Google’s web analytics newest update, officially dubbed Google Analytics 4, is replacing Universal Analytics by July of 2023. The switch to GA4 will provide an even more in-depth look at predictive insights, further integration within Google Ads, and cross-device measurement capabilities.
Google Analytics has been one of the most useful tools for businesses to understand their customer preferences and enable them to craft better user experiences. Unlike your brick-and-mortar-style store, organizations can not see the customer physically walk into a store or observe how they interact with the products. This in-person feedback allows us to adjust and build out the user experience to completely satisfy a customer’s journey from search to purchase.
Analytics has allowed us to take a deep dive into how customers find a website and how they are interacting within that space. Ultimately, digital marketing strategies can be adjusted to be more profitable based on what is working for a business. To understand the constant shifting of consumer behaviors and to facilitate privacy-driven habits, a more updated analytic approach was needed.
The Switch to GA4 from an ROI Perspective
Improving ROI from your marketing in the long term lies within the ultra-intuitive G4 insights. Machine learning will automatically give you helpful insights and allow you to understand your customer across any device or platform. Even as the industry continues to change regarding restrictions on cookies and identifiers, and with the switch to GA4, Google Analytics will continue to provide key insights that will allow your business to stay on top of what’s next.
Wouldn’t you love a system that’s constantly learning and making suggestions for the betterment of your business? GA4’s new powerful interface will automatically alert you of any significant trends in your data. This may come in the form of a product seeing higher demand because of emerging needs from the consumer.
One of the more powerful tools GA4 has at its disposal is the ability to anticipate future actions a consumer may take. As seen below, the predictive metrics include Purchase, Churn Probability, and Predicted Revenue. The churn probability function allows you to efficiently invest in retaining customers when marketing budgets are limited. Predicted revenue gives you the ability to create audiences to not only reach higher-valued customers but understand why certain consumers are more likely to spend than others.
Further integration with Google Ads allows businesses to create audiences that can reach their customers with the most relevant and helpful content however they engage with you. In addition, conversions from YouTube engaged views that occur in-app and on the web can now be seen alongside conversions from Google and non-Google paid channels, organic channels, social and email. This gives you the most holistic view of the impact of your marketing efforts.
Google’s Consumer-minded analytics
The new customer-centric measurement uses multiple identity spaces, to give a more complete view of how consumers are interacting within your business. Tracking users who found your business from an ad on the web and then later installed your app to make a purchase there helps understand the complete customer lifecycle. All the way from acquisition to conversion to retention. With the needs of consumers always evolving, it’s imperative to have these insights to make real-time decisions on winning or retaining a customer.
More than ever, now is the time to bolster your digital marketing efforts and invest in smarter analytics. Allowing you to respond to any changes in consumer expectations, developments, and technology standards for user privacy. As technology continues to change, this new GA4 version of analytics is designed to adapt to that landscape.
Eventually giving businesses the ability to include modeling to fill in gaps where data may be incomplete. Allowing for the most advanced analytics swiss army knife at any business can utilize to measure marketing results and meet changing customer needs. To learn more about GA4, Universal Analytics and the switch to GA4, and all the intuitive new features visit Google’s Analytic Help center.
