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Smoothly Transition from UA to GA4: A Comprehensive Checklist for Your Migration

Karuna K | | 2 min read

Migrating from Universal Analytics (UA) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can be daunting, especially if you have a lot of data and custom configurations. However, with the right plan and checklist in place, the UA to GA4 migration can be a seamless transition. The following comprehensive GA4 Migration checklist is designed to help you navigate the migration process and ensure you don't miss any critical steps. From preparing your tracking plan to setting up custom events and linking your GA4 property with other tools, this checklist covers all the essential tasks that must be completed for a successful  UA to GA4 migration.

UA to GA4 Migration Checklist

 

 

Before Migration

  • Familiarize yourself with GA4's data model, features and capabilities.
  • Identify key stakeholders and ensure their involvement in the migration process.
  • Map out your current customer journey funnels and tracking IDs.
  • Audit your current Universal Analytics implementation, including tracking codes, custom dimensions, metrics, and goals.
  • Develop a tracking plan for GA4, including event and conversion tracking requirements.
  • Ensure that all domains you wish to track are listed.

Create GA4 Property

  • Create a new GA4 property.
  • Set up data streams for web and mobile app tracking.
  • Enable enhanced measurement for GA4.

Configure Tracking

  • Set up cross-domain tracking, including referral exclusions.
  • Configure custom events, definitions and metrics, if relevant.
  • Configure conversions in GA4.
  • Link your Google Ads account, Google Search Console, and Google BigQuery to your GA4 property.
  • Set up debug filters to remove testing data pollution.

 

 

GTM Configuration

  • Create a new GTM container for GA4.
  • Configure GA4 tags and triggers to fire on all page views and relevant events.
  • Configure events to fire from your web application.
  • Configure content grouping, if relevant to your setup.

Data Migration

  • Set up basic settings such as time zone and currency in GA4.
  • Migrate any custom dimensions and metrics from UA to GA4.
  • Migrate UA goals to GA4 conversions.
  • Migrate any custom audiences from UA to GA4.
  • Implement e-commerce tracking in GA4, if required.

Testing and Validation

  • Ensure that cross-domain tracking and referral exclusions are working as expected.
  • Verify that your GA4 tracking is functioning properly and events are being tracked accurately
  • Test conversions and confirm that they are being tracked in GA4 as expected.

Post-Migration

  • Configure IP and debug filters in GA4
  • Enable data retention and set the duration to 14 months
  • Link your GA4 property with other relevant tools, such as Google Ad 360
  • Set up custom reports in GA4, such as landing page custom reports, user flow reports, and conversion funnel exploration reports
  • Train relevant stakeholders on GA4 and its capabilities
  • Monitor GA4 data closely and adjust tracking and configurations as needed.

This GA4 Migration checklist covers all the significant steps required to migrate successfully from Universal Analytics to GA4. However, remember that every migration is unique, and additional steps may be necessary based on your specific setup and requirements.

You may also want to understand how GA4 calculates the bounce rate, and the best practices for creating custom dimensions to get the most out of the migration exercises. Contact us if you need professional support to migrate your existing Universal Analytics to GA4.

 

 

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