Google Analytics vs GA4: Complete Migration Guide UPDATED NOVEMBER 2025

Google Analytics 4 Updates – November 2025

Overview

November 2025 brought a couple of important Google Analytics 4 (GA4) updates. These include a rebranding of the Cost Data Import feature (reflecting broader campaign data integration) and significant improvements to User-Provided Data (UPD) for attribution. Below we detail the feature updates, UI changes, new integrations, and how they empower marketers, analysts, and developers. Official Google documentation is cited for each update, and example implementation snippets are provided for clarity.

Campaign Data Import Renamed (Nov 19, 2025)

Cost Data Import in GA4 has been renamed to Campaign Data Import. This change aligns the feature's name with its functionality: importing campaign-level data (e.g. cost, clicks, impressions) from non-Google advertising platforms. In practice, nothing has broken – existing cost data imports continue to work under the new name with no action required. This is purely a naming/UI update to better reflect the expanded scope.

• Why the change? GA4 now supports ingesting data from a variety of ad channels beyond Google. For example, in late 2025 Google introduced native integrations to import cost data from Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, Pinterest, Snap, Reddit, and other platforms. Renaming the feature to "Campaign Data Import" signals that you can bring in a wider set of campaign-related metrics (not just cost) from multiple sources. Marketers can automatically track spend, clicks, and impressions from these channels in GA4, allowing unified cross-channel ROI analysis without manual CSV uploads.
• Where to find it: In the GA4 interface (Admin > Data Import), you'll now see "Campaign Data Import" instead of "Cost Data Import." The workflow for setting up data imports remains the same. You can connect to various data sources or platforms (BigQuery, S3, CSV, or the provided third-party ad platform connectors) to feed your campaign metrics into GA4. The imported data is combined with your GA4 conversion data, enabling reports like Acquisition > Non-Google Campaigns to show return on ad spend (ROAS) and other performance metrics across all marketing channels.
• Official documentation: Google's help center provides details on how to import campaign data and the supported sources. According to the docs, "Campaign data import was previously called Cost data import," and it lets you measure ROI by combining imported cost data with your GA4 revenue and event data. This renaming is a clarification, so users understand they can import full campaign attributes (campaign IDs, sources, mediums, etc. along with cost) for better reporting. All functionality remains unchanged and backwards-compatible under the new name.

Practical tip: Marketers should take advantage of these integrations to get a complete view of their advertising spend and outcomes in one place. Ensure your campaign URLs are tagged with UTM parameters (especially utm_id, utm_source, etc.) so GA4 can correctly join imported cost data with your site visits. With Campaign Data Import, you can build reports to compare performance across Google Ads and other channels side by side, calculate blended CPA, CPC, and ROAS inside GA4, and make more informed budget decisions without resorting to spreadsheets.

User-Provided Data Attribution Improvements (Nov 5, 2025)

Google Analytics 4 made significant changes to User-Provided Data (UPD) to enhance conversion tracking and user privacy. UPD in GA4 refers to first-party customer data (like emails, phone numbers, names, etc.) that you collect with user consent and send to GA4 for better matching and attribution. The November update has two parts:

Focus on Conversions & Audiences

GA4 has refined how UPD is used in attribution. Going forward, UPD focuses on activation and Ads conversions, meaning its primary role is to improve features like Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match audiences, rather than being used for user/session identity in reporting. In other words, GA4 will no longer use UPD as a reporting identity to unify users across devices. Instead, any first-party data you send is leveraged to enhance conversion measurement and remarketing:

• Enhanced Conversions: GA4 uses UPD to augment your conversion tracking. For example, if a user converts on your site and you capture their email or other info, GA4 can hash that data and match it with Google's records to attribute the conversion across devices or browsers. This yields more accurate conversion counts and paths, even when cookies or device IDs are missing. Enhanced Conversions in GA4 (still in beta) allows "a more complete picture of cross-device conversion attribution" by filling in measurement gaps with first-party data. Official documentation notes that you send customer data in hashed form via UPD, and GA4 will link it to signed-in Google user data to improve conversion attribution.
• Customer Match Audiences: UPD also boosts GA4's audience building. When you export GA4 audiences to Google Ads (or other linked ad platforms), any first-party user data collected can be used for Customer Match, expanding your remarketing reach. For instance, GA4 can take the email addresses you've sent (hashed) and find matching Google users to include in your advertising audiences. This helps show ads to customers across devices and who might otherwise be unidentifiable (e.g. if third-party cookies are not present). In short, marketers get better coverage: your GA4 remarketing audiences will include more of your actual customers, improving campaign performance. Google's documentation describes Customer Match in GA4 as maximizing coverage by matching consented first-party data to reach the most relevant users.
• No Identity Mixing: By removing UPD from the Reporting Identity options, GA4 ensures that first-party user data is utilized only for conversion enhancement and audience expansion, not for altering user counts or session stitching in standard reports. Previously, there was a concept of using user-provided data as an identity signal, but now GA4 will rely on device IDs, User-ID, and Google Signals for user identification, keeping UPD solely for the conversion/ads use cases. This separation improves privacy and data quality – your user metrics in GA4 won't be affected by whether a user provided an email, but your conversion tracking will benefit from that data for attribution.

Implications: For analysts, this means you should see more accurate attribution of conversions (e.g., better credit given to ad campaigns that drove a conversion, even if the user's journey was cross-device) because GA4 can recognize users who interacted with ads when they later convert, using the UPD matching. Marketers will notice larger audience lists and improved re-engagement through Google Ads, since GA4 can match more users via Customer Match. These changes are especially valuable as cookies wane – first-party data becomes key to maintaining measurement and remarketing effectiveness.

New UPD Infrastructure

Alongside the attribution update, Google launched a new infrastructure for User-Provided Data collection in GA4. This is essentially a backend update that improves data processing and reliability for any GA4 property using UPD:

• New Implementations: If you enable user-provided data on a GA4 property now, your property will be on the new infrastructure. Google specifically notes that new UPD customers can implement the feature "without feature degradations," meaning the issues or limitations seen in early beta have been resolved. The UPD system is more robust for handling the data and integrating it into conversion modeling and audience-building (Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match benefit fully from day one).
• Early Adopters Migration: GA4 properties that were early adopters of UPD (on the old infrastructure) may still experience some data quality issues or delayed benefits until they are migrated to the new system. Google has communicated that all properties will be moved over by Q2 2026. So if you were part of the beta earlier and notice that UPD-driven improvements aren't fully realized yet, know that further improvements are coming once the migration completes. No action is required on your part for this migration – it's handled by Google.
• Developer Note: The new infrastructure doesn't change the implementation process for sending user-provided data, but it's a good reminder to follow best practices. All user-provided data is subject to strict privacy measures. For example, sensitive fields (email, phone, name, etc.) should be hashed (SHA-256) and normalized before sending if you choose to handle hashing yourself. GA4 will hash data for you if you send it unhashed, but developers need to use the correct parameters. Google's Measurement Protocol documentation emphasizes that when sending user_data via API, emails, phone numbers, first/last names, and addresses must be hashed for privacy.

Official docs: Refer to Google's guide on User-Provided Data collection for an overview of this feature. The benefits of UPD – improved conversion tracking and audience expansion – are highlighted in Google's documentation. There are dedicated help articles for GA4's implementations of Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match which explain how these use your first-party data. The November '25 announcement confirms the infrastructure change and refocus of UPD usage.

Implementation Example – Using UPD in GA4

To take advantage of these UPD enhancements, marketers and developers should implement user-provided data collection on their sites or apps. In GA4's Admin, under Data Settings, you can activate User-Provided Data for your property and allow the collection of emails, phone numbers, and addresses (with user consent). Once enabled, you need to update your tracking code to send this data:

For web tracking (gtag.js), GA4 provides a user_data parameter that you can set with the user's info. For example, the snippet below shows how you might add a user's email and phone number (and address details) to your GA4 configuration or events:

<script>
  gtag('set', 'user_data', {
    "email": yourEmailVariable,        // User's email (string)
    "phone_number": yourPhoneVariable, // User's phone number (string, E.164 format)
    "address": {
      "first_name": yourFirstNameVariable,
      "last_name": yourLastNameVariable,
      "street": yourStreetAddressVariable,
      "city": yourCityVariable,
      "region": yourRegionVariable,
      "postal_code": yourPostalCodeVariable,
      "country": yourCountryVariable
    }
  });
</script>

In this code, replace the yourEmailVariable, yourPhoneVariable, etc., with the actual variables from your website that hold the user's data (for instance, from a sign-up form). Once set, GA4 will automatically hash and send this user_data with events. By doing so, those user identifiers can be matched for Enhanced Conversions and Customer Match purposes. Note: phone numbers must include country code and no formatting (e.g. "+15551234567"). If you prefer, you can hash the data yourself; GA4 uses SHA-256 hashing with specific normalization (lowercasing, trimming whitespace) so make sure to follow those standards.

Developers using the Measurement Protocol can similarly include a user_data object in event payloads sent to GA4's API. The structure is the same – you provide hashed values under keys like sha256_email_address, etc. (as shown in Google's sample code). The main point is that GA4 now has a stable pipeline for this data, so integrating first-party user data is highly encouraged to future-proof your analytics in a world with less reliable cookies.

Other Notes (Reporting & Data Retention)

Aside from the two major updates above, no other significant GA4 changes were announced in November 2025. Reporting interfaces and standard metrics in GA4 remain unchanged for now. (For example, the expanded Benchmarking and User-ID diagnostic features were introduced in October 2025, not in November.) Importantly, data retention settings in GA4 were not altered by these updates – GA4's free version still allows a maximum of 14 months retention for user-level data (with a default of 2 months unless you extend it in Admin settings). Users should ensure their GA4 property's data retention is set according to their needs (14 months is typically recommended for year-over-year analysis).

Conclusion

The November 2025 GA4 updates deliver practical improvements for anyone leveraging GA4 for marketing analytics. The rebranded Campaign Data Import makes it clearer that you can bring in all your off-Google campaign data and seamlessly report on cross-channel performance in GA4. Meanwhile, the User-Provided Data enhancements boost the accuracy of conversion attribution and audience building, which is vital as privacy changes limit traditional tracking. Marketers should capitalize on these features by connecting their ad spend data sources and implementing first-party data collection on their sites. Analysts will gain more complete insights (e.g. more conversions properly credited to the right channels), and developers can implement the updated tracking with confidence that the infrastructure is solid. For further details or to dive deeper into each feature, refer to the official Google Analytics documentation linked throughout this report. Each update in GA4 is a step towards more integrated, privacy-centric, and actionable analytics – November 2025's changes exemplify that trajectory.

Introduction

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the successor to Universal Analytics (UA), which stopped processing data on July 1, 2023. If you're still using Universal Analytics or wondering about the differences, this guide covers everything you need to know about migrating to GA4 in 2025.

Key Question Answered: Is GA4 the same as Google Analytics? Yes—GA4 is Google Analytics 4, the latest version that replaces Universal Analytics. While they're both Google Analytics products, GA4 represents a fundamental shift in how data is collected, processed, and reported.

Key Differences: Universal Analytics vs GA4

Why Migrate to GA4?

1. Universal Analytics is Discontinued: Google stopped processing new data in UA properties on July 1, 2023. Historical data remains accessible but no new data is collected.
2. Future-Proof Your Analytics: GA4 is Google's current and future analytics platform. All new features and improvements are built for GA4.
3. Better Privacy Compliance: GA4 is designed with privacy-first principles, better aligning with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.
4. Enhanced Machine Learning: GA4 uses advanced ML to fill data gaps, predict user behavior, and provide insights even with limited data.
5. Event-Based Tracking: More flexible data model that captures user interactions more accurately.

Migration Checklist

Phase 1: Preparation (Week 1)

• Audit Current Universal Analytics Setup
  • Document all active properties
  • List all custom dimensions and metrics
  • Identify all goals and conversions
  • Review current tracking code implementations
• Create GA4 Property
  • Go to Google Analytics Admin
  • Create new GA4 property (or use Setup Assistant)
  • Note your GA4 Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX)
• Set Up Data Streams
  • Add web data stream
  • Add app data streams (if applicable)
  • Configure enhanced measurement

Phase 2: Implementation (Week 2-3)

• Install GA4 Tracking Code
  • Add gtag.js to your website
  • Or use Google Tag Manager (recommended)
  • Verify data is flowing correctly
• Configure Events
  • Set up core events (page_view, scroll, click, etc.)
  • Migrate custom events from UA
  • Configure conversion events
• Set Up E-commerce Tracking
  • Implement GA4 e-commerce events
  • Test purchase flows
  • Verify transaction data
• Configure Custom Dimensions
  • Map UA custom dimensions to GA4
  • Set up new custom dimensions as needed
  • Configure user-scoped dimensions

Phase 3: Validation (Week 4)

• Run Parallel Tracking
  • Keep UA and GA4 running simultaneously
  • Compare data between both platforms
  • Identify discrepancies and resolve
• Test All Conversions
  • Verify all conversion events fire correctly
  • Test goal completions
  • Validate e-commerce tracking
• Train Your Team
  • Familiarize team with GA4 interface
  • Update reporting dashboards
  • Document new workflows

Phase 4: Go Live (Week 5+)

• Switch Primary Reporting to GA4
  • Update internal dashboards
  • Migrate automated reports
  • Update documentation
• Export Historical UA Data (if needed)
  • Use Google Analytics Reporting API
  • Export to BigQuery or CSV
  • Archive for future reference

Common Migration Issues and Solutions

Issue 1: Data Discrepancies Between UA and GA4

Problem: Numbers don't match between Universal Analytics and GA4.

Solution:

• GA4 uses an event-based model vs UA's session-based model
• Expect some differences in user counts and session metrics
• Focus on trends rather than exact numbers
• Use GA4's "Comparisons" feature to understand differences

Issue 2: Missing Historical Data

Problem: GA4 only shows data from when you started tracking.

Solution:

• Export UA historical data before it's deleted (Google keeps UA data for at least 6 months)
• Use Google Analytics Reporting API to export to BigQuery
• Create custom reports combining UA and GA4 data if needed

Issue 3: Goals Not Converting

Problem: Goals from UA aren't working in GA4.

Solution:

• GA4 uses "Conversion Events" instead of Goals
  • Go to Admin → Events
  • Mark relevant events as "Conversions"
  • Verify events are firing correctly

Issue 4: E-commerce Tracking Broken

Problem: E-commerce data isn't showing in GA4.

Solution:

• GA4 uses different e-commerce events:
  • purchase (instead of transaction)
  • add_to_cart, remove_from_cart
  • begin_checkout, add_payment_info
• Update your tracking code to use GA4 e-commerce events
• Use Google Tag Manager for easier management

Issue 5: Custom Reports Missing

Problem: Can't find familiar reports from Universal Analytics.

Solution:

• GA4 uses "Explorations" instead of standard reports
• Create custom explorations:
  • Go to Explore → Blank
  • Build reports using dimensions and metrics
  • Save as templates for your team

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Step 1: Create GA4 Property

1. Log into Google Analytics
2. Go to Admin (gear icon)
3. Select your account
4. Click "Create Property"
5. Choose "Google Analytics 4"
6. Follow the setup wizard
7. Copy your Measurement ID (G-XXXXXXXXXX)

Step 2: Install GA4 Tracking Code

Option A: Direct Installation (gtag.js)

<!-- Google tag (gtag.js) -->
<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
  window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
  function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
  gtag('js', new Date());
  gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXXXXX');
</script>

Option B: Google Tag Manager (Recommended)

1. Create GTM container (if you don't have one)
2. Add GA4 Configuration tag
3. Enter your Measurement ID
4. Set trigger to "All Pages"
5. Publish container
6. Add GTM code to your website

Step 3: Configure Enhanced Measurement

Enhanced Measurement automatically tracks:

• Page views
• Scrolls (90% depth)
• Outbound clicks
• Site search
• Video engagement
• File downloads

To enable:

1. Go to Admin → Data Streams
2. Click your web stream
3. Toggle "Enhanced measurement"
4. Configure individual events as needed

Step 4: Set Up Conversion Events

1. Go to Admin → Events
2. Review automatically collected events
3. Mark important events as "Conversions"
4. Create custom events if needed:
   • Go to Admin → Events → Create Event
   • Define event parameters
   • Test before going live

Step 5: Migrate Custom Dimensions

1. Go to Admin → Custom Definitions → Custom Dimensions
2. Create custom dimensions matching your UA setup
3. Set scope (Event, User, Item)
4. Update tracking code to send dimension values
5. Wait 24-48 hours for data to populate

Data Comparison: What Changed?

User Metrics

• Users: Similar concept, but calculated differently
• New Users: First-time visitors (same concept)
• Active Users: GA4's primary metric (replaces sessions focus)

Session Metrics

• Sessions: Still available but less prominent
• Session Duration: Calculated differently (may show lower values)
• Bounce Rate: Replaced by "Engagement Rate" (inverse metric)

Event Tracking

• All Interactions Are Events: Page views, clicks, scrolls—everything is an event
• Event Parameters: More flexible than UA's event category/action/label
• Automatic Events: Many events tracked automatically (no code needed)

Best Practices for GA4 Migration

1. Start Early: Don't wait until the last minute. Run UA and GA4 in parallel for at least 1-2 months.
2. Use Google Tag Manager: Makes migration easier and allows changes without code deployments.
3. Document Everything: Keep track of custom dimensions, events, and conversions you set up.
4. Train Your Team: GA4's interface is different. Ensure your team knows how to use it.
5. Export Historical Data: Before UA data is deleted, export what you need for historical comparisons.
6. Test Thoroughly: Verify all tracking works before fully switching to GA4.
7. Set Up Custom Reports: Recreate your most-used UA reports as GA4 explorations.
8. Monitor Data Quality: Regularly check that data is flowing correctly and events are firing.

Tools and Resources

• Google Analytics Setup Assistant: Helps migrate basic setup from UA to GA4
• GA4 Migration Tool: Google's official migration guide
• Google Tag Manager: Recommended for managing tracking code
• GA4 Demo Account: Access a demo property to explore features
• BigQuery Export: Export GA4 data to BigQuery for advanced analysis

Conclusion

Migrating from Universal Analytics to GA4 is essential in 2025. While the transition requires effort, GA4 offers better privacy compliance, advanced machine learning, and a more flexible event-based data model. Start your migration today to ensure continuous analytics tracking and take advantage of GA4's powerful features.

Next Steps:

1. Create your GA4 property
2. Install tracking code
3. Run parallel tracking for validation
4. Train your team on GA4
5. Export historical UA data if needed