My Journey with Google Analytics: From 2006 to GA4

A Decade-Long Relationship with Digital Insights and Growth

Back in 2006, when I first built a client’s website, I added Google Analytics without giving it much thought. It was just something I installed because it seemed like the right thing to do. Fast forward to 2011, when I landed my first job as a web engineer in Dubai, I made sure to include Google Analytics on the sites I developed. But it wasn’t until I was tasked with SEO that I truly realized its power. Google Analytics became my single source of truth, revealing the impact of my SEO strategies and opening a new world of digital marketing for me.

This newfound fascination with tracking and understanding marketing metrics led me to my next role, managing all marketing channels for an education consultancy. SEO, Google Ads, Instagram Ads—you name it, I tracked it. Weekly, I delved into Google Analytics, watching as the data painted a picture of our successes and areas for improvement.

My passion for analytics only grew, leading me to a position as an analytics consultant. Here, I transformed basic Google Analytics setups into advanced e-commerce tracking systems. The data was fascinating—I could see exactly how much revenue an e-commerce business was generating through analytics. It became my go-to tool, something I opened daily, spending hours analyzing data, understanding KPIs, and fine-tuning strategies.

For my employer, I expanded analytics implementations across 22 websites and 4 apps, transitioning from the free version to GA 360, the premium tier. Google Analytics had become an integral part of my career, and today, it’s a cornerstone of my own business. We ensure every client harnesses its power.

Bidding farewell to GA 360 isn’t easy. As July 1st marks its end, I’ve already embraced GA4. While my initial impressions were mixed, I’m impressed by Google’s continuous improvements and the exciting potential of AI integration with GA4.

So, it’s with a bittersweet feeling that I say, “Goodbye, GA 360, and hello, GA4.” Here’s to the future of analytics and the incredible journey ahead.