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

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

We logged into Google Analytics and had been shocked… Google Analytics 4 was by no means arrange. In consequence, the dealership had no information monitoring on their web site since July 1, 2023, when Common Analytics stopped gathering information. That is really unconscionable for a advertising and marketing company that’s charging any vital month-to-month engagement. On this case, the company was dealing with a number of channels for the consumer, together with Google Advertisements. With out analytics correctly configured, they’re simply throwing cash down the bathroom. My recommendation was to fireside 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 operating is stunning, it’s a must to configure some further setup. Not like UA, with out configuring GA4, you’ll have some severe downstream points whenever you look to investigate what you are promoting’ efficiency on-line.

Listed here are the highest errors that corporations are making with the Google Analytics 4 launch:

1. You haven’t configured the info stream accurately. The information stream is how GA4 collects information out of your web site or app. If you don’t configure the info stream accurately, you could not gather all the information that you just want.
2. You haven’t migrated occasions to GA4. This can be a crucial mistake, as you’ll lose event-driven insights. It’s important to migrate your occasions to GA4 as quickly as attainable so to begin gathering information on the brand new platform.
3. You haven’t up to date the info retention to 13 months. By default, GA4 solely retains information for 2 months. This isn’t sufficient time to gather significant insights, so updating the info retention to 13 months is crucial.
4. You haven’t eliminated pointless UA code. After getting migrated your occasions to GA4, take away the previous UA code out of your web site or the tags from Google Tag Supervisor.
5. You haven’t arrange objectives in GA4. Targets are important for measuring the success of your advertising and marketing campaigns. If you don’t arrange objectives in GA4, you can’t monitor your progress and optimize your campaigns.
6. You haven’t arrange customized dimensions and metrics: Customized dimensions and metrics can help you monitor information particular to what you are promoting. This might help get insights you wouldn’t be capable to get with the default dimensions and metrics.
7. You aren’t enabled enhanced measurement: This setting allows Google to gather extra information about your customers, equivalent to their machine kind, working system, and site. This information can be utilized to create extra correct reviews and insights.
8. You haven’t enabled gathering demographics and pursuits: This setting permits Google to gather information about your customers’ demographics and pursuits. This information can be utilized to create extra focused adverts and advertising and marketing campaigns.
9. You haven’t built-in Google Advertisements: This integration lets you see how your Google Advertisements campaigns are performing. You possibly can see which campaigns are driving 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 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 lets you monitor information out of your cellular apps. This information can be utilized to grasp how your customers are interacting along with your apps, and to enhance the consumer expertise.
12. You haven’t built-in Google Advertising Platform: This integration lets you join GA4 with different Google advertising and marketing merchandise. This might help you to create a extra holistic view of your advertising and marketing information.
13. You haven’t built-in Adobe Analytics: This integration lets you join GA4 with Adobe Analytics. This might help you to consolidate your advertising and marketing information from completely different sources.
14. You haven’t built-in Social Media Advert Networks: Integrations with X (previously Twitter), Fb, and LinkedIn can help 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 reviews and dashboards: Stories and dashboards can help you visualize your information and establish traits. Ensure to create reviews and dashboards which are related to what you are promoting objectives.
16. You haven’t used the evaluation hub: The evaluation hub is a strong software that lets you discover your information and establish patterns. Use the evaluation hub to get essentially the most out of your information.

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