Are you making common GA4 mistakes, or is it working optimally for your business? If you're aiming to gain insights into your user and customer behavior and ultimately improve your business, here's why the GA4 platform is essential for your data needs.
And if you're new to analytics and the GA4 platform, you have nothing to fear! WSI recently hosted a webinar titled "Unlocking Google Analytics 4 for Better Business Insights". You can watch the recording and use our downloadable GA4 setup checklist to help make your life easier!
The good news is that WSI has been working with Google Analytics 4 since its launch. Let's look at the common mistakes to avoid as a business using GA4 that we have put together.
Not Leveraging GA4 Custom Reports And Metrics
One of the great things about GA4's features is the ability to customize reports and metrics. You know what data you need to improve the performance of your digital marketing campaigns and measure return on investment (ROI), so customize the dashboard to prioritize metrics important to your business. Yes, GA4 does offer predefined reports, but it also gives you the opportunity to customize reports based on your specific business needs. Why be like everyone else when you can be the best you? The same goes for Google Analytics 4 custom reports.
Not Adjusting How Long Google Retains Tracking Data
Do you know the default Google Analytics 4 data retention period? Two months. Just imagine how much data you lose if you don’t adjust the retention period. Google Analytics Data Retention controls enable you to store user and event-level data for fourteen months before it is automatically deleted. Remember! Increasing the retention period only affects the data collected from that point onward. Data previously collected will still be deleted based on the initial timeline, so it’s best to change it right from the start.
Not Removing Unwanted Referral Traffic
You want to measure all traffic, right? Maybe not. Ideally, you should only have data you are interested in, and this includes referrals. Google Analytics 4 sees referrals as traffic arriving on your website via another source, such as third-party links (search engines excluded). Why do you need referral traffic information? Besides increasing your site traffic, it shows other sites are linking to yours, boosting your search engine optimization (SEO), and helping you rank higher in search engines.
Where will you find referrals in GA4? Navigate to Reports – Acquisition – Traffic Acquisition. Check out the webinar recording! We spend a bit of time on referrals.
Forgetting To Link All Relevant Google Tools
Is your site already linked to Google Search Console? Every website should be linked, as it’s a great tool to measure your site’s organic search traffic and performance. Google Analytics 4 makes it easy to connect as all Google Tools are in one place. From here, you can link your GA4 platform with Google Ads, Ad Manager, and the Google Merchant Center dashboard, to name but a few. Do you need to analyze terabytes of data with BigQuery? With one click, you can connect your company’s GA4 platform to BigQuery.
Not Enabling Cross-Device And Demographic Tracking
You definitely want to enable cross-device and demographic tracking, but to do so, you need to activate Google Signals. Demographic characteristics such as user language, age, gender, interests, and the location of people using your website and app are not automatically collected. Since privacy laws are becoming very strict, the demographic information is only from users who signed into their Google accounts and turned on Ads Personalization.
What about cross-device tracking? Activate Google Signals, and you can organize data sources from multiple devices in Cross-device reports, whether your customer uses a mobile, tablet, or laptop to get to you.
Not Turning On Remarketing And Conversions in Google Ads
If you use Google Ads, you know Google is pushing Conversions in GA4 as best practice. Turn it on in Google Analytics 4 and disable your Google Ads conversions/UA Goals, or you will be double-counting conversions and overbidding! Migrate your remarketing lists from Google Ads to GA4 as soon as possible and disable them in Ads.
How AI Can Help Streamline the Use of Google Analytics 4
AI plays a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of Google Analytics 4 (GA4), providing automation and accuracy that help businesses navigate and optimize their GA4 property. With the transition from Universal Analytics (UA) to GA4, it's crucial to ensure you're using the platform effectively, including understanding GA4 attribution, data analysis, and the customization of standard reports.
1. Accurate Data Attribution
A common oversight in analytics is failing to assign attribution data properly, which can skew the understanding of what’s driving traffic to your website or app. AI-powered attribution models in GA4 help you track the customer journey accurately by analyzing data from multiple channels and touchpoints. This is crucial to ensure the integrity of the collected data.
Actionable Tip: Use GA4’s AI-driven attribution models to assign conversions and identify and exclude irrelevant data, ensuring you get valuable insights into what's working for your business.
2. AI-Powered Reporting and Customization
One of the limitations of manual reporting is that it can be time-consuming and prone to errors. AI tools simplify the process by generating automatic reports based on your specific needs, whether it’s acquisition reports or custom metrics. GA4 is set to provide comprehensive insights, but AI can take it a step further by helping you explore and utilize these insights more effectively.
Actionable Tip: Create a new customizable dashboard in GA4 and connect it with Looker Studio for visually engaging and well-organized reports to share across teams.
3. AI-Enhanced Data Segmentation
In GA4, segmentation is key for understanding user behavior and improving performance. AI can integrate seamlessly with GA4 data, helping you segment users based on dimensions within their actions, such as engagement, conversion likelihood, and more. This is especially helpful when retaining data for up to 14 months, allowing businesses to spot long-term trends.
Actionable Tip: Use GA4’s predictive metrics to group users by behavior and create a strategy around ensuring the accuracy of this attribution data.
4. Streamlined Measurement and Tracking
In GA4, it's essential to ensure that measurement and tracking settings are configured properly. AI can assist by simplifying configuration processes in GA4’s Admin panel, reducing the risk of human error and neglect in tracking. This helps you avoid missteps leading to inaccuracies in your analytics standard.
Actionable Tip: Consulting a marketing agency may also be helpful for navigating the complexities of GA4’s interface and ensuring your tracking settings align with your goals.
5. Automated Insights and Standard Reports
AI tools like those integrated into GA4 can automatically generate insights and standard reports, helping you stay on top of key performance metrics without spending time pulling data manually. These insights provide valuable guidance for businesses that need to get a better understanding of their audience and traffic sources.
Actionable Tip: Select the appropriate dimensions when setting up GA4 reports to ensure they align with your business goals. If unsure, we recommend consulting a specialist for guidance.
AI is a powerful ally in navigating GA4, providing automation, and ensuring accuracy in the UI for better lifecycle management of your data. By understanding how to leverage AI, you can streamline tasks, improve your reporting processes, and get started with GA4 data analytics more efficiently going forward.
Let go of any fears you have about Google Analytics 4! Our team of WSI Certified Digital Marketing Consultants will help you every step of the way, whether setting up Google Analytics 4 or customizing reports. For more information on the common GA4 mistakes or for assistance in conquering this tool, reach out to us today.
