Google Analytics 4 Essential Set up: Admin Overview
I have given a quick overview of some of the most significant changes in Google Analytics 4 ( GA 4) and the essential core configurations in my previous blogs. Moreover, since it is such a new platform, every marketer should probably look forward to more latest updates and features in the upcoming months.
At the same time, it is suggested to set up a new GA 4 account alongside your Universal Analytics properties so that you can start tracking in parallel with all GA 4 new features and made a comparison with it. This way, you can have plenty of time to refine whether you decide to make a complete switch from UA to GA4.
So in this blog, I’ll continue to dive deep into GA’s overview of administration components, taking you from an administration standpoint to understand the thing you need to know when configuring on your own website.
Basic GA4 Implementation Continued
If you’ve used UA in the past and have the property settings opened on your side, you’ll discover the concept of view settings for the filter, goal set up, etc., are no longer available. The new architecture has been replaced by what it calls “Data Streams” in GA 4, and the streams ID will be using a lot from the implementation standpoints. In other words, property ID will only be used for API configuration.
Stream Settings
Next, let’s explore the stream settings, where it can be found under Property > Data Streams. Many components you might be familiar with, such as IP filter, cross-domain tracking and tagging setting, are now existing at the stream level, where previously some of them were at the view level in the UA. Not to mention that if you have a different website, you would have the option of provisioning it as a separate stream for better data management. It is also good practice from a data governance standpoint, especially if you will manage a massive amount of data with different users, so you would have the access ability control around which domain your users should have access to. Please note that as enhanced measurement, measurement protocol API, and event settings are whole new areas in GA 4, I’ll be specifically cover this in the later article.
Stream settings: Additional Settings ( Event)
With the availability to effectively modify and create events without leaving the GA, this new crucial feature makes life easier. Marketers can now set up a custom conversion to easily align their goal, covering more in the following article.
Stream settings: Additional Settings ( Cross- Domain Tracking)
For configuring your domain, this is where you need to set the main tracking. So in the past, you would need to set up GTM if you are going to do the cross-domain tracking. Google tried to make a big improvement by letting users add any relevant domain, e.g. Adswerve.com and Analyticspro.com, directly in the UI. Do note that it won’t work if it is in different properties, but as long as you have one property and you have either one stream with both websites set up, you could add the domain to match the tracking. You may also need to check out the “learn more” links if you already UA or the existing GA version implemented on your website. This is because GA 4 and UA share the same cookie space, where it may cause some data inconsistencies and unexpected nuances that break some of the trackings. But generally speaking, the cross-domain tracking with GA4 should be a lot simpler.
Stream settings: Additional Settings (IP Address Definitions)
Another component I would like to call out is the internal traffic. Previously in the UA, you had filters to put your IP address and include or exclude it. And now, it’s a little bit of a different workflow in GA4. What you need to do first is to create an internal traffic rule and then to add an IP address. Note that regex is yet to be launched, but you still can apply another matching method such as contain, begins with, and the range. Furthermore, there’s a limit to add a maximum of 10 per internal traffic rule, so be clever not to run out the slots.
By setting it up, you would need to give a rule name. With GA 4, the traffic type value is essentially a parameter, which GA 4 sees everything is tracked as an event. You can give it a name as “internal” with the IP address and then hit create. It’s important to note that this is defining the rule and not excluding anything.
Data Settings ( Data Filters)
Now, head to admin settings and click on Data Filter under Data Settings. This is where you need to get to the second step of the IP address configuration right. At here, you can see the testing filter for internal traffic type as “exclude”, which you want to exclude the internal traffic. To edit the filter, click on it, and you’ll open a window to update the info. Note that the parameter name is given by default, and now Google is giving the filter state where you can test before turning it active.
Data Settings ( Data Collection)
There are two other components called data collection in the data settings, where it is enabled for Google signals to power cross-device reports on Google’s identity graph. It is to help marketers understand how and who the users are interacting with the site and power remarketing and other use cases. In addition, this is also for Ads personalisation, so make sure you acknowledge it.
Data Settings ( Data Retention)
Now, let’s look at retention. By default, all new properties have event data retention set to two months, and marketers wouldn't be able to go back to reference any historical data. So it is literally deleting the underlying data that can potentially power your reports, which is tied with your data governance strategy. The only options are two months or 14 months, where you’ll then have another chance to reset user data on a new activity.
That’s it. I hope you’ll find it helpful! CXL’s mini-course is an excellent platform for GA 4 with hands-on learning if you would like to learn more. What I’ve shared so far is the stuff that I learnt from Google Analytics guru Charles Farina, and I hope this will clear your mind when going through the analytics journey. So have fun and keep exploring!
