In 2022, Google Analytics 4 will become the primary, gold-standard version of Google’s much-loved and widely used analytics tool.
If you’re a business owner or CTO (or anyone, really) who relies on Google Analytics to track your website’s performance, you’re probably wondering, “do I really need to learn Google Analytics 4?”
The answer is a resounding yes, for a couple of important reasons.
Google Analytics 4 helps you enhance your data analysis — and stay ahead of your peers
First is that early adopters nearly always get a head start over their counterparts who drag their feet. The CEOs, CTOs, marketing professionals, and other data-driven types who stay on top of the updates are the first to learn how to leverage the new tools and end up pulling ahead of their competition.
Second is that Google Analytics 4 has some handy new features that will help you get more out of your data analysis. So now is definitely time to learn the basics of how it will work, including:
- What the basic differences are from the Universal Analytics version
- What the new data reports will look like
- How to define tracking events
- How to work with the new dashboards
So, the next question on your mind may be, how can you be ready to hit the ground running with Google Analytics 4 (especially considering that no official training from Google exists yet)?
Glad you asked. We’ve rounded up some of the best Google Analytics 4 trainings available — both free and paid options — and compiled them into a handy list, with all the relevant details, plus some of our insider, data-nerd thoughts on each one.
Free Google Analytics 4 training options in 2022
If you’re looking for a quick but comprehensive intro to Google Analytics 4, these free trainings are your best bet.
Analytics Mania
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfUSKYJz5QE
Julius at Analytics Mania has been a popular content creator on Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager for a long time, and it’s not hard to see why. His Youtube channel is jam-packed with helpful content and it’s all 100% free. This one-hour video provides a detailed walkthrough of Google Analytics 4 and is a fantastic primer on what’s new with GA4 and how to use it.
Cardinal Path
https://www.cardinalpath.com/lp/register/google-analytics-4-training-series
As a renowned data consultancy firm, Cardinal Path is always on top of the latest and greatest from the world of analytics. They’ve put together a free introduction course to Google Analytics 4 that’s available both on LinkedIn and from their website.
Paid Google Analytics 4 training options in 2022
Offering deep dives into GA4, these paid training options will get you up to speed on everything you need to know.
KS Digital
https://academy.ksdigital.co/courses/ga4-course1
Krista Seiden from KS Digital is one of the most trusted authorities and resources on GA4. As a former Google employee, she knows the ins and outs of the platform so well that she is regularly featured by the Google Analytics team. Her course is among the pricier options out there, but it’s also one of the best and you will absolutely get your money’s worth from it.
CXL
https://cxl.com/institute/online-course/google-analytics-4/
Charles Farina is another key player when it comes to Google Analytics 4. His course is available through the CXL website, so you’ll need to create an account in order to get access. If you’d like a sneak peek of the content before purchasing, he posted a helpful 90-minute intro video on YouTube that gives an overview of the course.
Mark Edmondson’s Learning Google Analytics
https://learning.oreilly.com/library/view/learning-google-analytics/9781098113070/
Mark Edmonson is literally writing the book on GA4, which is already available as an early release. He does a stellar job of breaking down why Google Analytics 4 is “the most modern data model available for digital marketing analytics.” His blog is also an excellent resource for GA4 topic
Pro tip: Query GA4 Data in Google BigQuery
https://www.ga4bigquery.com/course-query-ga4-data-in-google-bigquery/
Last but not least, we have a comprehensive digital course from Johan van de Werken. A word of advice: this offering is for pros only. We’re talking about the obsessives (like us) who get jazzed about working with raw analytics data and creating their own data models, such as session modeling.
Learn more about Google Analytics 4 while driving in your car or making the laundry?
These courses are perfect for learning Google Analytics 4. If you like to extend your Google Analytics 4 knowledge just on the go and you prefer podcasts, we have a special one for you.
We are producing a special podcast series about Google Analytics 4 – the backgrounds, the changes, the migration and much more.
Find out more here:
Find out if it is time for you to migrate to Google Analytics 4
Want to know more about Google Analytics and how data analysis can provide actionable insights for your business?
Here at deepskydata, we live and breathe this stuff. It’s easy to get started — we created a simple online check where you give us some context about your current setup and what you want to achieve with analytics date. And based on that we give a personal recommendation if Google Analytics 4 is the right option for you or what kind of alternatives could be interesting for you.
Check out our free GA4 migration check: