Analytics news: November 2024

Google Analytics 4

Configuration tag must fire before custom events

I thought this was already established practice, but it looks like only now is it required that the configuration tag fires before a custom event is sent. It's great that Google has added this safeguard, although everyone is waiting for a similar update for standard events. I wrote about this in my article on traffic sources in BQ https://bettersteps.pl/en/blog/ga4-traffic-sources-in-bigquery, and unfortunately the problem still seems to be there.

Customer Match in Google Analytics

This feature aims to maximize the audiences shared between GA and Google's advertising products by using user-provided data when other user identifiers, such as cookies, aren't available.

You can compare it to Enhanced Conversions in Google Ads, except that here the goal isn't to attribute more conversions but to grow your remarketing audience.

To start using it, besides linking an advertising product (Google Ads, Search Ads 360, Display & Video 360), you need to set up user-provided data collection. Here's how to do it: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/14077171

utm_content available as a parameter for channel grouping

Google is extending custom channel groups so you can now use the utm_content parameter

Looker Studio

Viewing filters for report viewers

In Looker Studio you can let viewers see the filters used in a report. If you're on the receiving end of a report, knowing about this option lets you check that no data is being hidden from you.

In the sharing settings, uncheck the option highlighted in the screenshot and save your changes.