The Prime 16 Deadly Errors Companies (And Businesses) Are Failing To Do With Google Analytics 4

We have been not too long ago chatting with a automobile dealership that felt they have been paying a rare month-to-month engagement for his or her advertising and marketing company however weren’t assured that they have been getting worth within the relationship. As we frequently do with a strong lead, we requested if we may entry their Google Analytics account, they usually added us to the account.

We logged into Google Analytics and have been shocked… Google Analytics 4 was by no means arrange. In consequence, the dealership had no knowledge monitoring on their web site since July 1, 2023, when Common Analytics stopped amassing knowledge. That is really unconscionable for a advertising and marketing company that’s charging any important month-to-month engagement. On this case, the company was dealing with a number of channels for the consumer, together with Google Adverts. With out analytics correctly configured, they’re simply throwing cash down the bathroom. My recommendation was to fireplace their company instantly.

Google Analytics 4

We’ve been sounding the alarms on GA4 for fairly a while and proceed to take action. Whereas not even having your GA4 account up and working is stunning, you must configure some extra setup. Not like UA, with out configuring GA4, you should have some severe downstream points if you look to investigate your corporation’ efficiency on-line.

Listed below are the highest errors that firms are making with the Google Analytics 4 launch:

1. You haven’t configured the information stream accurately. The info stream is how GA4 collects knowledge out of your web site or app. If you don’t configure the information stream accurately, it’s possible you’ll not acquire the entire knowledge that you just want.
2. You haven’t migrated occasions to GA4. This can be a vital mistake, as you’ll lose event-driven insights. It’s important to migrate your occasions to GA4 as quickly as doable so to begin amassing knowledge on the brand new platform.
3. You haven’t up to date the information retention to 13 months. By default, GA4 solely retains knowledge for 2 months. This isn’t sufficient time to gather significant insights, so updating the information retention to 13 months is crucial.
4. You haven’t eliminated pointless UA code. After you have migrated your occasions to GA4, take away the outdated UA code out of your web site or the tags from Google Tag Supervisor.
5. You haven’t arrange targets in GA4. Objectives are important for measuring the success of your advertising and marketing campaigns. If you don’t arrange targets in GA4, you can not observe your progress and optimize your campaigns.
6. You haven’t arrange customized dimensions and metrics: Customized dimensions and metrics let you observe knowledge particular to your corporation. This might help get insights you wouldn’t have the ability to get with the default dimensions and metrics.
7. You aren’t enabled enhanced measurement: This setting permits Google to gather extra knowledge about your customers, comparable to their system kind, working system, and site. This knowledge can be utilized to create extra correct stories and insights.
8. You haven’t enabled amassing demographics and pursuits: This setting permits Google to gather knowledge about your customers’ demographics and pursuits. This knowledge can be utilized to create extra focused adverts and advertising and marketing campaigns.
9. You haven’t built-in Google Adverts: This integration means that you can see how your Google Adverts campaigns are performing. You possibly can see which campaigns are driving site visitors to your web site or app, and the way a lot income these campaigns are producing.
10. You haven’t built-in Google Search Console: This integration enables you to see how your web site performs in Google search outcomes. You possibly can see which key phrases are driving site visitors to your web site and the way your web site is rating for these key phrases.
11. You haven’t built-in Google Firebase: This integration means that you can observe knowledge out of your cellular apps. This knowledge can be utilized to grasp how your customers are interacting together with your apps, and to enhance the person expertise.
12. You haven’t built-in Google Advertising Platform: This integration means that you can join GA4 with different Google advertising and marketing merchandise. This might help you to create a extra holistic view of your advertising and marketing knowledge.
13. You haven’t built-in Adobe Analytics: This integration means that you can join GA4 with Adobe Analytics. This might help you to consolidate your advertising and marketing knowledge from totally different sources.
14. You haven’t built-in Social Media Advert Networks: Integrations with X (previously Twitter), Fb, and LinkedIn let you join GA4 with Fb. This might help you perceive how your social media adverts are performing and to enhance your focusing on.
15. You haven’t created stories and dashboards: Reviews and dashboards let you visualize your knowledge and determine developments. Make certain to create stories and dashboards which are related to your corporation targets.
16. You haven’t used the evaluation hub: The evaluation hub is a robust device that means that you can discover your knowledge and determine patterns. Use the evaluation hub to get essentially the most out of your knowledge.

Please contact Highbridge when you want help. We are able to audit your implementation, assist your organization implement GA4 accurately, again up and report towards historic Common Analytics knowledge, and incorporate some nice reporting instruments to totally leverage the platform.