Google has rapidly become the foundation of marketing for companies across the world. Started as a depository for easier access to information and documents, it is now the global number one resource for information, with over nine billion searches every day. N fact, so entrenched in both the public and business domains these days, that we no longer encourage people to ‘look it up’. Instead, to ‘google’ something has become normal parlance when it comes to seeking information about literally any topic in the world.
With nearly 90 per cent of the search engine market, keeping up with the changes in Google marketing is a prerequisite if a business is to maintain its commercial edge in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. It does not matter whether you are a small local business serving the local community, or a global multinational, Google’s dominance in marketing has firmly entrenched in behavioural psychology.
Don’t ignore the imminent changes
GA4 – Google Analytics 4 – is an upgrade to the existing analytics platform, and incorporates a number of enhanced features and functionality that will allow companies to implement improved marketing strategies. These improvements include:
- Enhanced measurement capabilities
- AI-powered deeper customer insights
- Improved cross-platform tracking
- Privacy-centric data collection
- Future-proofing and migration
Choosing not to migrate across to GA4 could affect businesses on many different levels. While the existing analytics platform will still be available, it will stand in isolation and no longer track vital search and marketing data, losing key customer behavioural knowledge which helps to drive future marketing strategies. Equally, it will no longer be supported by Google – rather remain a snapshot in time that will bear increasingly little relevance to current trends.
Just as importantly, Google will no longer provide regular updates, which means that those who use it as their only platform may no longer be compliant with evolving privacy regulations. The new GA4 platform is primed to evolve and adapt in line with changing legislation, not just responding to these changes, but driving them too through complex insight into global patterns.
Cross-sector usability
While for those who are not familiar with it, GA4 may seem daunting. It does not matter if you are a small local firm of will writers, or a large multinational conglomerate, the look and feel of the platform and the way in which the data is presented will be exactly the same.
For small businesses particularly who do not have the resources or knowledge, or even the will, to struggle through a learning curve, there is an increased risk that their businesses may suffer. To this end it is vital that due time and attention be directed at familiarizing themselves with the new data models, customization and complexities of the analytics, to ensure that they can drive their own businesses forward. Investment in professional support may be required if these smaller businesses are to achieve this in as efficient a way as possible.
Working towards a better understanding
Ultimately Google is keen to ensure that businesses have access to much clearer customer insights which will ultimately improve their businesses. The data is designed to show deeper insights into customer behaviour, preferences and interactions during the entire customer journey. This improved knowledge will allow companies to more tightly define their marketing strategies, minimizing wastage and refining overall cost per lead. Customer acquisition and retention can be optimized, leading to better conversion rates and, ultimately, better business results.
While migrating to GA4 will be a time consuming and at times complicated task for many companies of every size, this change will soon become the norm, and businesses will be able to drive forward profitability in an increasingly competitive market.
