Google loves updates (which is a good thing) but as a Google ads agency, we know it can be confusing to gauge exactly how they can impact your business. Fear not, if you are running a Google Ads campaign, we’ve got all the details on how GA4 (Google Analytics 4) affects you!
Whether you are a small business looking to grow, or you are a fellow SEO specialist looking to get the details you will find a comprehensive guide on all things GA4.
So let’s get started:
What Is GA4?
GA4 is the latest version of Google Analytics that was released earlier this year, replacing Universal Analytics. Just like the previous iteration though, it is the largest data collection and website analysis tool in the world. Used by millions of businesses around the globe and many more millions of potential customers.
With GA4 you can keep track of key metrics, such as the number of users visiting your website, the amount of time they spend on it, and their overall conversion rate (just to name a few).
The main difference, however, is that GA4 has a slew of new features that improve performance and data gathering. These features are good news for SEO purposes but also for Google Ads. This is because you can access and use GA4 for free just like you could with its predecessor. With the right SEO Specialist, who is trained to use GA4, you can implement more powerful data research into a Google Ads campaign. This means your SEM (Search Engine Marketing) budget just got more bang for its buck.
Here are the new features that make this possible:
The New Features of GA4
A Brand New Interface
The interface has changed to become more streamlined. This means less time is wasted gathering data and it is easier to compile a report for your Google Ad targeting.
Cross-Platform Tracking
This is probably the most anticipated feature of GA4. What happens when users are active on more than one platform? With Universal Analytics, tracking users across platforms was nearly impossible. GA4 can track both web and app data in one property (hence the beta name of Google Analytics ‘App+Web’).
Cross-platform tracking enables you to see the complete customer journey.
This includes:
- Acquisition
- Engagement
- Monetisation
- Retention
By being able to track the user experience from start to finish, you can run a much more effective Google Ads campaign.
Predictive Insights
Google Analytics 4 pairs AI learning with up-to-date data to provide you with more detailed insights into user behaviour. Instead of being reliant on user data preferences, GA4 can use predictive modelling for these three factors:
Purchase Probability
This is the probability of a user making a conversion for a product or service in the next 7 days. That user would have had to have been active at least once within the last 28 days to generate this result.
Churn Probability
This estimates the probability of a user becoming inactive within the next 7 days. You can view this on a specific page so you know where engagement rates are at their lowest.
Predicted Revenue
This is the revenue that is expected to be generated from a specific user within the next 28 days. This is extremely useful to target a specific type of customer in your paid ad strategy.
A Stronger Integration with Google Ads
And of course, if you are an avid user of Google Ads, GA4 has you covered. You can link any GA4 property to Google Ads and then get the option to import your audiences into Google Ads for specific targeting. With this happening with retroactive data, your Google Ads will have access to live data from the world’s most powerful search engine.
How GA4 Can Help A Small Business Grow
Whether your business uses Google Ads to promote traffic to its website or utilises Google Shopping, GA4 can help you grow. Here are the ways that the power of the new tool keeps small business owners in mind:
Improved Understanding of User Journey
GA4 provides a more holistic view of the user journey across multiple platforms (websites, apps) and devices. It helps understand how users interact with a business, from the first visit to the final conversion.
Enhanced Reporting
GA4 offers advanced reporting features, including more flexible and comprehensive reports for your convenience. These can help you understand which marketing strategies are working, and which aren’t.
Audience Segmentation
Now you can create more complex audience segments, which can be directly linked to Google Ads. This helps understand your target audience and their key demographics better, with real-time data!
Running a Google Ads Campaign With GA4
With GA4, you can create an analytics report that provides critical data for your Google Ads campaign. It is also designed to integrate seamlessly. Here is how it works:
- Link your Google Ads account to your GA4 property
- Click on the ‘Explore’ tab in the left-hand menu
- Select the ‘blank’ exploration from the exploration template to start a new search
- Name your report for future reference
- Click the ‘+’ next to the ‘DIMENSIONS’ section.
- Type ‘Google ads’ into the search box to bring up all the dimensions related to Google Ads.
- Select the dimensions you want to see in your final report
- Click the ‘+’ next to the ‘METRICS’ section.
- Type ‘Google ads’ into the search box to bring up all the metrics related to Google Ads.
- Select the metrics you want to see in your final report
- Double-click on the dimensions and metrics you want to add to the canvas on the right.
- Now you have a report you can download and update to support your Google Ads campaign. Enjoy!
Working With A Google Ads Agency
With the powerful new features that GA4 provides, it’s easy to see why the analytics tool works so well with Google Ads. The question is, do you have a team that can utilise GA4 effectively to make an impact on your PPC marketing?
At Reform Digital, our SEO Specialists are fully trained to use Google Ads services with GA4 to get the best results for your business. Just call 8564 8509 or contact us online to see how we can help you. No fluff, no-nonsense. We work with the data to create a marketing strategy just for you. Enquire now!
