ProfileTree has recently held a successful LinkedIn webinar on GA4 training. Many local businesses were in attendance to receive free guidance and support for making this necessary migration to Google Analytics 4, in July 2023.
Google Analytics 4 is the next evolutionary step in digital marketing and is the successor to Google Analytics 3. GA4 embraces artificial intelligence and provides enhanced data insights, allowing us to see more about the customer’s journey than ever before.
GA4 Training
As a leading digital marketing agency based in Belfast, ProfileTree aims to stay one step ahead of the latest technological advancements in our field. We anticipate the future of AI, website design and development, SEO, and content marketing.
Our goal is to help upskill businesses in utilising innovative digital marketing tools. The previous GA4 Free Webinar is part of our commitment to achieving that goal.
If you would like to attend any future GA4 events be sure to follow us on LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram.
GA4 Tutorial
You can check out the recording of the free webinar below, or alternatively, keep reading for an overview of the session.
GA4 Training – Google Analytics 4
What Did the Google Analytics 4 Training Cover?
The Google Analytics 4 Training covered many aspects of the upcoming switch. It was presented by Digital Strategist Stephen McClelland, who was able to translate these changes into the context of what they mean for businesses and their digital marketing strategies.
GA4 Migration
Transitioning to GA4 was a significant point of discussion due to the upcoming deadline. The main takeaways included:
On the 1st of July 2023, Google Analytics 3 will stop processing data.
If GA3 hasn’t already auto-migrated them, those who haven’t made the transition beforehand will be forced to do so.
Google will only complete a fundamental migration.
Google will use the G tag or the code that was embedded into your previous website and will transition that over to GA4.
Businesses and marketers must effectively ‘start from scratch’ or risk losing out on collecting important data.
Follow the setup assistant and go through the steps as a checklist; this will ensure that GA4 is ready to collect data about your website and app performance.
How long does GA4 store data?
When migrating to GA4, it’s important to remember that the data is only stored for 14 months, as opposed to the 26 months’ worth that GA3 kept. This change is due to Google’s Privacy Policy and GDPR Compliance.
GA4 Events and Event Parameters
Events and event parameters are key components when tracking user activity and engagement on GA4. The main talking points included:
GA4’s new data model is solely based on events and parameters, replacing GA3’s format of ‘hits’.
GA4 is much more interactive as it tracks almost every action the user takes on the page.
Events can be things like views on a page, tracking a particular button, clicks, purchases, forum submissions, etc.
You can now track a plethora of things or ‘events’ on GA4. This allows us the flexibility to create more interactive formats and reports.
GA4 ECommerce
Event Parameters is excellent for monitoring and tracking data on e-commerce websites. For example, you can tell Google that the event that you’re tracking is the product conversion, but you also want to track;
The product name that they were looking at.
What was the stock of that product?
Was it in stock or out of stock?
This would allow an e-commerce site to uncover findings such as, “Did 80% of our market look at the latest pair of shoes that we added to the site, only for six weeks of the year to be out of stock, and that’s why our conversion rate was so low?”
GA4 Custom Events
Setting up customer events was also discussed at length during the webinar. Some of the main takeaways included;
Those with custom audience groups or custom reports set up on GA3 or Universal Analytics need to go through the setup assistant or risk losing important data.
GA4 automatically tracks familiar events, but businesses can create custom events for specific needs.
Google Tag Manager can be used to track custom events.
With custom dimensions, you can now very easily find out things such as which page is getting the most traffic and from which source it is coming from. This was previously quite tricky to do with GA3.
GA4 Training – Google Analytics 4
GA4 Updates and Enhanced Measurement
GA4 is now going to bring enhanced measurements to marketers and businesses. Some of the main measurements of GA4 include;
Scrolls: 90%+ Scrolled to the bottom of the page.
Outbound Clicks: Track clicks to external websites on a new domain.
Site Search: Run events for Site Search Queries, and advanced settings for custom filters.
Video Engagement: Video Interaction Events, Play Pause, Watch Time.
File Downloads: Capture files that are downloaded within the website.
This allows for a much deeper understanding of audience engagement and how your website content is being consumed. It’s also worth noting that as AI and machine learning come to GA4 and become more advanced, we will be able to interrupt deep data at a glance.
Benefits of GA4 Over GA3
Event-Based Data Model
Granular Tracking: GA4’s event-based model allows for more precise tracking of user interactions. Unlike GA3, which relied on sessions and pageviews, GA4 captures every user action as an event. This means you can track specific button clicks, video plays, form submissions, and more, providing deeper insights into user behavior.
Cross-Platform Tracking: GA4 excels at tracking user journeys across multiple devices and platforms. By capturing events consistently, you can gain a holistic view of how users interact with your brand, regardless of whether they’re on a desktop, mobile, or app.
Flexibility: The event-based model offers greater flexibility in data analysis. You can create custom events to track specific actions relevant to your business goals, enabling tailored reporting and insights.
Machine Learning Capabilities
Predictive Metrics: GA4 leverages machine learning to generate predictive metrics, such as purchase probability and churn likelihood. These insights can help you identify high-value customers, optimize marketing campaigns, and improve customer retention.
Anomaly Detection: GA4 can automatically detect unusual patterns in user behavior, such as sudden spikes or drops in traffic. This helps you quickly identify potential issues or opportunities.
Audience Insights: Machine learning algorithms in GA4 provide deeper insights into audience segments, helping you understand user preferences and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
Enhanced User Experience Reporting
Engagement Metrics: GA4 introduces new engagement metrics like engaged sessions, which provide a more accurate picture of user interaction with your website or app.
User Journey Visualization: GA4 offers improved tools for visualizing user journeys, allowing you to identify drop-off points and optimize the user experience.
Custom Reports: With GA4, you have more flexibility to create custom reports tailored to your specific business needs, providing actionable insights.
Future-Proof Platform
Privacy Compliance: GA4 is designed with privacy in mind, making it easier to comply with data protection regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Continuous Innovation: As the future of Google Analytics, GA4 benefits from ongoing development and updates, ensuring you have access to the latest features and capabilities.
Integration with Other Google Tools: GA4 seamlessly integrates with other Google marketing tools, such as Google Ads, Search Console, and Google Tag Manager, streamlining your marketing efforts.
Migrating from GA3 to GA4: A Step-by-Step Guide
Migrating from Universal Analytics (GA3) to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is essential to ensure you continue to collect valuable data and insights. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps:
Setting Up a GA4 Property
Create a New Property: Log in to your Google Analytics account and navigate to the Admin section. Click “+ Create Property” and choose “Website” as the data source.
Property Name: Give your GA4 property a clear and descriptive name.
Data Stream: Add a data stream for your website. You’ll need to provide your website URL.
Enhanced Measurement: Enable Enhanced Measurement to automatically capture common events like page views, scrolls, outbound clicks, and site search.
Migrating Data from GA3
Data Import: Unfortunately, there’s no direct way to import historical data from GA3 to GA4. However, you can export your GA3 data to BigQuery for analysis.
Data Comparison: Use the “[UA→GA4] Compare reports between Google Analytics 4 and Universal Analytics” tool to compare metrics and identify discrepancies between the two platforms.
Configuring Event Tracking
Identify Important Events: Determine which events are crucial for your business goals. These could include purchases, form submissions, video plays, or custom actions.
Create Custom Events: Set up custom events in GA4 to track specific user interactions that Enhanced Measurement doesn’t capture.
Event Parameters: Define event parameters to provide additional context about the event, such as product name, value, or category.
Event Triggers: Use Google Tag Manager or directly modify your website code to trigger events when specific actions occur.
Additional Considerations
Data Layer: Implement a data layer to manage and pass data between your website and Google Analytics.
Testing and Validation: Thoroughly test your GA4 setup to ensure data is being collected accurately.
User Behavior Flow: Analyze user behavior flow reports to identify potential issues or areas for improvement.
Custom Dimensions and Metrics: Create custom dimensions and metrics to capture specific data points relevant to your business.
Goals and Conversions: Define goals and conversion events in GA4 to measure success.
Important Note:
Dual Tracking: It’s recommended to run both GA3 and GA4 side-by-side for a period to compare data and ensure accurate tracking in the new platform.
Data Retention: Be aware of data retention settings in both GA3 and GA4 to prevent data loss.
Use Cases for GA4: Improving Business Outcomes
GA4 offers a wealth of data and insights that can be leveraged to enhance various aspects of a business. Here are some key use cases:
Marketing Campaign Performance
Attribution Modeling: Understand the impact of different marketing channels on conversions by using GA4’s data-driven attribution models.
Campaign ROI: Measure the return on investment (ROI) of each campaign by tracking key metrics like cost per acquisition (CPA) and conversion rates.
Audience Segmentation: Create targeted marketing campaigns by segmenting audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviour.
A/B Testing: Optimize campaign performance by testing different variations of ad creatives, landing pages, and offers.
Customer Engagement
User Journey Analysis: Map out the customer journey to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Engagement Metrics: Measure user engagement with your content through metrics like time on page, bounce rate, and video watch time.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV): Calculate the total revenue generated by a customer over their lifetime to prioritize high-value segments.
Churn Prediction: Identify customers at risk of churn and implement retention strategies.
Website Conversion Optimization
Conversion Funnels: Analyze conversion funnels to identify drop-off points and optimize the user experience.
Experimentation: Test different website elements (layout, copy, calls-to-action) to improve conversion rates.
Event Tracking: Track specific user interactions (e.g., button clicks, form submissions) to understand user behavior and optimize the conversion path.
Heatmaps and Session Recordings: Visualize user interactions on your website to identify areas for improvement.
E-commerce
Product Performance: Analyze product performance metrics like purchase frequency, average order value, and customer lifetime value.
Inventory Management: Optimize inventory levels based on product demand and sales forecasts.
Customer Segmentation: Identify high-value customers and tailor marketing efforts accordingly.
Shopping Cart Abandonment: Analyze shopping cart abandonment data to improve checkout process and recover lost sales.
Other Use Cases
Customer Satisfaction: Measure customer satisfaction through surveys and feedback analysis.
Site Search Optimization: Analyze search terms to improve website navigation and content relevance.
Mobile App Performance: Track user behavior in mobile apps to optimize user experience and drive engagement.
Cross-Platform Analysis: Understand user behavior across different devices and platforms.
By effectively utilizing GA4’s capabilities, businesses can make data-driven decisions to improve marketing performance, enhance customer experiences, and drive overall growth.
Real-World Examples of GA4 in Action
E-commerce: Boosting Sales with Data-Driven Insights
Online Fashion Retailer: A fashion retailer used GA4 to analyze customer behavior and identified a high cart abandonment rate for mobile users. By implementing a simplified mobile checkout process based on GA4 insights, they increased conversions by 25%.
Electronics Store: An electronics store leveraged GA4’s product performance reports to identify underperforming products. Based on these insights, they created targeted promotions and improved product descriptions, boosting sales by 15%.
Marketing: Optimizing Campaigns for Maximum ROI
Travel Agency: A travel agency used GA4 to track user interactions across different marketing channels. By identifying the most effective channels, they reallocated their marketing budget, increasing booking conversions by 30%.
Software Company: A software company used GA4 to analyze user behavior on their website and identified a high drop-off rate on the pricing page. By redesigning the page and offering clearer pricing information, they increased trial sign-ups by 20%.
Customer Engagement: Building Stronger Relationships
Subscription Box Service: A subscription box service used GA4 to analyze customer purchase history and preferences. By creating personalized product recommendations based on these insights, they reduced churn by 12%.
Online Gaming Platform: An online gaming platform used GA4 to track player behavior and identify peak usage times. By optimizing server capacity and offering targeted in-game promotions during peak hours, they increased player retention by 15%.
Website Optimization: Enhancing User Experience
Financial Services Company: A financial services company used GA4 to analyze user behavior on their website and identified a low conversion rate for their investment products. By simplifying the investment process and providing clearer information, they increased investment applications by 25%.
E-learning Platform: An e-learning platform used GA4 to track course completion rates and identify areas where students were struggling. By creating additional learning resources and improving course content, they increased course completion rates by 10%.
Preparing Businesses with Google Analytics 4 Training
The talking points mentioned above are a brief summary of the topics covered in this webinar. If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of GA4 training, be sure to watch the full webinar linked at the top of this article.
GA4 is expected to change how we track audience engagement. It now allows for a much better comprehension and understanding of the User Journey, across different devices and platforms. This valuable data will allow for smarter and more effective decision-making within digital marketing.
If you would like to receive further support and guidance in GA4 training, you can inquire about our Digital Training Services, or alternatively, keep an eye out on our socials for further GA4 training courses.
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