Top 5 Features of Google Analytics 4 for Marketing Professionals

The digital marketing landscape is in a constant state of flux, requiring professionals in the field to adapt to new tools and technologies in order to maintain a competitive edge. A crucial tool in any marketing professional's arsenal is Google Analytics. With the Universal Edition of Google Analytics soon to be sunset, the platform will exclusively offer the Google Analytics 4 (GA4) version. For marketers who haven't yet made the switch, this transition brings with it a host of new features and improvements. However, it is worth noting that the Google Analytics Universal version did not have all the features it has today when it was first launched 11 years ago. In this article, I will delve into the key features of GA4 and discuss how they can benefit marketing professionals.

1 - User-centred approach

The main change in GA4 is its user-centred approach. Previously, Google Analytics was based on sessions, which meant it analysed user behaviour in a single time frame. Now, with the user-centred approach, GA4 allows marketing professionals to better understand the customer lifecycle by tracking users over time and across different devices.

This is extremely useful for marketing professionals looking to optimise their campaigns, as it offers a more accurate view of user engagement and helps to identify behaviour patterns. Additionally, the new approach allows for the creation of more refined audience segments, enhancing the effectiveness of marketing and advertising campaigns.

2 - Improved integration with Google Ads

Another significant feature of GA4 is its improved integration with Google Ads. Now, marketing professionals can link their Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts, allowing for deeper analysis of advertising campaign performance. This also makes it easier to create custom audiences and track conversions across different platforms and devices.

This improved integration makes it easier for marketing professionals to optimise their advertising campaigns and achieve a better return on investment (ROI), as they can make more informed decisions about where to allocate their resources.

3 - More flexible and customisable reports

GA4 offers a range of new and improved reports, which provide marketing professionals with more detailed information about user behaviour. Among the new reports are funnel analysis reports, which allow marketing professionals to view the stages of the conversion process and identify areas where users are abandoning the funnel.

Furthermore, GA4 also offers customisable reports, allowing marketing professionals to tailor reports to their specific needs. This includes the ability to add or remove metrics, scale and filter data, and even create fully custom reports using the Exploration feature.

Please note that this will be your area of discovery and insights where you can create segments and audiences and leveraging audiences.

4 - Enhanced event measurement

GA4 introduces a significant improvement in event measurement, allowing marketing professionals to track user interactions with their content more accurately and comprehensively. The platform enables marketing professionals to configure and track events automatically, without the need for additional code implementation. Additionally, events can be categorised as "recommended events" or "custom events", offering flexibility in how interactions are measured and analysed.

Please note that the data model is more simple than GA3 (Google Analytics Universal Edition) , but GA4 simplicity comes with much better flexibility in the data model,

5 - AI-driven predictions and insights

GA4 uses machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence to provide valuable predictions and insights to marketing professionals. This includes identifying emerging trends and forecasting future user behaviours. This information can help marketing professionals make more informed decisions and adapt their strategies according to changes in user behaviour.

Develop audiences based on their likelihood to make a purchase or churn within the next 7 days, which can be combined with additional criteria for automatic export to Google Ads. This enables the creation of targeted remarketing and reactivation campaigns, made possible through the use of Google Signals.

Conclusion

Google Analytics 4 represents a significant advancement in data analysis for marketing professionals. With its user-centred approach, improved integration with Google Ads, customisable reports, and enhanced event measurement, GA4 offers marketing professionals a powerful tool for analysing campaign performance and making informed decisions about their marketing strategies.

Moreover, the focus on AI-driven insights make GA4 an indispensable tool for marketing professionals looking to be at the forefront of digital marketing. If you haven't already, it's time to explore !!

Sources:

• https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/features/
• https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/11583528?hl=en
• https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/9164320?hl=en#041223

This text has been improved and proofread with ChatGPT.