking adjustments without code changes.
Direct GA4 snippet vs. GTM: for SMEs we always recommend GTM. It enables future adjustments without a developer and is a prerequisite for professional event tracking.
Step 3: Configure important events
GA4 tracks automatically: page views, scroll depth (90%), outbound clicks, file downloads and video engagement. These events must be set up manually:
- ▸Form submissions (contact form, newsletter sign-up)
- ▸Phone clicks (tel: links)
- ▸Button clicks on CTAs
- ▸E-commerce events (if applicable): add_to_cart, purchase
- ▸Search terms on your website
Step 4: Define conversions
Mark your most important events as conversions in GA4. Typical conversions for SMEs: contact form submitted, phone clicked, appointment booked, newsletter signed up.
Step 5: Link Google Search Console
Connect GA4 to Google Search Console. This lets you see which search terms bring users to your website — and which pages perform well in search results.
The 10 Most Important GA4 KPIs for SMEs
| KPI | What It Measures | Target Value (Benchmark) |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement Rate | Share of active sessions (>10 sec or conversion) | > 50% |
| Avg. Engagement Time | Average active time per session | > 1 minute |
| Conversion Rate | Share of sessions with a conversion | 2–5% (B2B) |
| New Users % | Share of first-time visitors | 50–70% |
| Organic Traffic % | Share of SEO traffic | > 40% (target) |
| Top Landing Pages | Entry pages with highest traffic | Review regularly |
| Bounce Rate | Sessions without engagement | < 50% |
| Device Split | Desktop vs. Mobile vs. Tablet | Check if Mobile > 50% |
| Conversion by Channel | Which channel drives conversions? | Evaluate channel ROI |
| User Retention | Returning users | Growth over time |
GA4 and GDPR: What SMEs Must Bear in Mind
By default, GA4 transfers data to the USA — which is problematic under GDPR. The following measures are mandatory:
- ▸Cookie consent banner with opt-in for analytics (not opt-out!)
- ▸IP anonymisation enabled (active by default in GA4)
- ▸Privacy policy updated with a GA4 notice
- ▸Data retention limited to 14 months (setting in GA4)
- ▸Google Signals disabled (if no consent has been given)
Alternative for maximum GDPR compliance: Matomo (self-hosted) or Plausible Analytics (EU servers). Both offer similar features without US data transfer.
Our Conclusion
GA4 is more powerful than Universal Analytics — but it requires more initial configuration. Invest 3–4 hours in a correct setup: the data quality you gain is the foundation for all data-driven decisions. Anyone who ignores GA4 is making marketing decisions in the dark.