In recent years, businesses, especially small to medium-sized enterprises without extensive in-house marketing teams, have become well-acquainted with Google Universal Analytics (UA). Navigating the platform became simpler over time, enabling even those who aren’t necessarily ‘digitally savvy’ to extract crucial business intelligence.
However, the landscape shifted significantly in 2023 in terms of reporting and analytics, with the mandatory transition from Google Analytics to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). The move was unavoidable, and businesses, including those in Rugby and across Warwickshire, experienced a cut-off in data on the more familiar Google Analytics (UA) platform.
Let’s face it, even we marketers have felt the pain of the transition, having expertly learnt the UA platform for over 10 years since it was introduced back in 2012. This has resulted in an overhaul of how we report for clients, not least having to completely reform the way in which we now collect and record critical business insights for our clients.
With the myriad of challenges faced, this has prompted local businesses, especially in Rugby and across Warwickshire, to seek assistance from our agency. Common concerns have revolved around setting up GA4 properly.
More specifically, the proper setup of event and goal tracking, understanding splits in traffic, such as where Google Ads (PPC) reports are, understanding the nuances in traffic attribution, grappling with the complexities of ecommerce tracking, and addressing discrepancies between GA4 and Universal Analytics in terms of month on month (MoM) and year on year (YoY) data.
Moreover, issues have also cropped up with cross-domain tracking, the loss of certain reporting features, and difficulties in connecting data to reports for effective communication of business information to senior management.
In the GA4 landscape, businesses find themselves navigating a new terrain, grappling with changes that extend beyond just a platform migration. As we assist local businesses in overcoming these hurdles, our focus remains on ensuring a seamless transition to GA4 whilst maximising the potential for insightful data analytics businesses can garner from the platform.
Amidst the transition, the critical question arises: How can businesses, particularly in Rugby and Warwickshire, adapt and thrive in this relatively new digital landscape?
A significant aspect is the proper setup of event and goal tracking, enabling businesses to capture and analyse user interactions effectively. Our agency has been at the forefront of guiding local businesses through this process, ensuring that they harness the full potential of GA4’s event-driven approach.
For those delving into the intricacies of Google Ads (PPC), understanding the revamped reporting structure in GA4 has been a crucial focus. Local businesses seek clarity on where to find PPC reports and how to interpret data sets effectively. Our agency provides tailored guidance, ensuring businesses can navigate GA4’s reporting features seamlessly and make informed decisions regarding their advertising strategies.
The shift in traffic attribution dynamics has been another key challenge. Businesses, accustomed to the patterns in the more familiar Universal Analytics, grapple with the differences in GA4, where direct traffic and revenue metrics present variations. Our agency specialises in demystifying these changes, providing local businesses in Rugby and Warwickshire with insights into the evolving landscape of traffic attribution in GA4.
E-commerce tracking complexities further compound the challenges of the GA4 transition. Our agency is the sister agency to UP Hotel Agency, where e-commerce tracking is a critical reporting feature for hotels, where revenue and transactions are the key metrics. Our skill set therefore lends itself to supporting businesses in getting effective e-commerce tracking setup in place.
Cross-domain tracking issues have proven to be stumbling blocks for many businesses in the GA4 landscape. Our agency specialises in resolving cross-domain tracking challenges, facilitating seamless and accurate tracking for businesses
The loss of certain reporting features and the perceived limitations in connecting data to reports for management purposes have raised concerns among businesses. Our agency can explain or justify why such occurrences exist, and why GA4 is so different to UA as we once knew it. We bridge the gap between data collection and actionable insights, empowering businesses to derive maximum value from GA4.
As local businesses in Rugby and across Warwickshire grapple with the transformative shift to GA4, our agency can support with setup solutions and also a roadmap for sustained success in the evolving analytics landscape. Through personalised guidance, in-depth analyses, and hands-on support, we can empower businesses to unlock the full potential of GA4, leveraging data as a catalyst for growth and strategic decision-making.