Web analytics is essential to any successful digital marketing strategy. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and challenges of setting up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) through Google Tag Manager (GTM). We’ll discover why this setup is crucial for making decisions based on solid data.
a. Simplification of the process:
Setting up GA4 through GTM greatly simplifies the process. Instead of dealing with complicated code, GTM offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to implement tags and events.
b. Flexibility and control:
GTM provides flexibility and control, allowing you to easily manage all your tags from one place. You can update, add or remove tags without having to directly modify the site code, which speeds up changes and minimizes the risk of errors.
c. Seamless collaboration:
In a team environment, GTM makes collaboration easy. Different teams can manage their own labels without interfering with each other’s work. This is crucial for companies with various departments that need specific data.
d. Sharing tags and triggers:
This point is especially important for those brands with several different websites. GTM allows you to export and import tags, so configuring analytics for multiple websites will be much easier.
e. Synchronization with other platforms:
You need to create triggers for your events or conversions on multiple platforms. With GTM, the process is simpler. You will configure a single trigger that you will use for conversions on different platforms.
a. Informed decision making:
The quality of your strategic decisions depends on the accuracy of your data. Proper configuration in GTM and therefore GA4 ensures that you are collecting accurate and reliable information to support your choices.
b. Cross-platform monitoring:
GA4 offers cross-platform tracking, and GTM is the key to implementing it effectively. This means you can get a complete view of the user journey across different devices, providing valuable insights into your users’ behavior. Web and web apps come together to provide more user data.
a. Initial learning:
While GTM makes implementation simple, there can be an initial learning curve. It's crucial to spend time understanding the platform to take full advantage of its capabilities. Once you get the hang of it, not having to rely on IT for any web-based deployment will be a relief.
b. Possible complexity in advanced configurations:
For advanced setups, such as custom event tracking, some complexity may arise. However, with time and practice, these challenges become manageable. You'll be able to build and measure anything you set your mind to.
c. Dependency on initial configuration:
Data accuracy is highly dependent on initial setup. Errors in this process can negatively impact data quality, highlighting the importance of careful implementation. It is important to do an initial audit of the site before you jump into implementation. Determining what you want to measure from the start will be crucial.
d. Total control:
By setting up GA4 through GTM you will have complete control over your measurements. There are several APIs or modules that implement your website's analytics in GA4 but they do not allow you to make advanced configurations or, even worse, they often fail in measurements, such as failing to take some conversions or duplicating them.
Conclusion:
Setting up GA4 through Google Tag Manager is a strategic choice for optimizing web analytics. The combination of simplicity, flexibility, and control provides a solid foundation for informed decision making in the competitive world of digital marketing. Despite initial challenges, the investment in an accurate setup is worth it for those looking to lead with solid data and quickly adapt to changing market trends.