Google Analytics. Does the name make you shiver or make you shrug?

‍

One of the most powerful analytics tools can be a polarizing topic. But for marketers, it’s critical to help convert web visitors to potential customers to current customers. Now do you see the importance of Google Analytics?

‍

If this is your first time hearing about Google Analytics, welcome! Keep scrolling for a deep dive into Google Analytics’ significance to your business and the benefits of Google Analytics 4.

‍

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics, also called GA, is a free web analytics tool giving website owners a holistic view of how customers engage with their businesses online. The dashboard provides a variety of custom reporting, data insights, and performance metrics, helping companies to track online traffic and understand visitor behavior.

‍

Google Analytics' significance for business relies on its ability to measure all aspects of:

• Website traffic
• Visitor demographics
• Search performance
• User journey
• Goal completions
• And so much more!

‍

Though these are some of the top most-tracked Google Analytics metrics, the tool provides access to so much more.

‍

Why is Google Analytics important to my business?

The importance of Google Analytics lies in the access to hundreds (thousands) of data points that measure the performance of your digital business. Specifically, the most significant benefits of Google Analytics include the capabilities of:

‍

• Tracking website traffic
• Interpreting user behavior
• Creating and customizing reports
• Enhancing search engine optimization using performance data
• Improving content and advertising strategy using performance insights

‍

The importance of Google Analytics is that it helps businesses improve ROI through more intelligent insights. Without these insights, you’re flying blind when it comes to understanding your customers–and missing out on crucial information needed to convert potential customers.

‍

If you haven’t checked in on your Google Analytics dashboard in a while, here’s your sign to ensure it’s still working, especially before the new Google Analytics 4 rolls out. If you’re feeling in over your head with all of this, don’t fear. Get in touch with our team today, and we’ll take control.

‍

How is Google Analytics 4 different than other versions of Google Analytics?

Google Analytics 4 is the latest version of Google Analytics, replacing Universal Analytics in July 2023. GA4 brings updated tools and in-depth performance metrics, primarily tracking customers across devices and platforms. It’s more than just an interface change–the entire processing platform is changing too.

‍

We go into major detail about the top changes made in GA4 here. The main takeaway? You need to switch over to Google Analytics 4 or risk losing your data when Google makes the official transition.

‍

What are the new benefits of Google Analytics 4?

The benefits of Google Analytics 4 are widespread. The new platform will provide greater depth to traditional insights like user journey and engagement.

‍

1. Learn more about the customer journey.
One of the significant benefits of Google Analytics 4 is the new tracking of user interactions across web and app data. With the new platform, you’ll be able to track a user’s journey no matter where or when they visit your site, giving you the information you need about their behavior before, during, or after conversion. For example, if they visit your webpage for the first time on their mobile device, then pick up their search again from their desktop, you’ll be able to follow their path.

‍

2. Improve your ROI based on the customer journey.
More insight into the customer journey plays into your marketing and communications strategy. Now that you have more visibility into the user journey, you can optimize your ad spend, enhance your content strategy, and improve your messaging, all from insights gained from user tracking.

‍

3. Adhere to the future of cookie compliance.
For the new Google Analytics, significance is placed on intelligent user tracking, but Google built the new platform to handle a cookie-less future. It was designed to consider more recent worldwide privacy compliance and regulations while still providing access to data that helps you make personalized business decisions.

‍

4. Predict future conversions with user-centric modeling.
User-centric modeling will display new reports aligned with the user journey, measuring dimensions across the user lifecycle. These reports share even more data and can even predict future actions based on a visitor’s journey. For example, you’ll no longer have access to Bounce Rate. Instead, you’ll be privy to more useful engagement metrics like “Engaged Sessions,” which measures the number of sessions that lasted longer than 10 seconds, had a Conversion Event, or had two or more page views. These metrics provide more value about the user journey than whether or not they jumped off the page immediately.

‍

Are you ready to accept all of the in-depth benefits of Google Analytics 4 with open arms? Don’t waste any time! The clock is ticking towards the end of Universal Analytics, and you need to get set up on GA4 before the alarm sounds. Send a note to our team if you want to make sure you’re ready for GA4 Day.