Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is getting some exciting new features in the coming months that will enhance its capabilities and provide marketers with more insights and tools to make informed decisions. In an announcement made today, Google shared the details of the five upcoming features that will be introduced in GA4.
The first feature is the ability to import third-party ad data from platforms such as Pinterest, Reddit, and Snap directly into GA4. This new addition will allow users to include non-Google campaign data in the cross-channel performance report. Metrics like “ads cost,” “ads clicks,” and “ads impressions” will be mapped to Analytics traffic source dimensions, providing a comprehensive view of advertising efforts across various platforms.
Google is also introducing a cross-channel budgeting feature in beta. With this feature, marketers will be able to track media pacing and projected performance against a target objective, such as revenue, across different channels. This will help in better budget allocation and optimization of marketing campaigns.
GA4 will now start importing aggregated impressions from linked Campaign Manager 360 accounts into the advertising workspace. This integration will provide a more holistic view of campaign performance by including data from Campaign Manager 360.
An exciting addition to GA4 is the artificial intelligence (AI) engine built to find patterns in countless combinations of dimensions and metrics. This AI engine will generate insights and reports in plain language, making it easier for marketers to understand the data and make data-driven decisions.
Lastly, GA4 will support some Chrome Privacy Sandbox APIs later this year, ensuring effective audience reach and measurement even without third-party cookies. This cookieless measurement feature will be crucial as privacy regulations evolve and impact the way data is collected and tracked.
These new features bring significant value to marketers using GA4. The ability to import data from Pinterest, Reddit, and Snap allows for a more comprehensive view of advertising performance. Cross-channel budgeting enables better optimization of marketing resources, and the AI engine provides actionable insights in a user-friendly manner. The support for Chrome Privacy Sandbox APIs ensures that marketers can continue to measure effectively even in a changing privacy landscape.
However, one important aspect missing from these updates is any mention of improvements to the user interface (UI) of GA4. Since its launch in October 2020, many users have expressed their dissatisfaction with the UI, and it seems that Google has not addressed this concern yet.
In a blog post, Steve Ganem, the director of product management for Google Analytics, emphasized the importance of measurement for marketers and highlighted the new features as key investment areas to help marketers make better business decisions. These updates demonstrate Google’s commitment to providing marketers with powerful tools and insights.
It’s essential to note that Google will be turning off Universal Analytics on July 1, which means users will lose access to their UA data and interface. Google has also stated that it will permanently delete all UA data starting from this date.
Overall, the upcoming features in Google Analytics 4 offer exciting opportunities for marketers to gain deeper insights and improve their decision-making processes. With the ability to import third-party ad data, cross-channel budgeting, AI-generated insights, and support for cookieless measurement, GA4 is positioning itself as a robust analytics platform. While improvements to the UI are still awaited, these updates showcase Google’s commitment to helping marketers succeed in an ever-changing digital landscape.
