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Google Analytics 4: Understanding the Customer Journey

Have you heard of the next big wave in consumer analytics tracking?

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) takes us into an exciting time for marketing and sales professionals. GA4 allows us to dive deeper into our understanding of consumer behavior. GA4 allows us to analyze key items in the life cycle of an event measuring value by, what content engages a user to come to the site initially, what leads to abandoned shopping carts, and more. Being able to understand the customer journey more intimately will allow marketers to discover what trends consumers are looking for in their digital experience and better serve them.

We live in the digital age and with that comes ever-changing regulations and security protocols. End users are making more demands for control of their privacy. Users demand privacy on how their data becomes used, tracked, and stored on websites. The amount of data generated and available across websites and apps is staggering and constantly increasing.

Google Analytics 4 logo on computer image

There needed to be a new solution to account for this. GA4 creates instant web and app property data. App and website data will now measure using event-based (any specific occurrence on a website) rather than session-based data. This allows us to isolate many events across a user’s experience on a website or app, rather than one session. This provides a more complete and accurate understanding of the customer’s journey on various devices, from a brand-new site visitor to a repeat customer. The data and insights we now can pull with GA4 properties allow your business to scale and work with cookie/cookieless sessions

GA4, designed to replace dated technology on Universal Analytics (UA) and Google Analytics 360 (GA360), will stop collecting data on July 1, 2023. Additionally, GA360 will stop collecting data on July 1, 2024.

A Few Key Insights on Google Analytics 4

  1. Better Tracking: With Google Analytics 4, you can track more types of user interactions on your website. Whether it be scrolling or engagement with videos. This gives you a more complete picture of how people are using your site, which can help you make improvements.
  2. Easier-to-Use Interface: The GA4 interface is designed to be more intuitive and user-friendly than previous versions. This makes it easier to find the information you need and understand what it means.
  3. Enhanced Insights: Google Analytics 4 uses machine learning to provide insights into user behavior and trends. This means you can get a better understanding of what’s working on your site and what’s not, and make changes accordingly.
  4. Cross-Device Tracking: GA4 allows you to track users across multiple devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This is becoming increasingly important as more people use multiple devices to access the internet.
  5. Future-Proofing: Google Analytics 4 is designed to be more flexible and adaptable to changes in technology and user behavior. This means you’ll be better equipped to keep up with changes in the digital landscape. By doing this, you can stay ahead of the competition.

Overall, Google Analytics 4 is a powerful tool that can help you make data-driven decisions to improve your website and grow your business.

Getting Started

Getting started with GA4 is easy for any small business owner. It requires only getting an account set up and adding the tracking code to your website. After this, it’s all about setting up conversions and determining what items are most important to you for measuring. What is a conversion? They are any measurable event or action the user takes on your website, including page views, filling out forms, buying products, and more. There are more reports than ever available with the launch of GA4 from general overview reports to more in-depth items on customer engagement, monetization, and acquisition. Read more from MonsterInsights on how to get started with GA4 on your WordPress site, conversions, and the reports available to you.


We can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store for analytics. All the insights are immediately at the fingertips of marketing and sales departments all over the globe. What are you going to track first? What strategic decisions are you hoping to make for your business? Email us at hello@transcendideas.com today to learn how we can help you make the transition to the latest technology available in analytics tracking with Google Analytics 4!

When You Shop Small You Support People

Transcend Ideas Giveaway, Shop Small Support People

Let’s Celebrate Small Business Saturday

Tomorrow is Small Business Saturday on Saturday, November 26th, and you’re encouraged to support the small businesses you know and admire. It could be your favorite Thai place, a gift shop, a magical massage therapist, a web designer, a dog groomer, a hairstylist, a favorite sandwich shop, or a coffeehouse. Wherever and whatever they sell or offer, they can not stand without your support. Shop small, support people.

The global pandemic was an indicator of how important the support of all of us has on the small business model, especially those that thrive as a brick-and-mortar establishments. So many small businesses had to pivot into a different model to survive the moment and the circumstance at our feet. Find more information about Small Business Saturday at the Small Business Administration site here.

Transcend Ideas small business starter pack
Transcend Ideas giveaway: post-it notes, sticker, business card & a special thank you from me!

Shop small business giveaway

Transcend Ideas is proud to offer a “Shop Small Business Giveaway” this Saturday.

Enter the giveaway by using Instagram or Facebook:

  • Take a photo/video of the item/service you purchased
  • Tag @transcendideas and the business you are supporting
  • Like our social media post and give @transcendideas a follow too

I will mail you stickers, post-it notes as a thank you by snail mail. You will be contacted by DM notifying you that you won.

When you do business with small businesses and shop small and support people.

Traditional Marketing Ideas (Clubhouse/Spaces)

I was in a Clubhouse room called: “Old School Marketing” and it blew me away how important going back to basics in your marketing truly is. Check out the next set of audio rooms I will be hosting on this very topic in the coming weeks. In the meantime here are some ideas to stew on..

Traditional Marketing Ideas:

In no particular order of course, but consider these ideas to implement:

  • Word-of-mouth
  • Schedule a cup of coffee or lunch with a work colleague, even your competition to discuss business
  • Mailers
  • Handouts (flyers, rack cards, business cards)
    • Pin up in bulletin boards! – Make a list of these locales that accept those physical marketing tools
  • Stickers (clever approach – catchphrase, coolness)
  • Showing support for a charity/nonprofit organization
    • A certain % of sales goes to charity in a certain time frame
    • Sponsor an event or a sport in your town/city
  • Join the Chamber of Commerce – make connections, take advantage of ALL they offer you!
  • Contests for all ages (art, name mascot, etc.)
  • Handwritten thank you notes
  • Thank you gifts for your bigger clients
  • Exclusive sales to your most loyal customers
  • Holiday cards
  • Networking
  • In-person events – Hold in-person workshops (educate, inform, engage – build trust)
  • Community calendars for events you are hosting
  • Print ads in local newspapers
  • In-store signs (sandwich boards)
  • Takeaways: Bumper stickers, stickers, branded water bottles
  • Name tags – custom name tags, wear your logo and name (perhaps pronouns too) to remind people what you are about!
  • Movie theatre ads – Slides or videos of local businesses
  • Post-it notes – custom couple with your business card (good leave behinds)

“Create social proof through that localize medium!”

Heather Cox
traditional marketing ideas

“Tried and True” Marketing Ideas

Going back to the “tried and true” methods of marketing can be just what you needed to revitalize your connection with your audience. I am all for digital marketing, it’s predominately what I do but there is something to be said for that personal touch to make a connection. When we build relationships we are developing trust and communicating and we can’t always lean into digital technology to do that.

These marketing ideas are meant to be approached “in tandem” with digital marketing! Don’t discount the basics and ask yourself what you can you use in Q4 and what could you utilize in your marketing strategy for 2023.

Join the Traditional Marketing Ideas Conversation

Join Heather for a Clubhouse Room AND Twitter Spaces on “Old School Marketing Ideas.” All conversations will be recorded so you can listen in at a later time to learn a bit here and there. We will not be focusing on digitally marketing.

Clubhouse
“Old Skool Marketing for Biz and Nonprofits”
Wed, Oct 19th at 11:15 am MDT

Twitter Spaces
“Old Skool Marketing”
Wed, Nov 2 at 11:30 am MDT


The Advantages of Shopping Local

It’s Halloween now, how did that happen? You probably already notice Christmas ads sneaking in. The capital frenzy of holiday shopping is an all too familiar behavior in American culture. You have probably noticed that camp stove you bought online was backed up for months and just came in. That is 100% because of the chain supply shortage. So many of us consumers have leaned on these online sales especially during the pandemic for things that have provided comfort and convenience during the most inconvenient time. Local shops do rely on the chain supply for material and inventory, too however those handmade items they are less dependent. Especially those local artisans. Convenience stores can’t replace the advantages of shopping local. The experience, personality, value, and soul of local shops are unmatched.

Here are the Advantages of Shopping Local:

1. Talk to a human being, not a hotline number speaking to an automation. Have a problem? Take it back to your local store.

2. Quality over quantity. More is not necessarily better here.

3. Word-of-mouth is golden, your friends and family are your most influential voices in your purchase choice.

4. Align with your values with where you shop. Spending your money locally helps funnel that money to charities that are doing good locally in your community. You have seen campaigns that kick 5-10% of sales to a local cause. Keep your eye out to those opportunities to give back when you purchase items this season.

5. You are supporting local people in your community.

We hope you have the chance to get out there for Small Business Saturday and enjoy the advantages of shopping local! Fill out our client questionnaire at this link if you’re interested in working with Transcend Ideas as a small business this year!