As Google finally makes good on its threat to make historical Universal Analytics data inaccessible, we are reminded that there is no going back. At the same time, I continue to receive multiple questions and hear about challenges on a weekly basis that my client teams face when using GA4.
The most common type of question is also probably the most basic and highest-level.
What should I be looking at? Where do I start?
There’s a screen you see when you open GA4 and you can click through on the cards offered, but even then, users seem to get lost in a tangle of metrics presented in ways that aren’t ideal for reporting needs.
Next common challenge? Finding information within the confusing nomenclature used for the main menu of options on the left as well as for the metrics themselves.
How and why did your conversions become “key events”? Why did the well-known bounce rate get reversed into engagement rate? Should I look at users or new users? Can I see what keywords visitors use in Google to find my site?*
*Quick hint – you can view search queries – you’d just need to know to look under Reports, scroll down to Search Console, and then click on Queries. It’s a good example of important information that is hidden just out reach. I like to think of it as the opposite of Google’s zero click offer for their search engine users.
What if instead of viewing the data this way, I want to filter it? Or sort it? Or add in additional columns of information that would be helpful for what I need to report on?
There is a little pencil in the top corner of reports as well as small arrows and plus signs for adding and filtering – but again, it’s not been obvious to marketers what they can do and how. Getting to a place to create your own report – even from a GA4 provided template is something many haven’t even attempted. One look at the setup of drag and drop options offers some idea why.
Not surprisingly, one of the main reasons marketers want to track their traffic is to gain insights into their online conversions (aka Key Events).
What should go under events vs. key events? Do I need to set these up directly in GA4? In Google Tag Manager first? Is there anything I need to add onto the website for tracking?
I wish I could give marketers all the tips and tricks, or a cheat sheet that makes this seamless, easy and solves all of your problems. (And I do have some specific hints such as my favorite reports in GA4). But what it comes down to is a recommendation to either have someone on your team develop enough GA4 expertise to pull what you need or get help from someone else outside of your marketing team. If you are that data-seeking person – the best way to get started is to get your hands dirty clicking around and using online tools to get answers as you hit a wall. Otherwise, as with any tool – you can bring an expert in; utilize a consultant or agency partner. At Solid Digital, we have been helping clients with requests like GA4 training, standard or custom monthly reporting, and conversion setup and testing, with the goal of educating and empowering marketing teams.
Got a different GA4 challenge? Feel free to share it with us so we can address it in a later post or reach out directly for help.
