Think Measurement Bootcamp - Session 2 // Ready. Set. Grow.
Summary
Please replace the link and try again.
Takeaways
- 🚀 Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is highlighted as a major upgrade to Universal Analytics, built on a modern, privacy-first, AI-powered analytics platform designed for cross-device and cross-channel analysis.
- 💬 The transition from Universal Analytics to GA4 is necessitated by the evolving landscape of data privacy and the need for more advanced modeling capabilities beyond what the older platform could provide.
- 📱 GA4 incorporates AI at its core to offer better insights about customers, predictive analytics, and advanced analysis capabilities, including potential future integrations with generative AI and large language models.
- 🔒 The importance of consent mode is emphasized, enabling Google to use modeling to estimate conversions from users who have not provided consent, thus respecting user preferences across all Google platforms.
- 👥 Partnerships and collaboration with digital marketing agencies are vital for successfully navigating the privacy-first analytics transition, as demonstrated by the Fruugo and Croud case study.
- 🔥 There's an urgent call to action for businesses to migrate from Universal Analytics to GA4 before the platform deprecation date on July 1, 2024, to avoid losing access to historical data and functionality.
- 📌 Strategies for preserving historical data involve using BigQuery for the 360 version of the platform and various methods for the standard version, including API exports and CSV downloads.
- 📚 Regulatory changes and the end of third-party cookies in Chrome are identified as pivotal moments for privacy and data management, requiring marketers to adapt for compliance and transparency.
- 🛠 App advertisers are guided on steps to ensure their measurement strategies are compliant with regulations by collecting user consent and updating SDKs/APIs to pass consent signals to Google.
- 💡 The script concludes with a reminder of the importance of valid user consent, implementation of consent mode, migration to GA4, and updating APIs/SDKs for sharing audience data with Google.
Please replace the link and try again.
Outlines
📈 Elevating Digital Marketing with Google Analytics 4
The session begins with an introduction by Radzi, emphasizing the importance of advancing digital marketing skills in a changing measurement world. Highlights from the first session include discussions on GDPR, consent mode, and Google's latest consent mode advancements. Radzi then introduces Madhu Baktha, who details the features and benefits of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) - an AI-powered, cross-channel analytics platform designed for privacy-first analytics and built to replace the outdated Universal Analytics. The discussion covers the necessity of transitioning to GA4 due to its superior infrastructure capable of handling modern data privacy requirements, including AI integration for improved customer insights and the importance of updating to GA4 in anticipation of Universal Analytics' deprecation.
🚀 Transition Strategies and Historical Data Preservation
The dialogue continues with the impending deactivation of Universal Analytics 360 and the urgency of migrating to Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Madhu Baktha stresses the immediate need to download historical data and outlines the process for both 360 and standard platform users, recommending BigQuery and Looker for data visualization. The segment transitions into advice on preparing for product deprecation, emphasizing the significance of updating conversion and audience tracking before platform shutdown. Baktha underscores the criticality of this transition, particularly for advertisers in the European Economic Area (EEA), and outlines Google's phased shutdown approach, culminating in the deletion of all data stored in Universal Analytics 360 servers.
🌐 Navigating the 2024 Measurement Landscape
This section shifts focus to the broader implications of evolving privacy regulations and technology on digital marketing. The conversation with Sabrina explores how the regulatory and technological landscape is expected to change in 2024, emphasizing the end of third-party cookies and the need for marketers to adapt. The discussion then delves into Google's compliance strategies and the pivotal role of Data Protection Officers (DPOs) in navigating these changes. The importance of collaborative relationships between marketing experts and DPOs is highlighted, stressing the necessity for compliance and strategic preparation in a privacy-focused marketing environment.
📱 Optimizing App Marketing Strategies for 2024
Yvonne Godfrey discusses the specific challenges and requirements for app advertisers in the evolving digital landscape of 2024. She outlines a two-step approach for building a measurement foundation in line with local regulations, focusing on user consent collection and communication. Godfrey emphasizes the importance of updating SDKs and APIs to ensure compliance and the proactive management of audience lists to mitigate degradation in engagement and install campaigns. This segment is a call to action for app advertisers to adapt their strategies to remain effective and compliant in the face of regulatory and technological shifts.
🔍 Final Steps to Ensure Marketing Success
The closing remarks of the session encapsulate the essence of adapting to the evolving digital marketing environment. It highlights the necessity of obtaining valid user consent, implementing consent mode, transitioning to Google Analytics 4, and ensuring all APIs and SDKs are updated. The session concludes with a playful agency spotlight segment, showcasing industry experts sharing insights on GA4's strengths, the criticality of consent management, and the famous Google motto. The segment serves as a reminder of the collective journey towards adapting and thriving in a privacy-first, AI-enabled digital marketing future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
💡Consent mode
💡Privacy-first analytics
💡Cross-device measurement
💡First-party data
💡Modeling
💡AI-powered insights
💡Universal Analytics deprecation
💡Data visualization
💡Compliance
Highlights
Introduction to Think Measurement Bootcamp session two with a focus on enhancing digital marketing campaigns using consented data.
Recap of session one: Introduction of GDPR, consent mode, and its significance for durable measurement foundations.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) introduction as an AI-powered, cross-channel analytics platform built for privacy-first, enterprise needs.
Discussion on the necessity of migrating from Universal Analytics to GA4 due to evolving data demands and privacy considerations.
The role of AI in GA4 for enhancing customer insights and the future integration of Generative AI and large language models.
Upcoming changes and deprecation of features in Universal Analytics 360 and its impact on advertisers in the European Economic Area (EEA).
Steps for transitioning to GA4 and recommendations for not losing historical data, including the use of BigQuery and Looker.
Case study of Fruugo's collaboration with Croud to create a positive privacy experience without compromising ad effectiveness.
Discussion on the evolving measurement landscape in 2024, GDPR’s ongoing impact, and preparation for the deprecation of third-party cookies.
Google's enforcement of EU User Consent Policy in 2024 and the role of Consent Management Platforms (CMPs).
Advice on collaborating with Data Protection Officers (DPOs) and compliance stakeholders for navigating regulatory changes.
Key actions for app advertisers to ensure durable and AI-ready measurement strategies in light of technological and regulatory shifts.
Summary of essential steps for digital marketers to prepare for 2024, including user consent, consent mode, GA4 migration, and API/SDK updates.
Agency spotlight segment, highlighting the benefits of GA4, the importance of historical data, and consent management for future-proof marketing.
Closing thoughts on taking action, upgrading tools, working with CMPs, and leveraging AI for future marketing success.
Transcripts
Hello and welcome to Think Measurement Bootcamp session two.
I'm your measurement coach Radzi
and we are back with Google to build on all the skills
and the knowledge that you gained in our first session.
Now, this is very much the place to be to get
you ready for this big year ahead in the changing world of measurement.
Now, in session one we covered consent mode and how it's key to building
a durable measurement foundation.
But today, we're taking you on that next step in giving you
the tools you need to strengthen your digital marketing campaigns.
So if you want to know how to use high quality, consented data
to fuel your Google measurement tools, don't go anywhere
because we've got an action-packed episode in store.
But first, let's have a cheeky recap of what we covered in session one.
I feel like GDPR in 2018 really kickstarted a wave of privacy.
The power of consent mode is that it enables Google to use modelling
to estimate conversions from users that did not provide consent.
The latest version of consent mode is very important because
it ensures that user preferences are appropriately dealt with across all Google platforms.
It also improves the quality of your modelling.
Consumers are demanding more transparency
and control over their data.
The work today is the foundation for durable performance.
And if you’re in need of a refresher on any of those topics
It's all available on-demand.
Right, I think it's safe to say that we're all warmed up, so let's get started.
And to kick us off, I'm going to meet Madhu Baktha
with the very latest on Google Analytics 4 for 2024.
Madhu it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you.
Google Analytics 4, what is it about? What should I know?
So Google Analytics 4 is Google's AI-powered, cross-channel, cross-device
privacy-first analytics platform, and it's been built for enterprise needs.
It’s basically a platform which is an upgraded version of our old offering
which was Universal Analytics.
It makes all of this analytics a lot bigger and better.
Universal Analytics, we've used it for so long,
so why change now?
The truth is Universal Analytics, it was built on a ten-plus year-old infrastructure.
It's been around for quite some time and it was not built to keep up
with the evolving data demands the cookie-less and modelling
capabilities which our changing measurement landscape demands.
So we've had to basically work on a new product.
And Google Analytics 4, it embodies Google's industry-leading approach to privacy.
Our priority is always to make sure that you're able to get accurate
answers to questions very quickly.
In a privacy-centric world, it's slightly more complicated.
So we have to innovate
to give you the same level of accurate answers with less data.
That’s what we're trying to do with Google Analytics 4. We’re building for a world,
which is consented, first-party and modelled to give you the same level of accuracy.
Clearly GA4 is the way to go. Two other letters this time, AI.
How does that come into play?
So Google Analytics 4 was actually built with AI at its core, so it uses AI
to give you better insights about your customers,
which you can then use to draw better insights from your campaigns,
which you eventually will use to increase your conversions and increase your ROI
from your marketing campaigns.
As Google Analytics 4 continues to evolve, there's going to be a lot more opportunity
with Generative AI
and also large language models which will be built into the platform.
So watch out for a lot more stuff on chat interfaces,
a lot more stuff
on sophisticated analysis, which you can’t do in the platform right now
and just better predictive data sets to understand your users better,
target new audience groups and also understand data trends better.
From your end, ahead of product deprecation, what changes do
we need to be aware of?
In October 2022, we actually released a blog post
saying that as we head towards platform turn down, which is scheduled for the 1st of July 2024,
the Universal Analytics 360 platform,
is also likely to naturally degrade performance-wise.
What we actually deprecated in January is basically real time reports,
conversion probability and lifetime value reports.
From early March of 2024 onwards,
certain advertising capabilities from Universal Analytics 360
will no longer be possible and no longer be supported
for traffic in the European Economic Area region, which is big for advertisers.
What this actually means is you will no longer be able
to export your conversions and audiences that you've built into
the Google Analytics 4 platform outside of it into Google Ads
and your Google media platforms and basically activate any of this.
So this is not going to be possible specifically for traffic in the EEA region.
So from the sounds of things, the 1st of July is a big, big date.
With that said, how's Google actually planning to shut down the platform?
So as we head into July of 2024,
from the first week, we will no longer be able to access the UI.
You'll also no longer be able to access the API and eventually
all of the data that you've stored in our servers
in Universal Analytics 360 is also going to be deleted.
We do recommend that you actually download your historical data as soon as possible
and make sure that you switch over to Google Analytics 4 quickly
because this time platform turn down is not planned over a few months,
we’ll actually be shutting it down quickly as we head into July.
Massively important advice then.
So how do we stop from losing that historical data?
So if you've been using the 360 version of our platform,
you can definitely use BigQuery to export all of your historical data
and then use Looker as a data visualisation solution to visualise all of this.
If you're using the standard version of our platform,
you still have a few options.
You can start off with the API.
We have an API so you can export all of your UI level data through the API
and also visualise this in Looker.
But if you don't want to do that,
what you can do is you can actually just do a CSV download of reports from the UI.
That's very easy.
You don't need sequel skills for instance, to actually set that up.
Or you can also use Google sheets add-on that we actually have.
In terms of getting tools ready for 2024,
do you have any final pieces for us?
I think the first thing that you'd want to do is before we get into March,
you’d want to make sure that you switch your conversions
in audiences over from Universal Analytics 360 to Google Analytics 4
because we're heading towards the March deadline.
After that, you can do the rest of the migration as well
because the platform is going to be operational till July 1st of 2024.
So split your migration into two different phases.
And ultimately when you're doing all of this
like we discussed, make sure you download all of your historical data
in a version that's accessible for you, and that's understandable for you.
Madhu a genuine pleasure talking to you.
Hugely important what you're saying,
and the 1st of July, the game changes.
Thank you so much.
Wow, a huge thanks to Madhu, for demystifying GA4
and if you haven't already, remember migrate to GA4 now
and if you're keen for more by the way we've got a GA4 insights video,
so keep an eye out for that as bonus content.
We have a busy journey ahead of us.
There’s an incredible amount of opportunity with AI in Google Analytics.
Right, so we now have the know-how
when it comes to being prepared
for technical developments and regulatory changes.
But as we've heard, success comes with a strong collaborative partnership as well.
So let's hear how Fruugo, an online marketplace, worked with Croud,
its digital marketing partner,
to create a positive privacy experience for buyers and sellers
crucially without compromising the effectiveness of its ads.
Powerful, cutting edge, efficient.
Implementing privacy-first analytical solutions is vital for our business.
That introduction has seen a 36% improvement in the volume of conversions
that we've been able to track and a 26% reduction in our CPA
Fruugo as a marketplace business
that allows any retailer to sell to consumers in 40 countries.
We take retailers data and do everything that's needed to allow them
to transact internationally.
From translating
to repricing, we do the local marketing and we take care of local sales taxes.
You can't manage what you can't measure.
So we have to make sure that our sales attribution is done rigorously.
We needed a analytic solution that was privacy-centric,
but it fulfilled all of those requirements.
And that's where consent mode Google Analytics connected to PMax
really comes into its own.
It was really important to have a seamless move
from GA360 to GA4. Croud were pivotal in helping us achieve that goal.
Croud is a global digital marketing agency and we're really keen on helping
our clients use consented first-party data to cause business impact.
I remember reading the
Google Ipsos research: Privacy by Design -
The benefits of putting people in control.
And it shows that a positive privacy experience
can increase share of brand preference for a second-choice brand by 43%.
That's an astounding stat.
PMax is designed to help advertisers transition away
from the use of third-party cookies.
Instead, it uses first-party data to create audiences and optimise campaigns.
This allows advertisers to prepare for the future without third-party cookies
while still targeting the right audiences with relevant ads.
Additionally, when we're talking about consent mode,
we're talking about building a better experience for our customers
and building trust.
It’s the tight integration across
those Google products that make it such a powerful ecosystem.
Croud are experts at data analytics
and having their support was essential to giving us the confidence
to take on this large and complicated project.
The AI technology powering PMax and enhanced conversions
really are revolutionary.
If businesses are thinking about
whether or not to start, my advice is now's the time to do it.
As a reminder, in our first Think Measurement Bootcamp,
we met with our expert panel to explore how to build a collaborative relationship
with your DPO.
Now, though, it's time to look at what the measurement landscape
looks like in 2024 and how to leverage Google's tools to set you up for success
and top tips to help you and your business grow.
Hi everyone,
previously, we spoke about how to best work with DPOs.
This time I'd like to zoom in a little bit on 2024.
What does 2024 have in store for us, Sabrina?
So since GDPR, which has been one of the pivotal moments for privacy,
I think that right now we have a strong evolution
also that we are facing since a few years,
and that is going to keep on in the coming year in 2024,
with the higher technicality and complexity in two areas
the regulatory landscape with a lot of regulation coming to
frame the way that data is being collected and used in the digital ad ecosystem
and from a technology standpoint, however, there’s strong evolution and technicality
being developed with the end of third-party cookies
and the alternatives that are being developed right now to face this big change.
It sounds like a lot is going to change in 2024.
Continuation, but also new regulations, new guidelines
and if I'm correct, Chrome is also deprecating third-party cookies this year.
You've called the GDPR and 2018 a pivotal moment.
I would also 2024 maybe call a pivotal moment, specifically
with Chrome deprecating the third-party cookies and for marketers
really needing to being prepared to really comply with those requirements
for more transparency and more control for the end user.
Specifically also when thinking about collecting consent.
It’s a big trend of changing regulations building on top of each other,
how will that translate to Google's own policy?
The core of Google's compliance perspective is the EU User Consent Policy,
which applies to any products where we're focusing on personalised ads.
That EU User Consent Policy has been in place since 2015.
There was a major upgrade back in 2018 when the GDPR came into force.
We're not foreseeing any changes to the policy going forward.
Really, the policy is designed to be regulation agnostic.
It's not designed to specifically address any particular piece of legislation,
but really it's there to set a baseline for compliance,
which is Google’s expectations for the way that users should be provided with information
when it comes to personalised ads.
There's really two core elements of the policy, which is around
the use of personal data in relation to personalised ads
and secondly, in relation to cookies.
So if our advertiser customers have been in compliance with that policy,
there's no major changes required for them.
What's actually going to be changing is the way that Google is enforcing that policy.
2024 is going to be a year really focused on making sure that advertisers are complying
with the policy
and that they're going to be passing the consent signals
to make sure that user choices are respected.
It’s also a good thing for a DPO to ensure that how the product
actually behaves corresponds with the choices made by end users.
Right, and I think working with the CMPs
is the best way to do that as well, the CMPs can guide you
on some of the language, which can go onto the cookie banners as well,
but really to make sure that that integration with the back end
so the consent mode respects the user choices,
makes sure that cookies aren't being dropped if the user has said no,
make sure that personalised ads aren't being shown
unless the the user wants to see them.
I think is actually a really useful thing for a marketing expert to go to their DPO
and say; hey, look, we've got this really useful tool which is going to help us stay compliant.
It should be nice in the ears of a DPO to hear
that basically consent mode
is making sure that the end users choices are actually respected
within the technical tools, which come at the back end, right!
So CMPs, consent mode and ensuring that you comply
with our EU User Consent Policy if you haven't been until now.
Do you have any top tips for marketers listening to this, watching this
in terms of working with DPOs and other compliance stakeholders?
It’s really important for the DPO to be properly equipped
in order to make their assessment, and if they make their assessment properly,
they will be able to help the marketer to set up a good strategy
but it's really important really to bring them up to speed about
about what you want to do, business objectives and product objectives.
I think that symbiotic relationship
between marketing experts and DPOs is going to continue into 2024.
We have seen those two roles grow closer and closer together.
As we touched on at the beginning, 2024 is going to continue this
this world of increased regulation in the way that data is being used.
So I think building those relationships and as Sabrina was saying,
get the relationship started nice and early,
I think is the best, the best piece of advice I can give.
I think over the last two sessions, we learned a lot about how DPOs
look at marketing, how to best work with them.
This time we zoomed in on what is going to happen this year
and how the DPO actually has a crucial role to play
in being successful in adapting to all these changes.
For advertisers to get ready, to grow sustainably,
I think it will take educating and relationship building
but it sounds like in the end we're working towards the same goals.
So thanks a lot for for explaining this and sharing your perspectives.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now I love an app, I've got many on my phone
and I'm sure many of the app advertisers watching will already be familiar
with Google Ads products to reach your digital marketing goals.
But in today's fast-paced world, it's important to keep up and to get it right.
With that in mind, we've got Regional Product Lead for Measurement,
Yvonne Godfrey on what you need to do to get your apps marketing
strategy and measurement fired up and ready for 2024.
Hi, I’m Yvonne Godfrey,
Regional Product Lead for Measurement at Google.
We know that technological advancements and regulatory changes
are shifting the digital marketing landscape.
Today, I’m going to deep dive into what that means for app advertisers
and what actions you need to take
to ensure your apps measurement strategy is durable and AI-ready.
There are two broad steps that our EEA advertisers need to take
to build a measurement foundation that is in line with local regulations for apps.
Firstly, we will continue to require advertisers to collect user consent.
This isn't new, as this requirement is already reflected in our longstanding EU User Consent Policy.
This step can be done either in house or via a Google partner CMP,
Consent Management Platform.
The second step is about communicating this consent to Google,
meaning confirming to Google that user consent has been collected
by sharing opt-in user consent signals for both measurement and audiences with Google’s tools.
There are two types of data app advertisers primarily have:
online data which is collected through your SDK or offline measurement data
through the app conversion tracking and Customer Match.
So for online data, whether that's online measurement and online audiences
which is measured through your GA4,
the solution is to pass consent to Google
through the new upgraded version of consent mode which is available for apps.
The exact customer actions here are:
for AAP SDKs, one, update the SDK in Q1,
and two, update the consent solution of that AAP you're working with.
Now let's look at offline measurement.
The action here is to update the latest version of whatever API you are using for offline measurement
and pass consent signals through that API.
In the case of apps server-to-server this is done through the apps conversion tracking API
and the update of the API will be available in Q1,
so at that point, the advertisers required actions will be to update the latest version
of the apps tracking API and pass consent signals through it.
And finally, offline audiences, which is essentially Customer Match.
You can either update the Google Ads API and pass consent signals through it
or if you usually do manual Customer Match upload,
you will have to fill in a UI attestation which will be available soon.
In March 2024, the expected enforcement date of the Digital Marketing Act,
EEA audience lists which lack consent signals will start degrading,
affecting all app campaigns for engagement
and some app campaigns for installs.
So to protect these campaigns, advertisers that use audiences need to take action.
So what this means is that,
advertisers using GA4 online audiences should take GA4 actions.
Advertisers using AAP online audiences should take the AAP SDK actions,
and the advertisers using Customer Match should take the Customer Match related actions.
The actions here essentially add up,
if you use several of these solutions or use cases, you need to take several sets of actions.
So to summarise, there are three key actions our app advertisers need to take.
Number one, ensure you are collecting user consent either via a CMP or in house.
Number two, ensure you are passing back consent for all use cases,
this should include GA4, APP, Customer Match and server-to-server.
If you are using several of these use cases,
you need to take several actions, as I've outlined.
And number three, you should prioritise app campaigns for engagement,
and app campaigns for installs
with audiences by March 2024.
Thanks for watching.
There you have it, quality and consented data
fueling AI tools and delivering big results.
So hopefully you’re feeling equipped and ready to go.
Just remember these four key steps and you can't go wrong.
Number one:
Start with valid user consent.
Next, implement consent mode.
Three: ensure you've migrated over to Google Analytics 4
and last by no means least if you or your technological partners
are using APIs or SDKs to share audience data with Google
ensure you've upgraded to the latest versions.
Now, before we leave you today, we've got one final treat in store,
our agency spotlight, where we put some of our agency partners through their paces.
What? I don't know...
I'm the Head of Marketing Tech
at fifty-five UK.
I'm the CEO and founder of ProfitMetrics.
I am an Analytics Director at Precis.
I work as Head of Measurement here at s360.
Dogs that come into the office are called...
I don’t know, I don't have a dog.
Office dogs?
No clue.
They love a pun.
Gog?
A Doogle?
So dooglers?
Dooglers!
I knew it, ok, good.
Doogler!
I would say one of the biggest strengths of GA4
versus Universal is it's an event-based platform
and also it has built in cross-device tracking and attribution.
I like that GA4 is natively cross-platform and has more settings for privacy and control
and of course predictive analytics
and the list goes on.
Google will be deprecating Universal Analytics on the 1st of July 2024.
The sooner you upgrade to GA4 the better.
Make sure all of your main KPIs are tracked in there and don't forget
about your historical data from analytics to have that exported before March.
Oh, ok...
Probably a trick question.
Was it the Google bidding algorithm with DeepMind?
It’s quite some time ago, maybe fifties or sixties...
Computer that could play chess
through games?
Ah...is it?
Ahhh...
Not that old.
It's important that you collect user consents
either via a CMP or in-house.
Ensure you are passing back the relevant user consent for each of your use cases.
This includes GA4, APP, Customer Match and S2S.
If you're using several of these use cases, you may need to take several of these actions.
You should prioritise app campaigns for engagement
and app campaigns for installs with the audiences by March 2024.
Was it something really simple, like...?
I can't say that I have ever heard that one...
Don't, don't be evil.
Don't be evil.
Wait...
as of 2015?
Explore, I don't know.
Do the right thing.
I suppose. Yeah...
It’s very nice.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Absolutely love that
but unfortunately, that is all from me.
But be sure to check out the extra resources on today's show
and by the way, we still have our session one content on demand
if you're in need of a refresher. We'll also be sharing
further content and resources over the course of the next few weeks
to keep your measurement strategy in tip top shape.
I'll be back on the 26th and 27th of March, this time from Dublin
for Think Measurement
where I'll be hosting the digital experience.
I really hope to see you all then.
For now, though, take action,
upgrade your tools, work with CMPs and harness the power of AI
to propel your marketing campaigns into the future.
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.
I wish you good luck, happy measuring and whatever you do,
get out there and ready, set, grow.
Browse More Related Video
Think Measurement Bootcamp - Session 1 // Ready. Set. Grow.
THINK AND GROW RICH| AUDIO BOOK SUMMARY IN HINDI| 500 लोगों की सफलता का रहस्य
3 Life Changing Books To Read In 2024
Habit of Going the Extra Mile | Napoleon Hill's Master Key Series | Episode 3
The Little Book That Changed Everything! | Bob Proctor
12
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)