Google Analytics has been a cornerstone of digital marketing since its introduction in 2005. However, changes are coming to the platform, and marketers need to be prepared.
In a recent webinar, a Google Analytics expert, Chris Mercer, discussed the upcoming changes and how they will impact marketers.
The main takeaway from the webinar is that the current version of Google Analytics, Universal Analytics, will no longer collect data after July 1, 2023. As such, it is crucial to migrate to the new version, Google Analytics 4 (GA4), before this date to avoid losing data.
What is the Difference Between Universal Analytics and GA4?
Chris Mercer describes Universal Analytics as a “car that has been constantly patched up” and is no longer capable of navigating the current data environment. In contrast, GA4 has been built from the ground up to address current tracking challenges.
One of the main advantages of GA4 is its ability to measure things across devices and understand user behavior. With the tech landscape constantly changing, GA4 is designed to help marketers navigate through the three big storms of tech, laws, and users.
The tech is changing the rules, and GA4 can help marketers measure things across devices and understand user behavior. Laws like GDPR put the power back in the hands of users, and how GA4 gives marketers more granular control to measure specific behaviors that are useful for their business model.
Mercer emphasizes that measurement is a department, not a project, and that marketers need to upgrade their tools to navigate through this changing terrain. He talks about the mindset shift from tool to trade and how marketers need to view measurement as a core aspect of their job.
The Importance of Having a Proper Strategy
It is crucially important to have a proper strategy and not just rely on tools when it comes to marketing. Google Analytics is a powerful tool for measuring and analyzing data, but having a clear strategy is crucial to effectively utilizing it.
In GA4, there are different workspaces, each offering different levels of detail and functionality for analyzing data. The advertising workspace is particularly important for tracking conversions and troubleshooting issues with Google Ads.
During the webinar, the training discusses the Google Analytics 4 (GA4) platform and its different workspaces, including the advertising workspace, Configure workspace, and admin workspace. He emphasizes the importance of staying up to date with measurement tools and technology and explains how GA4 fits into a measurement tech stack, including the use of Google Tag Manager and Looker Studio.
The speaker also discusses the importance of having a measurement strategy and emphasizes the need to list out all the questions one is trying to answer. By asking questions, you can build “measurement muscle” and start asking better questions relatively quickly.
He encourages people to list out the questions they’re trying to answer and to not just focus on results questions, but also “how” questions. Then plan out your actions ahead of time and set up your measurement tools properly.
It’s important to be listening to the conversation happening between users and your website, and using measurements to adjust your side of the conversation to keep it going in the direction you want it to go. Mercer explains the importance of forecasting and understanding how your marketing is supposed to work, and how comparing trends and patterns to your forecasts can help you optimize your marketing for revenue and profits.
Common Mistakes When Implementing GA4
One of the main issues when implementing GA4 is that people don’t know how to turn off unnecessary features, such as form interaction tracking and the default to two months of retention setting. It is also crucial to use one method of implementation, such as either tag manager or the GA4 script, and not use both.
Mercer discusses common mistakes people make when migrating to GA4, highlighting how it requires a lot of effort to rebuild the measurement in GA4, which has different rules, and not just migrating to the new platform. He also advises people to opt-out of the automatic upgrade to GA4 and explains how it can be done.
Users must be familiar with GA4 and learn the best practices before adding additional tools. The Free ‘Toolbox’ Membership offers a range of courses and tools for measuring and tracking data effectively.
The Win courses offer courses on various platforms such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Looker Studio, and other tools. The academy also offers instructor support where individuals can drop in their questions or issues and get personalized help from their instructor team who use these tools daily.
Mercer talks about the courses offered in the Win courses, which focuses on offering courses on various platforms such as Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Looker Studio, and other tools. Mercer explains that his Measurement Marketing Academy also offers instructor support where individuals can drop in their questions or issues and get personalized help from their instructor team who use these tools daily.
Lastly, the measurement mastermind is discussed as a bonus for annual subscribers where they get to be part of a group of measurement professionals who help each other and beginners out. The discussion also touches on the importance of configuring GA4 before Google does it for you and the problems that can arise if you do not properly configure your account.
Final Thoughts On The Switch From Google Analytics to GA4 For Marketers
In summary, the changes to Google Analytics are coming, and marketers need to be prepared. GA4 is the new platform, and marketers need to migrate to it before July 1, 2023, to avoid losing data. A proper strategy is crucial, and marketers need to learn the best practices for GA4 to effectively utilize the tool. With the right strategy and implementation, GA4 can be a powerful tool for measuring and analyzing data, helping marketers to optimize their marketing for revenue and profits.
Click below to access the full GA4 video training
