As we all know, the new version of Google Analytics, Google Analytics 4, replaced the previous version, Universal Analytics (GA3), which stopped processing data in July 2023. This was an unusual transition, and at the time there was a feeling that Google Analytics 4 was not yet fully polished. However, the transition to Google Analytics 4 is inevitable, and naturally, many users moving to GA4 will make mistakes when adapting to the new data view. In this article, we will review common mistakes made by users migrating from the previous version to the new version of Google Analytics:
1. Forgetting to exclude referrals
One of the main mistakes when transitioning from Google Universal Analytics to GA4 is failing to set exclusions for referrals occurring on the site during sessions. For example, in an e-commerce store, when users proceed to the checkout page and choose a payment option that redirects to an external URL (such as PayPal or Payoneer), you would not want their session to end when redirected in this manner. To preserve such sessions and prevent receiving a flood of referral traffic from these sites, you need to exclude these domains. GA4 does not automatically migrate the exclusions you configured in GA3, so you will need to set this up again.
The Solution – Make sure to manually replicate the exclusions you set for these types of sites so that key actions and conversions on your site are not attributed to a source like paypal.com, which would distort the true picture.
2. Not linking Analytics to other Google accounts (Ads, Search Console, Merchant Center, etc.)
GA4 does not automatically link to other Google products. You will experience tracking issues and will miss out on Google’s optimization recommendations in these platforms if you do not connect the additional Google tools used on your site (Google Ads for tracking campaign performance, Merchant Center for tracking product purchases, Google Search Console for tracking organic keywords, and more).
The Solution – Link the relevant systems by clicking on Admin in Google Analytics 4, and under the Product Links heading, choose which systems to connect.
3. Not extending the Data Retention period for preserving data longer
Google chose to set the default Data Retention period to only 2 months. This means that after a short time, you will lose all your raw data, and if you want to analyze older data, some information may no longer be available.
The Solution – To perform longer-term comparisons in GA4, you must change Data Retention to 14 months. Click on Admin, then Data Settings. In the Data Retention tab, change data retention to 14 months.
4. Not copying remarketing audiences from GA3
Another mistake when transitioning to Google Analytics 4 is forgetting to duplicate the remarketing audiences you had in the previous version. GA3 does not automatically transfer them, meaning you will lose audiences built over time if you do not recreate them. Additionally, demographic data tracking is not enabled by default in GA4, and you will need to manually opt in to collect demographic details about your audience.
The Solution – Rebuild your remarketing audiences manually.
5. Forgetting to change the engagement session timer from 10 seconds to 30 seconds (recommended for new GA4 accounts)
While in Google Universal Analytics user engagement on the site was reflected in the pages’ Bounce Rate, in Google Analytics 4 a different name is used for this metric – Engagement. However, Google set a default of 10 seconds for the time it takes for a session to become an active engagement on the site, creating a gap between visitors who are genuinely engaged with the site and visitors who sometimes quickly enter and leave.
The Solution – Manually change it from 10 seconds to 30 seconds. As a result of this change, this metric will improve, but it also depends on your site, traffic quality, and typical user engagement. To change the measurement time, click on Admin and then on Data Streams. Click on the existing data stream and then on More Tagging Settings. Under the Adjust Session Timeout tab, change from 10 seconds to 30 seconds.
6. Forgetting to mark Goal Events as conversions
Another mistake in the transition to the new version relates to tracking goals and conversions. In Universal Analytics, we also had to mark Events as Goals, and this must be done in GA4 as well. This process is simpler in the new version, and all you need to do is mark the events as conversions, as this does not happen automatically. If you do not do this, tracking conversions will be difficult.
The Solution – Make sure to manually mark important goals as conversion actions. To start tracking an existing event as a conversion action, navigate to Configure and then Events in the navigation menu. In the list of existing events on your site, toggle the Mark as conversion button for the events you want defined as conversions.
7. Double-counting conversions - in both Universal Analytics and Analytics 4 for every action in Google Ads
If both GA3 and GA4 are running simultaneously (which always occurs while you are still using Universal Analytics), it can cause many issues and duplicate data. If both versions are active and linked to Google Ads, you risk double-counting the same actions, which can affect conversion counts, costs, and the accurate calculation of your advertising budget if not detected in time. This is a critical yet easy-to-make mistake.
The Solution – When Universal Analytics runs alongside Analytics 4, ensure that only one of them is linked to Google Ads.
Summary and Recommendations
We do not recommend migrating all tracking to the new version of Google Analytics immediately, but having two active accounts (GA3 + GA4) simultaneously until the old version is deprecated is highly recommended. Manually configure what you want to enable in the new version, and then gradually transition from the old version to the new version while making sure you avoid the mistakes outlined in this article.
The transition to Google Analytics 4 is essential and inevitable, and eventually, everyone will have to use it. The time it takes to complete the data transfer process from the old account to the new one depends on the size of your existing account and its complexity regarding the data you track, linked systems, and data volume. Therefore, it is recommended to start migrating your accounts to Analytics 4 now—even if it just means creating an account—so that site data begins accumulating in Analytics 4.
About the Author
Dvir Naaman, 27, graduate of the digital marketing course at HackerU College. Experienced in building WordPress sites, PPC advertising on Google, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) at Fialkov Digital. Possesses extensive experience in e-commerce and dropshipping, and is the owner of Merchant Center – a website aggregating information on e-commerce platforms and advanced marketing systems to increase business conversions with an emphasis on e-commerce sales.
