Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is an event-based web analytics tool that measures user behavior and interactions on your website With user-friendly dashboards and a streamlined interface, GA4’s data can inform your web and app designs, marketing content, and even sales decisions.
Are you getting the most out of your reporting and insights with Google Analytics 4 (GA4)?
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the default web analytics tool for organizations tracking any new digital properties. As of 2023, Universal Analytics no longer collects any data and was removed in July of 2024., Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that your GA4 property is set up properly, and tracking accurately.
Marcel Digital is proud to be a longstanding Google Analytics Certified Partner, and we’re ready to guide your team in optimizing your GA4 with data validation, implementation, training, reporting enhancement, and consulting from Marcel Digital. With GA4, we can completely transform the way you measure and report on your website and marketing channels.
What Sets GA4 Apart
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is designed for both scale and privacy. It also offers more robust tracking for web and app experiences. Cross-device measurement is at the heart of this upgrade as it enables brands to track all digital interactions in a single platform. To coincide with this new approach, GA4 has put less focus on the session metrics of yesterday in favor of more user and event analysis.
Additionally, the platform provides a new forwarding-thinking perspective on privacy and cookies. The GA4 architecture is designed to rely on data modeling to fill in gaps of incomplete information. While it still uses first-party cookies for now, it will soon incorporate Google’s machine learning models to fully support a future without them.
Benefits of GA4 Consulting
GA4 is complex and can feel overwhelming at times. The platform is constantly evolving and as a result, there are mixed messages about what is the best way to do things. With hundreds of GA4 audits and setups across multiple industries, our data and insights team are prepared to use their expertise to help you understand and get the most out of the platform
If your marketing team utilizes Google Analytics as your single source of truth, it is important to work with a GA4 expert to optimize your implementation and to get the most out of your data and reporting. The team at Marcel Digital brings expertise that comes from years of experience, allowing us to not only validate your implementation, but bring proactive and personalized recommendations to your organization.
Google Analytics 4 Roadmap/Timeline
July 1, 2024
Universal Analytics properties was be deleted. Users will no longer be able to access any UA data unless exported.
July 22, 2024
Google announces they are no longer planing to depreciate third-party cookies due to concern for balancing privacy needs and advertisers’ requirements, among other reasons.
Q3 2024 - 2025*
With the change in Google Chrome third-party cookie depreciation, focus is on the Privacy Sandbox API, that Google has been developing since 2019. Some of these tools include Topics API, Protected Audiences API, and Attribution Reporting API. These are intended to help protect user privacy while still supporting digital businesses.
*The Privacy Sandbox API is still actively being developed
GA4 Setup & Optimization
The experts at Marcel Digital have successfully migrated, audited, and optimized hundreds of GA4 properties to date. Our clients also span across many verticals including healthcare, manufacturing, education, finance, logistics, SAAS and insurance. In other words, there’s not much we haven’t seen.
These various implementations have ranged from simple recreations of UA data to the more advanced setups that include full enhanced ecommerce, integrations with CRMs, and BigQuery-based reporting.
While we’ve worked with organizations both big and small, we follow a robust process to ensure we stand behind every property we work on.
Keep reading for an overview of our approach to Google Analytics 4 migration services:
1. We conduct a full audit of your Google Analytics setup.
To determine that your account was migrated accurately, it’s important we audit your current GA setup. Our comprehensive audits consist of a 100+ point checklist to ensure every aspect of your implementation is accurate and optimized. We will look at what you’re already tracking, check for proper configuration, and see what you could be tracking but are not yet. Many clients are unaware (or not sure how to set up) tracking for specific events on the site like video analytics, transactions, form fills, and more with GA4.
We will take a deep dive and look at what is tracking on the site and what we could be tracking to increase performance. Then we'll make robust changes to fill in gaps in your reporting.
2. We gather all tracking requirements from various stakeholders.
Because many teams in the marketing department typically need access to GA, we will make sure to involve all parties who rely on Google Analytics for reporting on their marketing projects and endeavors. This helps make sure that we cover all bases in regards to reporting and tracking, and ensure each team has what they need to make data-driven decisions.
3. We build custom reports and dashboards based on your business needs.
Once we've completed the audit and gathered all tracking requirements and reporting needs, we will move on to reporting. In this stage, we'll help you create easy-to-digest reports and dashboards which will help your team pull up valuable insights at a moment’s notice.
And by connecting your data to Google Looker Studio we can also build a report that fits your business and stakeholder's individual needs.
4. We configure your Google Tag Manager.
Part of our process is to help configure your Google Tag Manager (GTM) properly and/or audit an existing GTM container. This ensures all tags are in proper working order and gives visibility to any gaps in tracking site performance and other key metrics.
GTM will be the foundation on which your implementation is built, ensuring a clean and organized tagging structure for current and future tracking.
We will validate that your GTM events are all firing correctly and ensure that your tags are not getting in the way of site performance.
5. We train and educate your team on how to optimize and make changes to GA4.
GA4 has a steeper learning curve than Universal Analytics. To help create more digestible reporting, our team will create dynamic reports in Google Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) for your team to use. In addition, we will provide UTM tracking governance tools to help you keep your data organized and optimized in GA4.
Whether it's by providing robust training or providing internal documentation, we will make sure that you have what you need to fully utilize your data.
6. We inform you of the latest developments, features, and reports in GA4.
As a Google Analytics Certified Partner, we are provided advanced notice of new features and updates. We will use this knowledge to help guide and counsel your analytics migration and decisions.
We will also ensure that you remain informed of any upcoming changes so that you are your team can plan and prepare accordingly.
Post GA4 Migration Services
What happens after you’ve migrated from UA to GA4?
Our company provides continual support to ensure GA4 is fully integrated into your company. We will provide training, reports, dashboards, documentation, and more to make sure you get the most out of your GA4 configuration and setup.
Marcel Digital GA4 Consulting Services
We provide ongoing consulting services with our Google Analytics 4 specialists. We’ll provide insights and reporting that will help you grow your business. In addition, we answer all your GA4 questions. Depending on your level of need, we can set up weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly check-ins with our analytics specialists to monitor progress and ensure you’re getting the most out of GA4.
GA4 Frequently Asked Questions
We partnered with Marcel to upgrade a complex Google Analytics account to GA4, and it truly did feel like a partnership. They were transparent with us about what was and wasn't possible, provided thoughtful answers to questions, and helped us navigate the transition smoothly. They weren't pushy about adding services, didn't have any hidden charges, and I would wholeheartedly work with them again if the need arose. Highly recommend!
Ashley Christopherson / Web Performance Manager / Fortra
These guys know how to measure performance. They're pros at Analytics configuration for sites big and small. Not sure you’re getting accurate reports or good insights? Let them take a quick look.
Andy Crestodina / Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer / Orbit Media Studios
I went with Marcel Digital over a larger - and much higher priced - competitor and it's one of the best decisions I've made. Marcel Digital are lovely people to deal with, extremely knowledgeable and approachable and willing to take the time to examine possible solutions that differ from how they would normally proceed. I value the partnership with their company and am planning on having our company be a client of theirs for years to come. Can't recommend them enough.
Michael Duquet / Director, Web Strategy / Absolute Software
Marcel Digital is simply the best Digital Marketing agency. We hired them years ago, and I can't say enough amazing things about their dedication to the field, to my team, and their phenomenal leadership team. Top-notch professionals all around.
Kim Rafalowitz / Dir. of Global Marketing / Worldpoint
We have been using Marcel Digital for the past few years. We attribute our growth to the staff at Marcel and have embraced them as part of our company. Their insight and attention to detail have been indispensable. They take a personal approach to our products and processes and see our success as their own. We highly recommend Marcel!
Rob Dunbar / Marketing Manager / Lightmart
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Analytics Case Studies
Get In Touch
Need help analyzing your current Google Analytics implementation or help migrating to GA4? Fill out the form, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.