Data processing takes a huge leap forward to give us Google Analytics 4. This new platform will be the data processing and analysis system used going forward.
Before you dive into GA4, you’ll want to learn about this new system. The GA4 process takes over in July 2024 when both UA and GA 360 will end data processing and analysis. Now is also the time to start transiting to this new system and building your historical data. Your old data won’t translate to this system, which makes it obsolete.
Here are seven things you want to know about GA4
The future of data measurement is here
In the past, it’s been difficult to follow users along their journey and collect data in a first-person environment. The movement away from cookies and across web and data applications makes GA4 essential to the future of data analysis. GA4 uses an event-based data module that delivers user-centric results, giving you the desired information. It’s possible to collect and combine views and data across all platforms to know exactly how your content performs.
Exploring with Explorations is an important part of GA4
Do you want to learn more about your customers’ behavior than ever before? If so, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the Explorations feature of Google Analytics 4. This feature gives you that deeper dive than you’ve ever had into the journey and desire of your customer base. This is easily one of the most exciting features within this new platform. Once your data starts coming into this system, you’ll have access to a much clearer view of what customers see and where they go within your website.
Big Query integration can give you more answers
All of your raw events using GA4 can be exported to Big Query, which ensures you can enjoy a much more impressive look at data on a more granular level. You’ll easily answer important data questions without being limited by the available features in the GA4 interface. Receiving a deeper look at the data and what your users are seeing, and where they go makes a huge difference in how your analytics work for your digital marketing.
Sampling has changed to be more useful in GA4
Google Analytics 4 offers the ability to apply comparisons, secondary dimensions, and filters to standard reports that can remain unsampled. If you use Advanced Reports, you’ll have to deal with sampling based on the conditions, but if you don’t have 10 million hits on your data, you won’t have to worry about sampling at all. Big Query also allows you to access this data without sampling, which is another reason to learn how to integrate the data and utilize this tool.
Multiple views are combined into one
Unlike UA, you’ll only have a single reporting view in GA4. You can apply the filters needed to these views instead of creating a separate view, which makes a lot of sense. Views are usually created to allow larger websites to be analyzed with reduced sampling. The segments in GA4 help the platform have to be applied to see the performance and specific site sections, which could result in sampling. If you look a specific data regularly, you’ll want to create a Data Studio dashboard using Big Query.
Tracking specific metrics is much easier
Google Analytics 4 offers enhanced measurements that give you more metrics as soon as you get started. These metrics are started and tracked automatically. Some of the metrics tracked are how often users scroll below 90% of the page, site search, outbound link clicks, file downloads, and interactions with embedded YouTube video player. You won’t have to set up these metrics; they are tracked as soon as you get started. Other metrics tracking elements have also been enhanced to give you more complete reports.
Tracking new audience members is more transparent
When an audience takes the desired measurements to become a member; a prompt is triggered. This is called an audience trigger, and it allows you to create events and conversions based on these new audience members. There are many amazing examples of how you can create these audience triggers to give you a new and larger network of people that should be members. When you use these triggers from GA4, you’ll have a much easier time bringing these users across the fence to membership.
Get familiar with Google Analytics 4 and start to use this new tool to review your data and create new reports.
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