Google Analytics
Stay up to date with the latest news, tips, and insights about Google Analytics on Search Engine Land, including strategies to optimize your use of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), which replaced Universal Analytics in mid-2024. and the forced migration to Google Analytics 4, starting July 1, 2023, from Search Engine Land.
You’ll find a variety of up-to-date and authoritative resources, including the latest news, tutorials and data to help you work smarter and make better decisions.
Navigating Google Analytics 4 and beyond
The transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) marks a significant change in how businesses track, measure, and analyze their website and app data. Search Engine Land offers in-depth insights and strategies to help you adapt to GA4 and leverage its new features for actionable results.
Discover tutorials on using GA4, creating custom reports, and getting the most out of the platform. Stay updated on understanding GA4’s new interface and interpreting its improved insights into customer behavior.
We also cover GA4’s expanded cross-platform tracking capabilities and its emphasis on privacy-focused measurement.
What you read here is written by our experienced in-house team, and subject matter experts from leading brands and agencies.
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Hour and date dimensions now available in GA4
The new dimensions will be available across both Google Analytics 4 explorations and reporting customization.
GA4 gets new homepage experience, 5 new features
Google is also moving the Universal Analytics 360 properties’ sunset date from October 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024.
Google Analytics v3 Search Console report query data restored
After about a month, Google has finally fixed the bug where query data was not showing in Universal Analytic's Search Console query report.
Google Ads turns 22: A look back at the biggest changes and advances in search
A lot has happened over the years from testing newspaper and audio ads to automation and Performance Max stepping in and taking over.
Google Data Studio now known as Looker Studio
Looker Studio Pro, a paid version, has also been announced.
A guide to Google Analytics 4 for marketing agencies
Everything you need to know to prep your clients for the change.
Google Analytics v3 Search Console report currently not showing query data
The data is showing in GA4 and in Search Console but not in Universal Analytics 3.
11 steps to setting up a successful GA4 property
Like it or not, Universal Analytics is going away in 2023. But setting up GA4 doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are 11 things to remember as you're setting up a new GA4 property.
GA4 now has an enhanced measurement option for Form interactions
A new 'form_start' interaction will measure the first time a user interacts with a form in a session.
Google now has recommendations for Analytics
New properties may not show recommendations right away, as they need time to learn from your account's history.
Google updates privacy threshold for Analytics Search Queries report
Advertisers will see more consistent metrics between their Ads account and GA4, with limited data in UA.
How GA4, data modeling and Google Ads work together
Google is moving quickly to a future of data modeling. Here's how paid search marketers need to approach the analytics shift.
GA4 now shows Performance Max and Smart Shopping data
Advertisers will have the ability to view and report on PMax and Smart Shopping campaigns under the Cross Network channel grouping.
Google will automatically switch some advertisers’ attribution models
In a bold move, even for Google standards, some advertisers may see their attribution models automatically switched to data-driven.
Google Ads, AdSense, Analytics, and other platforms suffering reporting outages, again
A reporting outage in the Google Ads dashboard and other platforms are causing confusion among advertisers this morning.
Google Ads, Analytics issue affecting reporting stats
A reporting outage in the Google Ads dashboard is causing confusion among advertisers this afternoon.
Google Analytics 4 adds conversion, bounce rate, and UTM parameters
Bounce rate's back, alright! Three new GA4 metrics are giving advertisers a bit of nostalgia for the good old days of Universal Analytics.
Google Analytics 4 integration now available for Ads Manager
Advertisers will be able to report on Google Analytics 4 behavioral data across web and app in Google Ad Manager Analytics reports.
Google Search Console Insights now supports Google Analytics 4
Previously if you only had GA4 set up for your site, Search Console Insights would not work but now it does.
Google Universal Analytics real time metrics now titled “in the last 5 minutes”
The measurements have not changed, this is just a title change for clarification purposes.
Universal Analytics real time latency issues won’t be fully fixed, says Google
Google says either wait it out or switch to GA4.
Google rolling out conversion migration tool for Google Analytics 4
You can use this tool to import your Universal Analytics 3 goals into GA4.
Google Analytics confirms another reporting delay today
After numerous issues with Google Analytics, Google has confirmed another issue with reporting.
Google claims to fix Google Analytics latency issues
If the reporting looks wrong, you are not alone - make sure to communicate to clients and co-workers that the reporting may not be 100% up to date.
Google Analytics 4 gains autosuggest for faster report access
Autosuggest helps you locate the report you are looking for in less time within GA4.
Most plan to tough out the switch to Google Analytics 4
About 70% of the 250 marketers we polled said they planned to switch and will handle the migration internally.
Merchant Center can now be linked to Google Analytics 4
You can now see your conversions from free product listings by connecting your Merchant Center and Google Analytics property.
Google to sunset Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023, in favor of Google Analytics 4
It’s time for search marketers to shake off the inertia and adopt Google Analytics 4.
Google rolls out Search Ads 360 integration for Google Analytics 4
The integration may help contextualize data to enable more efficient campaigns as well as time savings.
Google launches new Google Analytics 4 home page
The new GA 4 home page provides more personalized content, the company says.
How to turn data into insights and impactful SEO strategies
Are you extracting all the value from your data? Learn how you can transform data into insights to guide your SEO strategy.
Google releases Data Studio Dashboard for Web Stories
Want more insights about how your Google Web Stories are performing? Google has the Data Studio report you need.
Google adds Journeys to Chrome: search your history by topic
Want to resume searching for topics you did days or weeks ago? Google Chrome's new Journeys feature makes it easy to do.
Shopify SEO Guide: How to increase organic traffic to your store
SEO tips to fully optimize your Shopify site for higher rankings and more sales.
Auto-tagging added to Google Merchant Center free listings
Tagging adds URL parameters to your tracking URLs for better analytics and measurements.
Recommendations roll out to Discovery campaigns
Google Ads also launched auto-applied recommendations for manager accounts and more recommendations for Video campaigns.
tCPA may not be going away (yet), but it should: Why it’s time to embrace value-based bidding
Determining the value of your conversions can lead to smarter Google Ads bidding. And, if tCPA does go away, you won't find yourself scrambling for a strategy.
What happened when we turned off AMP
We went into this experiment knowing there was some risk, but haven't seen anything to make us reconsider the move.
SEO 2021 in review: Endless updates, title rewrites, GMB becomes GBP and more
Despite facing a still-raging pandemic and a slew of updates, SEOs rose to the challenge. Here’s our recap of the year’s most important SEO stories and news.
Chrome will show updated pricing in the tabs grid on mobile
Google also announced more Lens integrations for Chrome as well as the rollout of the “Your carts” card.