Everything You Need to Know to Recreate Universal Analytics Audiences in GA4

January 9, 2023 - Google has released a new audience migration tool for GA4 – the GA4 Migrator for Google Analytics. A Google Sheets add-on that allows you to recreate Universal Analytics audiences in your Google Analytics 4 property. 

Easily recreate existing dimensions or metrics that align with both properties, or customize by editing matching audience conditions included within this helpful spreadsheet tool. Find out which Audiences are available to be recreated alongside information about any unavailable options– ensuring you have all the facts needed before creating anew!

Customization is key.  This spreadsheet provides the ability to personalize each audience, containing information about their availability for recreation and why they may not be available. Easily editable conditions make it simple to tailor your audiences in accordance with specific needs.

How the tool works

This tool uses the Google Analytics Management API to import Universal Analytics audience definitions into a spreadsheet. Universal Analytics audience definitions are formatted by the Management API and displayed in the recreation sheet using the legacy Core Reporting API segments syntax.

Every Universal Analytics audience-definition expression is parsed by the tool and validated against the list of metrics and dimensions supported in GA4.

To export the audience definition to a GA4 property, the tool uses the audience-management functionality of the Google Analytics Admin API.

During the audience-export stage, each dimension and metric inside a Universal Analytics audience definition expression is replaced with a corresponding Google Analytics 4 field, with dimension/metric values translated, if necessary.

Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4 audience-fields conversion map:

How to Use It

To use the tool, you need the following access:

• Viewer role for the Universal Analytics property
• Editor role for the Google Analytics 4 property

After you’ve installed and activated the Google Sheets add-on (below), follow these steps:

1. Import audience definitions from your Universal Analytics property to a Google Sheet.
2. Decide how you want to export audiences from your Google Sheet to your GA4 property (e.g., using the existing definition or modifying the definition first in the tool, then exporting).
3. Export your audiences from the Google Sheet to your GoogleA4 property.

Before You Start

There are a couple of things you need to do before you can start using the Migrator:

First, you’ll need to install the add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace or by accessing the ad-on store listing from the Google Sheets Menu. Select Extensions > Add-ons > Get add-ons, and search for GA4 Migrator for Google Analytics.

Open the add-on listing, and click Install to install the add-on and follow the prompt to complete the installation process.

After you’ve finished installing the add-on, open Google Sheets. Use the same Google Account that has at least the Viewer role for your Universal Analytics property and at least the Editor role for your Google Analytics 4 property.

Then Create a new Google Sheet, and activate the add-on sidebar by selecting Extensions > GA4 Migrator for Google Analytics™ > Migrate audience definitions to GA4 from the menu.

Step 1: Import audience definitions from your Universal Analytics property

When you activate the add-on, you see the following dialog that guides you through the process.

1. To begin, use the Google Analytics Account menu to select the Universal Analytics account that includes the property from which you want to import audiences. You’ll see a list of accounts for which you have at least the Viewer role.
2. Use the Universal Analytics Property menu to select the property whose audiences you want to import. You’ll see a list of properties for which you have at least the Editor role.
3. Click Import audiences from Universal Analytics.

The import process should complete in a few seconds. You’ll see a confirmation message once the process is complete.

Step 2: Decide how to export each audience

Once the import process is complete, you’ll see a Google Sheet that includes audience names, definitions, and information about whether you can export the definitions to Google Analytics 4. If you can export the audience definition, the first column will say “Ready to migrate”.

For each audience that you can export, you can edit its definition in the Google Sheet. For example, if the condition in Column E (Include Segment) is sessions::condition::ga:country=@Canada, then you can change that to sessions::condition::ga:country=@France (or any other country).

Once you’ve reviewed your audiences, you’re ready to export them to a GA4 property.

For audiences that are Not compatible with GA4, if there are comparable dimensions and/or metrics in GA4, then you can edit the include and/or exclude statements in the Google Sheet or recreate the audiences in your Google Analytics 4 property.

Step 3: Export audiences to a Google Analytics 4 property

1. Use the Google Analytics 4 property menu to select the property you want to export the audience definitions to.
2. Click Migrate to start the process.

Once the process is complete, you’ll see a confirmation message.

Where to see your recreated audiences in Google Analytics 4

1. SIGN IN TO GOOGLE ANALYTICS.
2. In the left navigation, click ADMIN.
3.  In the Property column, click Audiences to open the audiences table.

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