What is the difference between Google Analytics and GA4?

Direct Answer

Universal Analytics (the "old" GA) was session-based and relied on page views. GA4 is event-based, letting you track every meaningful interaction—scroll depth, button clicks, experiments—under a unified schema.

Why Consultants Prefer GA4

For experimentation and AI workflows you need granular events, not just page metrics. GA4's data model aligns perfectly with conversion funnels, and the BigQuery export means you can blend experimentation results with CRM or product analytics without brittle connectors. We routinely feed GA4 events into AI enrichment pipelines for faster insight loops.

Example Migration Steps

When we migrate a client off Universal Analytics we audit existing goals, map them to GA4 conversions, and add custom events for experiment variants. Within two weeks the team sees variant performance in GA4 Explore tables, and we mirror the same events in Optimizely for end-to-end attribution.

Takeaway & Related Answers

Plan your switch by inventorying KPIs, redesigning event collection, and validating the data in both GA4 and your experimentation platform. Move sooner rather than later—Google sunsets the old APIs in 2025.

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