GA4 introduces several features not present in Google Analytics before, most notably the integration of artificial intelligence. These features, called insights, are designed to help users recognize opportunities, identify trends, and predict irregularities based on their activity.

With AI revolutionizing many industries, it's crucial to understand how this technology is being implemented within GA4. Here, AI is used in one of three ways:

1. Automated insights: AI detects anomalies or trends in the data and notifies users automatically
2. Predictive insights: Machine learning is used to predict insights, audience behaviors such as churn, and future actions users may take
3. Demand Forecasting: AI forecasts product and service demand and more\ By leveraging AI-driven insights within GA4, users can make more informed decisions, improve their marketing strategy, and boost website performance.

Setting up GA to best use AI insights

We have worked with many brands to migrate and install GA4. While our team follows industry best practices, we also apply unique tactical and strategic approaches to each brand to ensure a smooth transition. Our phased approach is as follows:

• Phase 1: Planning & implementation
  • We identify all set up needs, advance tracking, and platform integrations.
• Phase 2: Architecture & integration
  • We identify key events, domains and conversion alignments.
• Phase 3: QA & optimization
  • We configure custom reporting and ensure there are no errors.

Quick tip: There's a checklist within GA4 that can be quite useful when setting up your property. Find it under Admin > Property > setup assistant (thank me later).

Locating and creating custom insights within GA4

Insights are displayed as suggested questions and dynamic cards across the GA4 platform and/or dedicated reports. Many of these insights, questions, cards and modules within GA4 are automated based on the type of data and activity being tracked. The more you use a certain set of features or view certain parts of the analytics platform, the more personalized these insights and recommendations become. These cover multiple themes across website activity, from basic performance and demographic data to traffic analysis and more.

Preset insights include answers to the following questions:

• How many users did I have last week?
• On what days did I have the most users?
• What are my best selling products?

In addition to these preset insights, users can create and manage custom insights. Parameters such as conditions, user segments, and metrics can all be set, and email notifications can be managed.

The essential approach is to identify the question to be answered or the challenge to be addressed. From that point on, the strategy can be reverse engineered.

Using GA4 insights to boost ROI

By linking Google Ads and other Google Marketing platforms, one can gain access to detailed engagement metrics not available in the ad platforms, resulting in more granular insights to make smarter optimizations.

By using the AI-generated "Predictive Audiences" tool (which allows grouping users based on how they are likely to behave in the future), users that are most likely to convert can be exported directly into Google Ad platforms, making it more likely to increase revenue, improve ROI, reduce CPA, and reach more customers.

Want to know more about our phased approach to GA4 integration with AI? Get in touch.