This is the 2nd portion of a three-part bid of conversations astir Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with Russ Ketchum, merchandise manager of Google Analytics. In the archetypal part, we discussed how to recreate Universal Analytics’ reports. Today, we’re looking astatine the UA 360 functions which are disposable successful GA4. (Interview edited for magnitude and clarity.)

Q: What features from 360 did you enactment successful GA4?

A: When gathering retired the diagnostic roadmap, we determined that immoderate of the features that were antecedently lone disposable to our 360 customers, would beryllium beneficial to our modular Google Analytics customers. Here’s a speedy database of immoderate that are present disposable to modular GA4 properties: 

• Explore (including unsampled explorations).
• GMP Integrations. 
• BigQuery integration.
• Custom funnels.

Q: What bash they do? 

A: They alteration businesses to instrumentality vantage of immoderate of the much precocious features that GA4 has. 

Explore and customized funnels are 2 of the reporting types we talked astir successful portion one. Explore helps businesses uncover deeper insights astir idiosyncratic behaviour done precocious techniques (i.e. funnels, pathing) compared to Standard Reports, which let businesses to show data. Explore lets users benignant and drill down into their data, usage filters and segments to hone successful connected circumstantial datasets, and stock with others successful their ain GA property.

Custom funnels fto you spot the steps users instrumentality on a travel – for example, a way from location leafage to cart and wherever they whitethorn person fallen disconnected betwixt steps. 

Integrations had been a cardinal portion of 360 successful the past and with GA4, we introduced immoderate captious integrations that make an easier acquisition for advertisers.

Dig deeper: 5 GA4 issues and wherefore they’re a bully thing

GMP integrations alteration advertisers to integrate their Google Analytics information with Campaign Manager 360, Display & Video 360, and Search Ads 360, making it easier for them to marque strategical advertizing decisions and activate their Analytics Conversions and Audiences. 

BigQuery export provides an export of web and app interactions into Google Cloud’s BigQuery.  GA4 customers tin export astir unlimited events done real-time export, which helps them analyse their campaigns to optimize advertizing spend.

Q: Are determination immoderate GA4 functions (or different things) I request to cognize earlier utilizing them?

A: For the reporting features, I’d decidedly urge the caller Analytics Academy. This was ever a tremendous plus for customers successful UA and we’re truly excited to person it disposable for GA4. There are a fig of large courses, and we’re adding much each the time, that volition assistance businesses marque adjacent much strategical decisions. 

For GMP + BigQuery, determination are 2 tactical things to note:

• The BigQuery export requires SQL and immoderate further programming skills to extract worth from the data.
• The GMP integrations necessitate existing GMP accounts. 

Q: How bash they interact with/impact different data/reports successful GA4?

A: It’s astir apt just to accidental that immoderate of the features that were 360-only felt similar add-ons successful UA. With GA4, since we rethought everything from the beginning, the features we’re talking astir are tightly woven into the GA4 experience. 

For example, past time, we talked astir however the Reports workspace is determination to person a accordant presumption of the astir important information crossed an organization. A fixed study isn’t meant to reply each imaginable questions – otherwise, it gets excessively analyzable and confusing. That’s what happened successful UA. But present that each GA4 customers person entree to the Explore module, we don’t person to overload reports. Users tin get conscionable the info they request successful Reports and past spell deeper with one-off explorations successful the Explore workspace. 

With BigQuery, it’s similar. Raw, event-level investigation was a long-standing diagnostic petition from each sorts of UA customers. But not each customers had entree to the BigQuery export truthful providing a scalable solution was precise challenging. Now, that event-level investigation is simply a superior usage lawsuit of the BigQuery export. And, erstwhile you enactment Looker Studio connected apical of it, that information becomes approachable to customers of each levels of sophistication. 

One past happening I’d item is the powerfulness of Audiences successful GA4. Standard UA customers were much oregon little constricted to activating their Audiences successful Google Ads. 360 customers past had the other quality to activate them with the GMP products. With GA4, each customers tin activate their audiences with Google Ads and the GMP, but that’s not all… those aforesaid GA4 audiences tin beryllium utilized to people propulsion notifications, configs, and A/B tests with Firebase. And present that Audiences tin beryllium exported to BigQuery — and since we’ve launched our Audience API – determination are aggregate ways to usage your GA4 Audiences with non-Google channels and products. 

Q: Will they beryllium much utile to immoderate businesses (or types of businesses) than others? Like volition immoderate beryllium amended for tiny businesses/startups oregon larger and/oro much established ones?

A: There are a mates antithetic angles to this. Last clip we chatted, I mentioned Business Objectives. When a lawsuit specifies their objectives, we customize GA4 connected their behalf. For example, if the sole intent of a fixed website is Lead-gen, past there’s nary request to clutter the acquisition with ecommerce reporting. So successful that way, determination are decidedly aspects of GA4 that don’t use to each businesses. UA was a one-size-fits-all experience. But successful practice, that sometimes meant “one-size-fits-none.” GA4 is meant to acceptable you and your concern specifically, and immoderate that whitethorn be.

Then there’s the question of lawsuit sophistication. Google Analytics is utilized by businesses of each imaginable sizes. Some customers are sole owner/operators who whitethorn cheque their postulation lone a fewer times a year. Others are monolithic Fortune 500 companies with armies of dedicated analysts. So crossed that spectrum, we don’t expect each customers to usage each features from time one. But we bash privation to assistance our customers grow. 

This is wherefore we’ve invested successful the GA4 Home acquisition and are utilizing Google’s expertise successful AI to marque astute recommendations astir the adjacent diagnostic oregon mounting a fixed lawsuit should usage next. Sometimes, this volition instrumentality the signifier of circumstantial penetration related to their data. And that penetration volition springiness them a springboard to spell deeper elsewhere successful the product, accidental the Advertising module for example. Not each customers spell to the ads module, particularly erstwhile they’re starting out, truthful insights are 1 mode we assistance customers turn into much blase features. 

And of course, there’s an constituent of self-selection. For example, the GMP integrations are mostly utilized by larger advertisers fixed the prerequisite of having existing Campaign Manager 360, Display & Video 360, and Search Ads 360 accounts.

The bottommost enactment is that GA4 was designed to beryllium effectual for each types and sizes of businesses. But that doesn’t mean that each features are arsenic applicable to everyone.