Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic as a platform inside the Google Marketing Platform brand. It presents all the statistics in a high-level dashboard-type approach.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is the latest version of Google's web analytics platform. It's designed to provide a more comprehensive and flexible approach to tracking and analyzing user data across multiple devices and platforms. GA4 is built around an event-driven data model, focusing on user interactions rather than page views.
This article will go over the following topics:
Definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
|
Web Analytics |
is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of internet data for the purposes of understanding and optimizing the behaviour of people browsing on a website. Web analytics is not just a tool for measuring website traffic but can be used as a tool for business research and market research. Applications for web analytics can also help companies measure the results of traditional print advertising campaigns. Check out our article on Online Promotional Codes for more details on this. |
|
Tracking Code |
is a piece of text that is added to every page of a website and collects anonymous information such as the URLs of the pages visited. The GA4 tracking code starts with "G-" followed by a series of numbers and letters, for example "G-XXXXXXXXXX". |
|
Session |
is the period of activity by a single user on a specific website in the same browser. By default, a session ends after 30 minutes of inactivity or when the user closes the browser. This can be changed to a longer duration. |
|
Client ID |
is a unique combination of numbers assigned to a person upon starting a session. |
|
Browser Cookie |
is a browser-specific piece of text stored in the browser as soon as a user starts a session with a valid tracking code. This cookie can collect anonymous information such a the browser language, type of browser, device & iOS, location, age, gender & traffic source (ie. search engine, clicked on an ad or email link). |
|
Property |
represents your website or app and is the collection point in Google Analytics for your data. |
|
Views |
are where all of the data collected can be viewed. Google recommends setting up three main views: Raw Data View, Test View & Master View. |
|
Cross-Domain Tracking |
is how the behaviour of a user is tracked when they move from your website to the Zaui booking engine. Without cross-domain tracking, a new client ID will be assigned for each event. With cross-domain tracking, Google Analytics will pull the client ID assigned on your website to the booking engine. |
|
Google Tag Manager |
makes updating code on your website much easier by doing it for you. |
|
Google AdWords |
(Ads) is Google's main advertising product. This product offers pay-per-click advertising, cost-per-thousand advertising, and site-targeted advertising for text, banner, and rich media ads. AdWords include local, national and international distribution. |
Why Track Analytics?
Google Analytics provides you with the metrics to see what is working and what is not working from a marketing standpoint.
One of the key benefits of Google Analytics 4 is its ability to provide a more complete view of user behaviour across different touch points. It enables businesses to track and analyze user interactions not only on websites but also in mobile apps, AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages), and other digital platforms. This holistic approach allows organizations to gain a deeper understanding of how users engage with their brand and make data-driven decisions to optimize their marketing strategies.
Another significant advantage of GA4 is its enhanced machine learning capabilities. It leverages Google's advanced AI algorithms to provide more accurate and actionable insights. For example, it offers predictive metrics that can forecast future user behaviour and conversion rates. Additionally, GA4's machine learning models can automatically alert businesses about significant trends and anomalies in their data, enabling them to identify emerging opportunities or potential issues promptly.
This data that is collected can help determine what pages are most popular and where users drop off most often. You might have a webpage that is causing confusion resulting in users exiting the page instead of moving through the booking process or you might decide to run a marketing campaign and need to see the results in one area.
Ready to start setting things up?
Step 1: Creating a Google Analytics Account
Step 2: Creating a Google Tag Manager Account
Step 3: Creating eCommerce Events using Google Tag Manager
Step 4: (Optional) Additional Events You Can Track