The importance of reporting Identities in GA4

1st of July 2024 marked an important day, the sunset of Universal Analytics (UA). This means all users were forced to transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and let go of their beloved UA. By now, most of us have had time to familiarize ourselves with GA4’s interface and tools. However, understanding the data we’re analyzing is just as, if not more important as navigating the platform.

GA4’s introduction wasn’t just about new interfaces, it brought a fundamental shift in how data is collected, processed, and reported. With the increasing focus on user privacy, the adoption of Consent Mode—whether in its basic or advanced form—has become widespread. However, this raises an essential question: what does Consent Mode mean for the data we see in our reports?

The answer lies in GA4’s reporting identities, a feature that determines how user data is attributed and modeled. Unlike UA, where data attribution followed relatively rigid rules, GA4 employs a flexible identity system that can switch between observed (user-provided) and modeled (system-generated) data based on the level of consent provided by users.

This distinction is no longer a minor technical detail, it’s key in data interpretation. When consent is withheld, GA4 employs advanced modeling techniques to fill in gaps, ensuring continuity in reporting. Yet, these modeled insights differ from directly observed data in critical ways. Without a clear understanding of this difference, analysts risk misinterpreting their findings, leading to skewed strategies and decisions.

The different reporting identities in GA4

The differences within the reporting identities lies in how user interactions are unified across devices and sessions. This directly impacts the accuracy of your data analysis and how you should interpret the data.

GA4 offers three reporting identity options:

Which reporting identity should I use?

Selecting the appropriate reporting identity depends on a lot of different factors but you should mainly consider the specific insights you aim to derive.

Before beginning any analysis, it’s essential to clarify what you want to examine and choose the reporting identity that best aligns with your goals.

Finally it is important to note that you can adapt your reporting identity at any time. It will not change your data in itself, it will only change the representation of it. Be careful though, when you adapt it , it will be adapted for everyone looking at the GA4 property.


publication auteur Lotte Vranckx
AUTHOR
Lotte Vranckx

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