ASK BOSCO®: Simplifying Your Marketing Insights

Full Data Control

ASK BOSCO® consolidates your marketing data into one easy-to-navigate platform. With omni-channel reporting views, there’s no need to log in to multiple accounts. All your data, from different platforms, is available in one place, giving you complete control and clarity.

Multi-Sale-Type Reporting

Unlike GA4, which locks you into a single data perspective, ASK BOSCO® lets you switch effortlessly between GA4, platform-specific, and attribution-based conversion data. This flexibility ensures you’re always seeing the metrics that matter most to your campaigns.

Automated Paid Media Imports

ASK BOSCO® automates the integration of key metrics—like impressions, clicks, and costs—from your paid media campaigns. It also seamlessly measures key performance indicators (KPIs) between imported media data and GA4 conversion data, providing a comprehensive view of campaign performance without manual calculations.

 Save Time, Focus on Strategy

By consolidating your marketing data into one platform, ASK BOSCO® eliminates the need to run multiple reports or dig through cluttered dashboards. This streamlined approach saves time, so you can focus on optimizing your marketing strategy instead of piecing together data from different sources.

GA4: Falling Short on Advanced Analytics

While GA4 offers basic analytics capabilities, it lacks the advanced tools that modern marketers need to drive success. Here are some of the limitations of GA4:

Lost Opportunities for Optimization

GA4 doesn’t offer tools for budget optimization or campaign forecasting, leaving critical gaps in your decision-making process.

Limited Reporting Features

Multi-channel reporting is basic and doesn’t provide the depth required for comprehensive performance analysis.

Restricted KPI Measurement

GA4 includes limited built-in KPI metrics and doesn’t allow for custom metric creation, making it harder to tailor reports to your needs.

No Historical Data Access

If you need data from Universal Analytics, you’ll need to manage two separate accounts, adding unnecessary complexity to your workflows.

Time Wasting

To answer a single question, GA4 often requires running multiple reports, wasting valuable time that could be better spent elsewhere.

The Verdict: ASK BOSCO® for Smarter Decisions

ASK BOSCO® goes beyond basic analytics by offering advanced features that simplify marketing insights, save time, and enable smarter, data-driven decisions. From automated imports to omni-channel reporting and powerful forecasting tools, it provides everything Google Analytics 4 lacks—and more.

Ready to take control of your marketing data? Discover how ASK BOSCO® can transform your analytics strategy today.

The post Why choose ASK BOSCO over Google Analytics 4? appeared first on ASK BOSCO®.

In this blog, we’ll explore what benchmarking in GA4 entails, how it works, and how it compares to alternative tools like ASK BOSCO®.

What Is Benchmarking in GA4?

Benchmarking in GA4 involves collecting and analyzing data from other websites in the same industry as yours. This anonymous, aggregated data allows you to see how your site stacks up against the competition. By comparing your performance with industry averages, you can identify areas where you excel and those that may need improvement. This kind of competitive analysis is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their digital strategies.

Activating Benchmarking in GA4

To start using benchmarking in GA4, you must first enable the feature in your account settings. This is not a default setting, so you’ll need to give GA4 explicit permission to collect and share your data for benchmarking purposes. It’s important to note that this setting is applied at the account level, not the property level. This means that once benchmarking is activated, all websites and apps within your GA4 account will contribute to and benefit from the aggregated data.

How to access Benchmarking in GA4: 

• Navigate to the Reports section in GA4.
• Look for the Benchmarking report under the “Analysis” or “Exploration” sections, depending on your GA4 setup.
• Customize the filters to match your industry and analyze the comparison data provided.

Key Features of GA4 Benchmarking

Once activated, GA4 benchmarking provides a range of valuable insights:

Customizable Peer Groups

Users can select relevant comparison groups based on industry, business size, and other factors. This ensures that the data you’re comparing is as relevant as possible to your business. The GA4 Benchmarking tool lets compare data against aggregated industry data. This can help you understand how your site or app performs in key metrics such as traffic, engagement, and conversions compared to similar businesses. 

Trendline Comparisons

GA4 displays your performance trendline alongside the median trendline for your peer group, as well as the range from the 25th to 75th percentile. This gives you a clear view of where you stand within your industry. By comparing your performance against industry standards, you can identify areas for improvement, uncover opportunities for growth, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your marketing strategies.

Data Privacy

Google takes data privacy seriously, ensuring that all benchmarking data is encrypted, protected, and aggregated. This means that while your data contributes to industry benchmarks, it cannot be traced back to your specific site.

Wide Range of Metrics

GA4’s benchmarking reports cover various aspects of your website’s performance, including acquisition, engagement, retention, and monetization. This comprehensive view allows for a more thorough analysis of your digital strategy. The new GA4 Benchmarking also tracks metrics such as user sessions, bounce rates, average session duration, conversion rates, and more. These metrics are broken down by industry, device, geography, and size to provide a clear picture of where you stand. 

The Limitations of GA4 Benchmarking

While GA4’s benchmarking feature is a powerful tool, it’s not without its limitations. One of the main concerns is the broad nature of the data. Because the data is aggregated and anonymized, it may not always provide the nuanced insights you need for specific competitive analysis. Additionally, the data is refreshed every 24 hours, which may not be frequent enough for businesses that need real-time insights. And finally GA4’s new benchmarking feature can only set benchmarking based on cost, and not other important factors.

Comparing GA4 Benchmarking with ASK BOSCO®

For businesses looking for more detailed benchmarking and predictive analytics, ASK BOSCO® offers an alternative solution to GA4. ASK BOSCO® is a unique platform that provides benchmarking specifically focused on eCommerce and digital marketing performance. Here’s how it compares to GA4:

Industry-Specific Insights

Unlike GA4’s broader industry categories, ASK BOSCO® focuses on specific eCommerce sectors, providing more targeted benchmarking data.

Predictive Analytics

While GA4 offers predictive metrics, ASK BOSCO® takes this a step further by using advanced algorithms to predict future performance based on current data, helping businesses make more informed decisions.

Real-Time Data

ASK BOSCO® offers more frequent updates and real-time data, which can be crucial for businesses needing to adapt quickly to market changes.

Customizable Reports

Both tools offer customization, but ASK BOSCO® allows for more granular control, letting users dive deep into specific metrics that matter most to their business.

Which Tool Is Right for You?

GA4’s new benchmarking feature is a welcome addition to the analytics toolkit, offering valuable insights into how your website performs compared to industry peers. However, its broad data scope and less frequent updates may not be enough for businesses that require more detailed and specific insights. For those businesses, tools like ASK BOSCO® provide a more focused and predictive approach to benchmarking.

Ultimately, the choice between GA4 and ASK BOSCO® depends on your specific needs. If you’re looking for general industry benchmarks and broad trends, GA4 is a great option. But if you need more detailed, real-time, and predictive analytics, ASK BOSCO® could be the better choice. As GA4 continues to evolve, we’ll keep you updated on any new features or improvements. In the meantime, consider experimenting with both tools to see which provides the insights that best support your business goals.

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Weekly Overview Report

The Weekly Overview report offers a snapshot of your key metrics and product performance over a specific period. Here’s what you can expect:

• Headline Numbers: At the top, you’ll find crucial figures such as gross sales and net sales, which are compared to both the previous period and the same period last year. This allows you to track growth and identify trends over time.
• Charts: We’ve included a by-week chart and a by-hour chart. The by-week chart showcases transactions, revenue, average order value (AOV), and discounts, all compared to the previous period. Similarly, the by-hour chart allows you to select a specific day of the week (e.g., Friday) and see these metrics broken down by hour.
• Tables: Detailed tables display the top 50 products and the top 50 product variants, ranked by revenue. Each entry shows the quantity sold, product name, and revenue generated. You can also drill down into these tables; for instance, double-clicking on a product will reveal its quantity and price over your selected time period.

Product Report

The Product Report provides an in-depth analysis of your products and their variants. This report helps you understand product-specific performance metrics:

• Product and Variants Table: The first table lists all your products, their inventory levels, and a product percentage difference metric, which is calculated by comparing inventory against transactions. Additional key metrics are also included.
• Variant Details: Similar metrics are available for product variants in a separate table below. You can filter this report by double-clicking on a specific product to view its detailed metrics.

Geolocation Report

Understanding where your customers are located is crucial for targeted marketing. The Geolocation Report helps you visualize and analyze customer distribution:

• Interactive Map: This map shows the locations of your customers in different countries such as the UK, France, Germany, and Spain. You can zoom in and out to get a closer look at specific areas.
• Geolocation Table: This table provides detailed metrics for each country, allowing you to compare performance across different regions.
• Net Sales Graph: A net sales graph offers a detailed view of sales performance by location. You can also double-click on any part of this graph to filter the entire report based on that specific data point.

Key benefits of the ASK BOSCO® Ecommerce Reporting feature:

1. Centralized Performance Tracking: Access key metrics of website performance from various data sources consolidated into a single dashboard, streamlining monitoring and analysis processes.

2. Comprehensive Website Performance Insights: Gain insights into sales, revenue, and other crucial ecommerce metrics directly from your ecommerce platform, whether that be Shopify, your website or elsewhere, providing a holistic view of website performance.

3. Product Performance Analysis: Identify top-selling and underperforming products, enabling informed decision-making regarding inventory management, marketing strategies, and product development.

4. Customer Insights: Understand customer behaviour and sales sources, facilitating targeted marketing campaigns and customer relationship management initiatives to enhance sales and customer satisfaction. Also analyze such as discounts, delivery options, and product bundles to optimize your pricing strategies, enhance product offerings, and improve overall the user experience on your website.

If you’d like to find out more about this feature or any part of the ASK BOSCO® AI Reporting, Benchmarking & Forecasting Platform, please get in touch with us at team@askbosco.io

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Tracking

Pros

GA4 now offers much more flexibility when it comes to tracking. Previously, data was collected based on pre-defined hit types, like page views or button clicks. This limited what you could track and analyze.

GA4 now uses an event-based model. Every user interaction is considered an “event.” This could be a page view, a button click, a video play, or any custom interaction you define.

This event-based approach with custom parameters allows for much richer data collection. You can track almost any user interaction and tailor the data to your specific needs. This empowers you to:

• Analyze user journeys in more detail.
• Understand what content resonates with users.
• Measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
• Personalize the user experience.

Cons

Tracking in GA4 can get more complex if you move beyond the basic setup. Out of the box, GA4 offers automatic tracking for some common actions like page views, scrolls, and outbound clicks. This is great for getting started, but for anything more specific, you’ll likely need to dig into some additional features such as enhanced measurement and custom events.

While GA4 offers a good foundation for tracking with its automatic features, for more in-depth tracking you might need to explore custom events and potentially involve a developer.

Attribution

Pros

In the new platform, attribution models are dynamic. This means when you change the model you’re using, all your reports will reflect that change. This is different from Universal Analytics (UA), where you had a dedicated report for each attribution model. Unlike UA, GA4 doesn’t store data specific to each attribution model. Instead, it uses a single pool of data and applies the chosen model to calculate credit for conversions.

Cons

There are now only three attribution models to choose from in GA4. Google claims that this is to simplify attribution and encourages the user to use a data-driven approach with its default DDA (data-driven attribution) model.

A major challenge with GA4’s data-driven attribution is the absence of a clear explanation for how it assigns credit to touchpoints along the customer journey. Unlike rule-based models (like last-click), DDA works like a black box. We can’t see exactly how much weight each touchpoint gets in influencing a conversion.

BigQuery Export

Pros

Traditionally, Google Analytics offered limited access to the details behind user behaviour. With GA4, you can export all of this raw event data to BigQuery, Google’s cloud data warehouse.

One of the biggest benefits of using BigQuery exports with GA4 is that it bypasses the standard 14-month data retention limit within GA4 itself. Having access to historical data beyond 14 months can be crucial for businesses, it gives you access to trends, performance year-over-year or across different marketing campaigns and supports any compliance needs. This used to be an option for GA360 accounts only.

Cons

Unlike accessing data directly within the GA4 interface, exporting to BigQuery requires setting up a project in Google Cloud Platform (GCP). This can involve creating a new GCP project or using an existing one. There might be a learning curve for those unfamiliar with GCP.

BigQuery itself offers a free tier with limitations on storage and queries. If you exceed those limits, you’ll incur charges. These costs can add up depending on the amount of data you collect and how often you query it.

Whilst exports are useful, they have one key drawback: they only capture data from the day you link your GA4 property to BigQuery. This means you won’t have access to any website or app activity that happened before the connection was made.

Reporting

Pros

Cons

GA4 offers much more powerful reporting capabilities, however there’s one key difference from UA, which could be accessed with minimal configuration – GA4 requires setup. The older version was more plug-and-play. You added a tracking code to your website, and data came into the platform. Reports were readily available, although customization options were limited.

There is also the challenge of the shift to a new set of metrics and dimensions. Unlike UA, which had a familiar set of pre-defined reports, GA4 offers more flexibility in building custom reports. This flexibility comes with a downside, ensuring everyone on your team is using the same metrics and dimensions for consistent data analysis.

New Features/Settings

Pros

A lot of the new settings within GA4 tackle data hurdles with features like consent mode, cross-device tracking, and data modelling. Here’s how:

• Consent Mode: Traditionally, website analytics relied on cookies to track user behaviour. With increased privacy concerns and regulations, users are able to opt out of cookies. GA4’s consent mode allows you to gather data even when cookies are disabled, providing a more complete picture of your audience.

• Cross-Device Tracking: People often use multiple devices (phones, laptops, tablets) to browse the web. GA4 can track user journeys across these devices, giving you a more holistic understanding of how users interact with your website or app. This is achieved using techniques like Google Signals (for signed-in Google users who opt in) and probabilistic modelling.

• Data Modelling: Data gaps are inevitable. Users might not always log in, or cookies might be cleared. GA4 uses machine learning to model this missing data. This means you get a more complete picture of user behaviour, even with incomplete information.

GA4 now has a simplified approach to conversion tracking. In UA, you had to set up goals to track conversions. This could get complicated if you wanted a conversion to only count once per session, even if the user triggered the event multiple times.

In UA, achieving “once per session” conversion tracking often required workarounds, either through Google Tag Manager (GTM) or custom coding by developers. This could be time-consuming and prone to errors.

Debug Mode – setup or testing tracking this is so useful to see what data is being passed to GA in live stream.

Cons

The new features in GA4 give  you much more control and deeper insights than ever before. However, this also introduces a new challenge, these new options can impact your data in unexpected ways. With more features and settings, there’s more to configure and potentially misconfigure. Incorrect settings for things like event tracking or audience definitions can skew your data.

If you’re familiar with the older Universal Analytics (UA), GA4’s new approach requires adapting to a different data model and interface. This can lead to initial difficulties in interpreting the data accurately.

For more support on GA4, our data team will be happy to help set up your tracking and measurement. Get in touch by sending us an email to team@askbosco.io 

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What is a Key Event on GA4?

A ‘Key Event’ in GA4 (previously known as a ‘Conversion’) is any action that is important to you as a website or app owner. These important actions could be a first visit to your site, a form submission, or a purchase.  Previously, if you wanted to track an important action (such as purchase or a first visit) you would need to label it as a ‘conversion’.   Now, instead of conversions, these actions have been renamed as ‘key events’. Just like before, you can label any event you would like as a key event. They are tracked in the same way conversions were tracked previously. Any event you collect can become a key event.

In addition to this, as you might expect, some names for associated metrics have also changed. For instance, ‘session conversion rate’ is now called ‘session key event rate’.

Understanding the transition from Conversions to Key Events

As mentioned, with this update, conversions in Google Analytics and Google Analytics reports will now be called key events. This ensures that a conversion is the same whether viewed in Google Ads reporting or a Google Analytics report, addressing discrepancies in conversion reporting. 

The screenshot below shows how Conversions have now transistioned to ‘Key Events,’ as highlighted in the red box. However, not all accounts have migrated to this yet, so you may still see references to conversions in other parts of your GA4 property while it’s being rolled out over the next few weeks – with an anticipated completed roll-out date for the end of Q2 2024.

FAQs about GA4 Key Events 

Is there anything I need to do to transition? 

• No, no action is required on your part. Existing conversions will automatically transition to key events. Additionally, conversions shared with Google Ads will be recognized and displayed within the Advertising section.  The roll-out is due to be completed by the end of Q2 2024.

Are key events calculated differently compared to conversions? 

• No, there’s no change in the calculation method. They have the same functionality and calculation process as legacy conversions. 

Can an event function as both a key event and a conversion simultaneously? 

• Yes, absolutely. In GA4, events can be designated as key events and also imported into Google Ads as conversions. This dual functionality ensures consistent reporting across platforms. 

Why haven’t I noticed this change in my account yet? 

• The transition is being gradually introduced on a global scale and is anticipated to be fully implemented by the end of Q2 2024. 

Do I need to make adjustments to Google Tag Manager or Analytics Tracking Code? 

• No, no adjustments are necessary. Your existing setups for GTM and tracking codes will accommodate the transition without any disruptions. 

Can I create custom key events tailored to my specific business goals? 

• Yes, GA4 allows for the creation of custom key events to track user interactions that are most relevant to your business objectives.

Will key events impact my historical data or reporting? 

• No, transitioning to key events will not affect your historical data or reporting. Your previous conversion data will remain intact and accessible for comparison and analysis. 

For any more information, please get in touch with the team team@askbosco.io

The post Google Analytics 4: The Transition from Conversions to Key Events  appeared first on ASK BOSCO®.

Features of the Agency report/dashboard:

1. Metric Change Table:

A single-view dashboard showing top performance metrics such as revenue, sales, cost and sessions on a daily basis of all your clients.

This table provides a quick overview of client metrics, focusing on changes and highlighting any concerns. Metrics including Sessions, Cost, Conversions/Leads and Revenue.  Columns can be sorted based on actual change or percentage change.  The table also allows you to drill down into specific client data to identify which channels are driving changes, helping you to spot performance issues.

 2) Agency Overview Table:

This table offers a comprehensive overview of client metrics across different dimensions.

Data can be sorted by any column, for easy comparison and analysis. The table also includes the ASK BOSCO® Index, providing a holistic view of client/agency performance. NB: Columns such as Cost and Revenue don’t have currency symbols in order to support global client coverage – there is a separate currency column to clarify this aspect.

3. Agency Drill Down Table:

This table provides a deeper dive into client metrics, particularly at the channel level, offering granular insights into performance. Similar to the Agency Overview, the Drill Down table allows a more detailed analysis of client performance at a more specific level.

What can Agency Leaders gain from this level of Agency Client reporting?

GREATER VISIBILITY: Agency leaders including Founders, CEOs, COOs, Directors, and Operational Leads will gain a greater level of transparency on how all their clients are performing and save time with this new dashboard and report.

IMPROVED EFFICIENCY: Saves time by streamlining reporting and team meetings through a consolidated view of client metrics.

PROACTIVE MONITORING: Enables teams to proactively address performance issues with all relevant data readily available.

COMPETITIVE EDGE: Empowers leaders to stay ahead of the game by leveraging actionable insights from the dashboard.

Watch our 3-minute walkthrough of the ASK BOSCO® Agency Reporting feature:

Watch below or on our Youtube channel here.

The post Introducing the new ASK BOSCO® Agency Reporting Dashboard & Reports appeared first on ASK BOSCO®.

This integration allows seamless access to in-app purchase and subscription event data from Play directly within Google Analytics. Let’s delve into what this integration brings for marketers.

Unveiling enhanced reports 

The integration of GA4 with Google Play goes beyond standard analytics limits. Reports are enriched with in-app purchase and subscription metrics, providing marketers with a comprehensive view of user interactions. For instance, the In-app Purchases report becomes a valuable tool for gaining a deeper understanding of the monetary aspects of user engagement. 

Understanding the linking dynamics 

The integration operates on a meticulous 1:1 basis, where each Google Analytics 4 app data stream links to a specific Play app. This linkage, governed by the app package name, brings with it certain limitations. A crucial rule dictates that a singular Google Analytics 4 app data stream can be linked to only one Play app. However, flexibility prevails as multiple app data streams can coexist within the same GA4 property, facilitating a tailored approach to analytics. 

Unrestricted structural freedom 

This integration gives you the freedom to set up your Google Analytics and Google Play accounts the way you like. You can link Analytics data to Play apps in different developer accounts or connect Play apps to data in separate Analytics accounts. It’s flexible and works well with various organizational structures. 

Data availability and lifecycle 

Starting to collect data in Analytics is easy once you create the Play link. But it’s important to know that data stops being collected in certain situations. This happens when you unpublish or remove the app from Play, unlink Analytics app data streams, or move the Play app to a different developer account. Also, it’s crucial to understand that links created in Analytics between Play and GA4 properties are separate from links to Firebase projects.

Navigating prerequisites 

Before embarking on this analytics journey, certain prerequisites must be met. Matching package names between Analytics and Play, a functional data stream for the Android app, and a Play developer account with Admin permissions are essential. To create or delete a link, Editor roles on the Google Analytics 4 property and Admin permissions on the Play developer account are prerequisites. 

Simplifying the linking process 

Creating a Play link in Analytics is a streamlined process. Under Product links in the Admin section, the Google Play links option guides you through the necessary steps. From selecting the app to verifying the auto-selected app data stream, the process culminates in submitting your configuration settings. 

To sum it up, the connection between Google Analytics 4 and Google Play shows how digital analytics is always changing. It gives marketers a better set of tools to uncover detailed insights and see the overall performance of their apps. By learning how to link things, enjoying the flexibility it offers, and meeting the requirements, marketers can use this connection to boost their analytics skills.  

If you’d like to learn more or need help with GA4, feel free to get in touch with the ASK BOSCO® team and we’ll be more than happy to help you out.  

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Benefits: 

1. Import Google Analytics Conversions into Your Google Ads Account
2. Enhance Your Google Ads Remarketing with Google Analytics Audience Data
3. See Your Google Ads Campaigns in the Google Ads Campaigns Report
4. Access New Google Ads Dimensions in the GA4 User Acquisition Report

Permissions: 

Before diving into the linking process, ensure you have the necessary permissions: 

– To link your property to Google Ads, your Google account must have the Editor role for the specific property. 

– Make sure to use the same Google account in both Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads. 

A Step-by-Step Guide: 

Step 1: Google Analytics 4 Admin 

1. Log in to your Google Analytics account. 

1. Navigate to the Admin section and under Product links, click on “Google Ads links.” 

Step 2: Linking Google Ads 

1. Click “Link.” 

1. Select the specific Google Ads accounts you wish to link by clicking “Choose Google Ads accounts.” 

• Note: If your desired Google Ads account isn’t listed, ensure proper permissions. 

1. Confirm your selection by clicking “Confirm.” 

1. Progress through the linking process by clicking “Next.” 

Customization Options:  

• By default, “Enable Personalized Advertising” is activated. Customize it according to your preferences. 
• Optionally enable auto-tagging or adjust auto-tagging settings under “Enable Auto-Tagging.” 

1. Click “Next” to proceed. 

1. Review your configured settings to ensure alignment with your preferences. 

1. Click “Submit” to solidify the link, seamlessly connecting your Google Ads and GA4 accounts with the current settings. 

Congratulations! You’ve successfully established a seamless connection between Google Analytics 4 and Google Ads. If you’d like to learn more or need help with GA4, feel free to get in touch with the ASK BOSCO® team and we’ll be more than happy to help you out. 

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