WiscWeb - WordPress UW Theme - Updating to Google Analytics 4

Until July 1, 2023, you will be able to use and collect any new data in your Universal Analytics properties. After that date, data will no longer collect in the Universal Analytics accounts and there will be a limited time to view and retrieve that data moving forward. This document will walk you through the process of converting your Universal Analytics account to a Google Analytics 4 account.

In this document:

Summary

On July 1, 2023, Google Analytics will stop using the standard Universal Analytics function to track data for your website. If you are still using Universal Analytics, it is recommended that you prepare to use Google Analytics 4 going forward. A Universal Analytics tracking code begins with a UA- (for example, UA-12345678-1). Depending on the service and tracking functionality, you will want to create a Google Analytics 4 property and update to this new measurement ID.

Set up a Google Analytics 4 property

Your first step in this process is to set up Google Analytics 4 to begin collecting data in that property. To start, log in to your correct account at https://analytics.google.com, and choose the correct property that you want to update. Once you have access to it, click the gear icon for Admin actions in the lower left portion of the screen.

  1. In the Property column, click the GA4 Setup Assistant option.

    Property setup option for Google Analytics 4

  2. In the next screen, click Get Started under the option for "I want to create a new Google Analytics 4 property"
  3. In the next screen, click Create property
  4. Click See your GA4 property. This will open a new window.
  5. In the new window, click Data Streams in the left column

    Option for accessing your GA4 data streams

  6. Click the account that you just created to access the necessary ID value
  7. On the right, click on the copy icon for the Measurement ID. This is the value you will need to update in your WiscWeb site.

    Data stream information for updating sites

Updating your WiscWeb site to your GA4 property

Once you have your Measurement ID, return to your WiscWeb site and log into the Dashboard area.

  1. Hover your mouse over Appearance and click the Customize option
  2. Click Google Services
  3. In the Google Analytics Tracking ID field, paste in the Measurement ID value for your Google Analytics 4 property.


    Google Services section is visible with Google Analytics field populated
  4. To activate this, click the Publish button at the top.

Please note: Once you publish this change to your site, data will not be tracked to your Universal Analytics property and will instead update to your Google Analytics 4 property.

Creating a tag for GA4 in Google Tag Manager

To update your Google Tag Manager with your new analytics property, make certain to still have your Measurement ID for your Google Analytics 4 property.

  1. Navigate to Google Tag Manager - https://tagmanager.google.com/
  2. Log in using the administrator account
  3. Click the Tags on the left
  4. Click New at the top right of your tags section

    Tag Manager tags section
  5. In the upper left, give this new tag a name (ie. Google Analytics 4 Tag)
  6. Click in to the Tag Configuration section
  7. Choose the Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration option
  8. Paste in your Measurement ID in the appropriate field
  9. Click into the Triggering section
  10. Choose All Pages as the trigger

    Newly created Google Analytics 4 tag
  11. Click Save in the upper right to update the changes to this tag
  12. To publish these changes to your Tag Manager, click the Submit button in the upper right corner and follow through the steps.