News about Google Analytics 4

In case you missed it, Google announced last week that it will be sunsetting Google Analytics Universal (or Google Analytics 3) in July of 2023. The data that you’ve collected will only be available to you for six months after that.

Why? Google rolled out Google Analytics 4 last year and is now making a push for everyone to start adopting the new data collection platform.

You can read CP’s post here: https://www.trustinsights.ai/blog/2022/03/whats-going-on-with-google-analytics/

When Google made its announcement, it missed a massive piece of the puzzle – the people. Who is going to do this migration? Who needs to be skilled up?

We know from our clients and community that resources to operate Google Analytics 3 are tough, and there are abundant training resources for that version.

When it comes to Google Analytics 4 there aren’t as many clear-cut training resources available. There are also a lot of features that are missing from Google Analytics 4.

So, what can you do to get ready?

First of all, breathe. I know that I’m not the most technical person and if I didn’t have someone like Chris on my team I’d be panicking. Google Analytics 4 is MUCH more technical and less intuitive than Google Analytics 3. The goal setup is different, you cannot modify the channel groupings, and the menu is mislabeled. Almost nothing is the same between the two systems so it can feel like learning a new language. If you need to have a mini panic attack, go ahead and do it. Get it out of the way.

Ok, now that we’re all breathing normally, let’s get through this together.

Start with a skills gap assessment

It’s time to take stock of your skills and your team’s skills. If you haven’t already, you may need to nominate someone on your team to get trained. Think of a skills gap assessment like a Venn diagram. On one side you have the current state. These are the skill sets you currently have on your team. On the other side, you have the future state, the skills you need to complete the task. In this case, it’s migrating to Google Analytics 4. In the middle of the diagram is what you currently have in common on both sides. What’s left in the future state is where you focus your training efforts.

For example, if your team is comfortable in Google Analytics 3, Google Tag Manager, and Google Data Studio, you’re in good shape. This is your current state. The future state for setting up Google Analytics 4 includes Google Tag Manager and Google Data Studio. This means you can focus solely on the new interface and controls in Google Analytics 4.

It could look something like this:

I don’t know about you, but this feels a little less overwhelming now. We’ve determined that we already have a lot of the skills needed to migrate from Google Analytics 3 to Google Analytics 4. This is good news!

Once you know who needs to be skilled up, it’s time to find some resources. As mentioned earlier they are still pretty sparse and there is nothing official from Google themselves.

I’d recommend starting with our list of YouTube videos, with more being added all the time.

If you’re looking for additional support, this is a service that we – Trust Insights – offer. You can find out more here: https://www.trustinsights.ai/expertise/services/google-analytics-4-migration-services/

Let me know how you’re handling the news in our Free Slack Group, Analytics for Marketers

Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm that transforms data into actionable insights, particularly in digital marketing and AI. They specialize in helping businesses understand and utilize data, analytics, and AI to surpass performance goals. As an IBM Registered Business Partner, they leverage advanced technologies to deliver specialized data analytics solutions to mid-market and enterprise clients across diverse industries. Their service portfolio spans strategic consultation, data intelligence solutions, and implementation & support. Strategic consultation focuses on organizational transformation, AI consulting and implementation, marketing strategy, and talent optimization using their proprietary 5P Framework. Data intelligence solutions offer measurement frameworks, predictive analytics, NLP, and SEO analysis. Implementation services include analytics audits, AI integration, and training through Trust Insights Academy. Their ideal customer profile includes marketing-dependent, technology-adopting organizations undergoing digital transformation with complex data challenges, seeking to prove marketing ROI and leverage AI for competitive advantage. Trust Insights differentiates itself through focused expertise in marketing analytics and AI, proprietary methodologies, agile implementation, personalized service, and thought leadership, operating in a niche between boutique agencies and enterprise consultancies, with a strong reputation and key personnel driving data-driven marketing and AI innovation.