Mapping GA4 Conversions in BigQuery for Comprehensive Dashboarding
Recently, I found myself in a situation where I needed to use Google Analytics (GA4) conversions in BigQuery (BQ) for a dashboarding project. The dashboard was built on raw GA4 event data extracted from BQ, including data from multiple GA4 properties, each with its own set of conversion events managed by different teams and edited […]
Consent Mode v2 – A Comprehensive Technical Guide
In fall 2023, the EU has deemed Google as a gatekeeper in the digital space under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), placing it under heightened legal scrutiny. In response to this assessment and to meet the DMA enforcement deadline in March 2024, Google is adjusting its advertising solutions. One aspect of this change is the […]
GA4 Client-Side Data Redaction – How to remove PII from your data before you collect it
In my recent article, I explored the potential of GA4 as a core component in crafting a lightweight Composable CDP. One of the capabilities for a Composable CDP is its ability to account for Data Governance and Privacy Controls. Building on that, this post zooms in on GA4’s capabilities that allow for data management in […]
GA4 – The CDP You Didn’t Know You Had
This article is a write-up of my talk at MeasureCamp Czechia in Prague in September 2023 – thanks to everyone who attended the session and provided feedback. I’ll explore how Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can be used as a lightweight Customer Data Platform (CDP) and how it can be integrated with other tools to create […]
GA4 Time Travel – Bridging UTC and Local Timezones
Navigating the intricacies of data in GA4’s raw-data has its own hurdles. A good example is the event_timestamp which is logged in microseconds and set in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). While this standardized approach ensures consistency, it does not always align with the real-world context of events, especially when trying to make the BQ data […]
Debugging Google Analytics Tracking for Mobile Apps – A Guide for Beginners
Are you a digital analyst looking to implement and debug Google Analytics tracking via Firebase for your mobile iOS apps and have no clue where to start? This blog post is for you! I’ll briefly walk you through the process of setting up Google Analytics tracking using both the Firebase SDK and Google Tag Manager […]
How to replicate the GA4 Path Exploration report with BigQuery SQL?
The New Google Analytics (GA4) comes with a new Exploration feature, which allows GA users to deep-dive into their data — beyond the capabilities of the built-in standard reports. While the standard reports allow for monitoring key business metrics, the Exploration section makes advanced analytical techniques accessible to generate ad hoc insights quickly. The analytical […]
GTM Server-Side Tagging – Better Data & More Control
Over the last many months we have been running a series of beta tests and projects for a group of selected clients to get both practical experience and to help optimize the recently released Google Tag Manager (GTM) server-side tagging setup. Our ambition is to provide both background information and context to why we think […]