GA4 is the most recent evolution of Google’s Analytics tracking platform. Designed to support data-driven decision-making by tracking website traffic and user activities, GA4 can be customized to collect a plethora of data from online and offline channels. In this blog, we spotlight three major benefits of GA4 for marketing: Audience Creation, Intelligent Marketing Insights, and Platform Integrations.
- Audience Creation
One should not only think of GA4 as a tracking and reporting tool; instead, when backed by an advanced and strategic data collection strategy, it's a robust engine that can be used to craft powerful first-party audiences. These audiences ensure that you are able to deliver the right messages, to the right customer at the most pivotal moments in their buying journey. The Incubeta data and analytics experts also always recommend tying your audience framework to dynamic and data-driven creatives so that you can automate and personalize the message delivered to your audience rather than manually creating hundreds of JPEGs or GIFs, promoting workflow efficiencies and relevant creative messaging and imagery.
The type of data that is available in GA4 for audience creation
- Intelligent Marketing Insights
Embracing cutting-edge machine learning and AI, GA4 serves automated insights across all reports. This feature notifies you of any sudden performance shifts with potential reasons, emerging trends, or growth areas. Furthermore, its intuitive design lets you pose direct questions, facilitating rapid, data-informed decisions e.g. Compare revenue from users from organic search vs paid search and you will get a quick snapshot report with the revenue from each channel. GA4's predictive metrics, including projected purchases, predicted revenue and churn, enabling forward-thinking strategies and reporting as well as advanced audience creation. The 'Explore' feature, with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, further simplifies custom and advanced report generation, streamlining your analytical endeavors. As a bonus, virtually all elements in the Explore UI are clickable and allows users to create complex audiences or segments with just a simple right-click.
- Comprehensive Platform Integrations
GA4 is now more natively integrated within the Google Marketing Platform than ever before, with connections to the following platforms:
Available platform connections in GA4
GA4's connectivity with the Google Marketing Stack, BigQuery, Salesforce, and Firebase, stands out:
- Google Marketing Stack integration amplifies data sharing in terms of media data sent to GA4 from the platforms and GA4 conversions and audiences sent to the marketing platforms, enhancing both reporting and media optimization.
- BigQuery connection, formerly exclusive to GA360, now democratizes access to big data and advanced analytics for all users (excluding BigQuery’s storage and querying costs). This opens avenues for sophisticated predictive modeling, machine learning, and customized attribution modeling.
- Salesforce integration, although still in its infancy, promises a smooth exchange of offline CRM data with GA4 and vice versa. This promises holistic reporting and the ability to capture and ultimately optimize your media based on your full sales funnel.
- Firebase connection empowers app owners by offering an integrated view of app and web data in GA4, while also facilitating tailored app communications through audience-driven push notifications and messaging.
GA4 ushers in a new era for digital analytics. With its refined audience crafting, AI-driven insights, and extensive integrations, it provides marketers with unparalleled insights and the ability to activate on audience behaviors. This understanding is the cornerstone for devising impactful, personalized marketing campaigns. Remember, the true measure of GA4 isn’t in its features but in how you leverage them to understand and resonate with your audience. Dive deep, explore, and harness the full potential of GA4 in your digital marketing journey.
Contact us at gmp.usa@incubeta.com if you would like assistance with the setup of GA4 or guidance with activating your data.
