Our staff has been engaged on GA4 implementations because the product was launched (and even earlier than with it’s predecessor, App + Internet monitoring). There are numerous important enhancements with GA4, and it’s a nice platform. Nonetheless, any new platform brings new challenges.
Over the course of the time that we have now been engaged on implementations for our purchasers, we have now uncovered many tactical insights which have knowledgeable our future implementations. Though the variety of tactical classes discovered is sort of lengthy, I believed it might be useful to floor a number of frequent themes and challenges we have now seen at a better degree. Every of those may be overcome however are essential to concentrate on as you head into your implementation.
1) Configuration and Testing Takes Extra Time than You Count on
The one fixed that we have now skilled throughout virtually all the GA4 implementations we have now labored on, is that they at all times take extra time than anticipated. On the floor, Google has added quite a lot of new performance that ought to simplify configuration and reduce the time required for implementation.
For instance, Google has added performance to assist you to arrange a number of totally different frequent occasions, like monitoring file downloads, with the press of 1 button! These are known as enhanced measurement occasions and permit out of the field monitoring for frequent occasions reminiscent of file downloads, kind interactions, and video engagement.
Though that’s an superior new characteristic, and may save quite a lot of time, every little thing isn’t so simple as it appears on the floor. Listed here are a few challenges we have now skilled with utilizing enhanced measurement occasions, inflicting us to need to take extra time on implementation.
- Enhanced measurement occasions solely work as anticipated in a super state of affairs the place the positioning is in-built a approach that works completely with the GA4 enhanced measurement specs. Nonetheless, many websites we have now encountered don’t… For instance, though kind interactions may be “mechanically tracked” with a click on of a button, this wouldn’t work for a lot of of our purchasers. It’s because their types aren’t arrange in a easy method. One instance is purchasers who’re embedding their types utilizing an iFrame as a part of a configuration via Pardot. With the shape residing inside an iFrame, interactions couldn’t be picked up by the out of the field enhanced measurement occasions. Due to this fact, we needed to implement a customized kind monitoring resolution utilizing GTM and arrange customized occasions.
- Enhanced measurement occasions comply with a selected format, together with the occasion title and parameters that include them. For instance, file downloads use the occasion title “file_download” and include parameters like “file_name”. That’s nice in case you are merely eager about seeing information on the information folks downloaded, however what in case you are working promoting campaigns and must measure particular kinds of file downloads as conversion occasions? This requires you to create separate occasions for every conversion you need to monitor. Though you are able to do this on prime of enhanced measurement occasions, there are lots of drawbacks to that strategy. We’ve got discovered it simpler in these conditions to nonetheless arrange the occasions utilizing a customized methodology.
2) New Modifications are Always Rolling Out Requiring Ongoing Upkeep, Crucial Considering & Collaboration on Timing
Google is working very intensely to construct out GA4 performance and they’re rolling out new adjustments at a lightning tempo. Fortunately, as a Premier Companion, we’re lucky to have perception into upcoming adjustments that aren’t identified to the general public. Nonetheless, with such a quick of a tempo of recent developments and releases, it may be very tough to plan correctly.
For instance, when you’re able to implement a brand new configuration for GA4, however that configuration will change in 1 month, do you implement your configuration now and alter it later as soon as Google rolls out their replace or do you wait till the updates are rolled out from Google? What when you determine to attend, after which Google’s launch is delayed? There isn’t any “one dimension suits all” reply, and it depends upon your distinctive circumstances. So, this provides complexity and time as even seemingly easy configurations can require quite a lot of vital pondering and collaboration.
Moreover, as new adjustments are rolled out, it requires you to revisit all of the prior adjustments you might have made to evaluate if something is impacted. Is there extra work that you have to put in place to replace your outdated configurations? Though this isn’t new, the tempo and frequency of this requirement is. It’s not unusual to implement one thing, after which need to revisit that in 2 months after a brand new launch from Google.
So, GA4 is just not a “set it and overlook it” resolution. Like another software program your organization will depend upon, particularly for vital information to tell choices on advertising, you’ll need to keep up and continuously work to enhance your use of the software. Don’t set GA4 apart to assemble mud as soon as your base implementation is ready up.
3) There are Nonetheless a Lot of Surprising Behaviors Requiring Publish-launch Testing
We’re encountering surprising behaviors with GA4 frequently, which makes post-launch testing vital. Even after totally testing adjustments in a staging or QA atmosphere, as soon as rolled to manufacturing, it’s vital that every little thing is rigorously examined. We’ve got seen surprising challenges with reporting on the info from occasions, and challenges with surfacing granular information in reporting instruments like Explorations and Information Studio. A few of these challenges may be overcome with the best information structure, and others should wait till Google releases enhancements to sure areas like their Information Studio connector.
4) Finally, GA4 is Not an Out of the Field Resolution
Should you run a quite simple web site, and don’t must depend on custom-made net analytics to tell your online business, GA4 could also be a really fast and simple arrange. Nonetheless, we have now not seen this for any of our purchasers. From companies which can be targeted on lead era, to healthcare, and ecommerce, there was no “simple button” to arrange and keep GA4. It’s a highly effective software that’s nonetheless creating quickly. Put money into a long run resolution to construct out your capabilities and give attention to long run development and utilization of the software.
If you’re on the lookout for assist with implementing GA4 or auditing your current utilization of the platform, please attain out to information@morevisibility.com.
