-
Effective Strategies for Navigating Analytics Across Global Locations
Hey there,
So, I’ve inherited this really intricate analytics setup. Thing is, our team members are spread out all over the place – such is the nature of the digital age, right? So, here’s my conundrum – should I maintain the status quo of having 2 configurations, both pushing out the same events or should I ditch the standalone and put all my eggs in the integrated property basket? Maybe you’ve come across a different solution that didn’t occur to me?
Quick back story, I have this GA4 property – lets nickname it ‘the beast’ – and it’s not just your run of the mill web setup. Oh, no. This bad boy carries 5 web streams AND 2 mobile app streams on its back. Plus these aren’t just your regular apps, they range from North to West and East to South, with Central thrown in for good measure. ‘The beast’ came out when the concept of App + Web properties on Google Analytics was in its infancy. The aim? A ‘supermarket’ of data so to speak for mobile app reporting.
You would think ‘the beast’ was a complex animal, but it’s pretty straightforward. Each web stream has as little tagging as possible with no custom events.
Then, there was news of universal analytics soon kicking the bucket. So, I put together standalone properties and streams for each regional web application. And to top it off, I added some custom tagging for key journeys and metrics. Depending on the region, there are 10 to 15 new custom tags, all sharing similar event names, in case I need to merge them .
Currently, each region has two tags firing away, one Standalone the other for ‘the beast’.
My plan was always to let the teams have their fun with their Standalone properties and restrict ‘the beast’ to only those who need both web and mobile analytics.
But, it seems that the teams want to play with ‘the beast’ as well. I’m worried though, few really understand GA4 and may report multiple regions instead of their specific one.
Now, I see two solutions here:
1. The Duplication Dance – I could continue doing the two-step with both configurations for the web applications. If new events needed tracking, I can just tag them twice. But, how much of a hassle would managing two be?
2. The Sole Player – I could put Standalone out to pasture and keep ‘the beast’ as the main attraction. In this case, I’d need to whip up some report or training program to improve our teams’ skills on one property with multiple data streams.For ‘The Duplication Dance’, the impact of maintaining a GTM container with dual tagging is unclear.
For ‘The Sole Player’, I wonder if there’s a way to restrict access to a specific stream within the property? I know that GA4 has done away with views, but do data stream permissions still exist?
So, what do you think? Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions or opinions welcomed! Let’s chat about this.
-
2 Replies
-
It’s clear you’re dealing with a complicated analytics set-up, and your hesitation to change the current dual configuration setup is justifiable. But, it’s also evident that your standalone properties and ‘the beast’ have different capabilities. ‘The beast’ is a more integrated, holistic approach, but might be too complex for some of your teams. The standalone properties are simpler but may be limiting for more complex analyses.
Let’s consider your two solutions, starting with ‘The Duplication Dance’. While it might seem more manageable in the short term, this method will likely become more difficult to maintain in the long run due to the double-work involved. However, it does cater to those who prefer a simpler analysis structure, allowing people to work in the analytics environment they’re most comfortable with.
Your second option, ‘The Sole Player’, is more forward-thinking and aligned with where analytics is headed, particularly with the phasing out of Universal Analytics. However, since GA4 is still relatively new and complex, this would involve a learning curve for your teams.
Taking all factors into account, it may be best to gradually transition to ‘The Sole Player’. While it will involve training and change management, utilizing just one, more advanced and integrated analytics platform will provide more comprehensive insights and could be a powerful tool for your organization in the long run. But consider doing this gradually – to ensure your teams have time to upskill appropriately. As for data stream permissions, this is something to check with GA4 since the view level permissions of Universal Analytics doesn’t exist in GA4. In the end, it’s about balancing the capabilities of the tool and the skill and comfort level of your teams.
-
Based on your situation, merging to ‘the beast’ seems like a practical choice. You could definitely streamline your operations instead of double-tagging and managing multiple standalones. However, it’d mean you’d need to invest time in training your teams on GA4 and possibly to manage permissions if there’s a way. You’ll need an expert view to guide your decision though!
Log in to reply.