The Takeaways:
- Google has announced that App+Web is being rebranded as Google Analytics 4. This is a significant update to Google Analytics designed to improve marketing decisions and optimize ROI.
- The update combines data streams from websites, iOS apps, and Android apps. It gives a more complete view of customer behavior across devices and platforms.
- The new version improves integration with Google Ads, allows more control over data, and has customer-centric measurement.
What are the new features?
- Smarter insights that use machine learning to identify trends.
- Google Analytics can now alert marketers to important data trends.
- Google announced that the update: “has machine learning at its core to automatically surface helpful insights.”
- This will evolve to include predictive measures, too.
- Deeper integration with Google Ads.
- Interactions will be measured across web and apps. As a result, conversions from YouTube video views can be viewed alongside conversions from other channels including Google search, email, or social media.
- This allows the creation of target groups. Those groups can then receive more relevant content.
- Customer-centric data measurement.
- Rather than a device or platform focused measurement, the update measures each customer.
- The aim is to better understand the customer lifecycle. Google has even simplified the reports based on user feedback.
- For example, analysts can see whether a user discovers a company through an ad on the internet. It can then see if they later install their app and whether they make a purchase there.
- More granular data controls.
- These show how data should be used for advertising. For example, marketers can decide when to use data to optimize ads, or whether to limit data use to measurement only.
When?
There are no concrete timelines yet. Based on how Google phased out Classic Analytics as they moved to Universal Analytics, it may take several years.
However, Google Analytics 4 is now the default experience. Google is no longer investing in the old version.
More control of data in uncertain times
Google is preparing its analytics tool for a future without third-party cookies and other identifiers. Google Analytics 4 will help marketers to evaluate their activities, measure user interactions, and make informed long-term plans. With ever-changing privacy requirements, this is a powerful tool that will help make smarter, more informed choices.
