Getting Started with Google Analytics 4
GA4 replaced Universal Analytics (which was sunset in July 2023) with a fundamentally different event-based measurement model, rather than UA's session/hit-based model -- every interaction is an event, not a pageview-plus-events hierarchy, which changes how you think about reporting from the start.
Practical Details
Setup means creating a Data Stream for each platform (web, iOS, Android) and installing the Google tag (gtag.js) or configuring it through Google Tag Manager -- Enhanced Measurement, which automatically tracks scrolls, outbound clicks, site search, and video engagement, is on by default per stream and worth reviewing rather than assuming it matches your exact needs.
Actionable Considerations
- Set up a Data Stream per platform (web, iOS, Android) rather than expecting one stream to cover everything
- Review Enhanced Measurement's default settings, since it's on automatically and may track more (or less) than you actually want
- Use Google Tag Manager instead of hardcoded gtag.js if you'll need to manage tags without code deploys later