Feature
The Gist
- Data availability. Extended UA data accessibility eases GA4 transition.
- Tool selection. Long-term success lies in choosing the right data tools.
- Strategy focus. Centering strategy on data needs optimizes transition.
Google has been putting in extra effort for its second major transition in the realm of analytics. Those who work closely with analytics may recall the introduction of Universal Analytics, which, in an ironic twist, is set to be superseded by Google Analytics 4 (GA4) come July 1. A host of new features have been unveiled, eliciting a mix of delight and occasional consternation among analysts.
Boosting GA4 Transition With Data Availability and API Expansion
But two key announcements related to the transition are a huge benefit for analytics practitioners and marketers alike:
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The decision to make access to Universal Analytics data available beyond the July 1 UA shutdown. The historical data will be available until July 1, 2024, a full year after this year’s transition date.
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The token capacity for the Google Analytics Data API is increased. This allows dashboards to make more API queries without hitting limits that can potentially hinder or “break” a dashboard data source.
These data-related announcements arguably have a more substantial impact on facilitating a smooth transition to GA4 than any updates to reporting tools or user interfaces. They shift analysts' attention toward nuanced features that directly affect their immediate reporting and analytical needs, as opposed to simply creating buzz around new features. For teams that are still adjusting, this provides an additional capacity to verify the functionality and accuracy of their GA4 data.
Related Article: 8 Google Analytics 4 Features That Leave Universal Analytics in the Dust
New Trends in Analytics and 'Big Data'
Keeping pace with the influx of data appears to be an emerging trend among analytics teams, as the initial fascination with data collection subsides. Over recent years, the marketing world has buzzed with talk of "big data" — the notion of amassing data in growing volume, variety and velocity to potentially yield deeper insights and more thorough analyses of the customer experience.
Today, the market has shifted its focus toward forging meaningful, nuanced connections among these data resources to derive these insights. While additional data can often be beneficial, it can also spur decision fatigue as teams grapple with determining the best subsequent actions to take.
Smoothing GA4 Transition: Leveraging Historical Data & API Tokens
Google's recent announcement regarding the availability of historical data, alongside the increase in API token capacity, aligns perfectly with the ongoing shift in perspective. Given sufficient time to analyze data, virtually every metric that bolsters key performance indicator (KPI) objectives tends to shift in value. Such changes may stem from technical adjustments, such as modifications to site content, which can affect the marketing and business value of a particular page.
Similarly, increased customer activity due to a new app upgrade can also drive changes in these metrics. The provided one-year grace period will allow analysts to fine-tune their reporting activities and observe the ways in which certain metrics have evolved over time. This remains true even though session metrics are often calculated differently between Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
Google's data storage and access announcement offers significant reassurance for marketers navigating transition anxieties. Those who are apprehensive about the looming July 1 transition deadline now have the opportunity to cross-reference their Google Analytics 4 (GA4) settings against historical data, facilitating more precise analysis and reporting. This enables teams to refine their workflow, enhancing overall efficiency and efficacy.
Related Article: GA4 Brings Back Familiar Friend: Landing Page Report Now Available for Analytics Practitioners
What Historical Data Do You Need?
The pivotal question analysts should pose is: What insights do we need to glean from historical data? Observations made about the data over the year-long grace period will significantly influence decisions about how that data should be stored. New storage options designed to streamline queries and facilitate AI-driven data movement have been introduced to the market. Consequently, teams will need to select data storage options that best align with the specific insights they wish to uncover from the data.
Making Data Decisions: KPI Stakeholders and the GA4 Transition
The final decision-makers will be the stakeholders of the marketing KPIs that Google Analytics is designed to support. Marketing strategies dictate the significance of data, subsequently reducing the volume of data that is truly usable. A select few metrics may prove to be insightful, but an extensive dump of historical data is unlikely to hold significant value. For instance, those wanting to carry out year-over-year comparisons will likely find that only a handful of metrics are necessary.
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Upon determining these metrics, you can then decide to preserve a select few for reporting and evaluate how effectively GA4 reports are capturing these metrics. The process of refining analytics is iterative, so a year of access should provide ample time for the best teams to identify reporting bugs and explore potential solutions.
