Non-Issue November

By Brandon Jones

Navigating Platform Outages and Data Loss

For many people, the holidays aren’t just the most wonderful time of the year. They are also the busiest. It’s no secret that businesses prepare to cash in on the booming profits that come from the weekend of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. If you are in the digital marketing space, especially in E-Commerce, utilizing the correct platforms and tracking tools during this time can be critical. But what happens when there are outages and issues with the platforms you are using? Unfortunately, running into issues is unavoidable and the tech giant Google has been no exception in the month of November, with both Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads being affected.

The Catch Up: GA4 Data Delayed or Missing for Some

Beginning on November 13, 2024, GA4 users encountered delays or missing data in standard reporting tables. Google has confirmed the problem and is working to restore affected reporting tables. In the meantime, users have had to rely on alternative data sources and more granular exploration tools to maintain reporting accuracy.

Next Up: Google Ads Outage Disrupts Campaigns

On November 25, 2024, Google Ads experienced a significant outage that disrupted campaign management for many advertisers. Users reported error messages, unusually slow response times, and a general inability to access key features of the platform. This outage, lasting over six hours, caused challenges for time-sensitive campaigns, resulting in missed opportunities to reach target audiences. Google acknowledged the issue and worked to restore functionality, with normal service resuming by 6:46 AM UTC on November 26.

The Agency Response

At BrainDo, we understand how critical platforms like Google Ads and GA4 are for digital marketing success. When these tools encounter outages or data discrepancies, it can cause a major headache. However with the proper preparation we can navigate these situations as smoothly as possible and minimize any loss of opportunity.

How We Approach Platform Disruptions:

1. Continuous Monitoring: Knowing your data is crucial to finding anomalies. Use KPI’s and historical data to flag any sudden changes to your team and client. It is key to always be proactive rather than reactive. For us, we noticed a significant drop in traffic which was enough to prompt some research.
2. Rapid Response: When an anomaly is flagged, always be prepared to dive head-first into diagnosing the issue and have some contingency plans in place. In the scenario with Google Analytics, our team spent time looking at various reports to confirm. We quickly discovered that explorer reports retained the data missing from the standard reporting tables. Phew! It is also important to search industry news and official documentation to see if anyone else is having similar issues, which was the case. It’s always good to know if this is an industry-wide dilemma, especially when communicating with a client.
3. Transparent Communication: We believe that open, clear and timely communication with clients should be a cornerstone to any approach. Always make sure that the client is in the know, and ensure them that you are looking into it. Once again, proactivity goes a very long way!
4. Diversify: For some, the loss of these tools highlights the importance of diversifying data reporting and paid channels if applicable. Having a backup data source can save you from losing crucial information, and having other channels active can ensure that your campaign? does not go completely dark.
5. Retrospective: When the dust settles and things return back to normal, it is important to identify the strengths and weaknesses in your response. Did you have the proper safeguards in place to catch the anomaly as soon as it happened? Were you prepared to immediately inform the client of this issue that you are facing? Have you established credible sources to research probable causes? For us, we highly recommend Search Engine Land, Google Forums, or even Reddit (r/SEO). Then, congratulate yourself and your team on a job well done. You made it.

In the Clear

Disruptions happen, but they don’t have to derail your marketing efforts. BrainDo’s expert team works to safeguard your campaigns and analytics. If you would like to learn more about our proactive approach to digital marketing and how we can keep your business on track, reach out to us at [email protected].

That wraps up this month’s newsletter. Subscribe for more updates and tips to help you navigate the ever-evolving (and AI-integrated) world of Digital Marketing!

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Wishing you a wonderful holiday.

- Brandon @ BrainDo