Since its launch, GA4 has introduced a number of enhancements and new features designed to provide a more complete and accurate view of user behavior across multiple devices and platforms. In this post we'll explore the most recent updates and how these innovations can help your business make more informed and strategic decisions.
The "time lapse" report
In Universal Analytics, the "time lapse" report was available under Conversions ➤ Multichannel Funnels ➤ Time Lapse. This report allowed you to view the number of conversions and revenue based on time span in days, with filtering options at the global and Google Ads level.
In GA4, the time lapse information is now found under Advertising ➤ Attribution ➤ Conversion paths. This report was originally called "days to conversion" and is now called "days to key event".
One of the advantages of the new report is the higher level of breakdown (pIt allows you to view this information at the channel group level and filter by source, media and campaign) and its greater level of detail (more detailed and granular analysis compared to Universal Analytics).
As a disadvantage, this report may provide distorted data due to unassigned channels. The summation of all channels may not be accurate due to the inclusion of channels as "Unassigned". On the other hand, it does not allow the use of custom channel groups, which limits the display of the total Google Ads span.
This report is very useful especially for e-commerce with long time lapses. Its consultation helps to adjust metrics and expectations in Google Ads campaigns based on the actual conversion moment.
In this same report you can find GA4's "path length", which is now renamed "touch points before key event"; Number of ad interactions required for users to complete a conversion.
New statistics and recommendations section
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced a new section on statistics and recommendations which provides actionable and personalized insights based on user behavior and website performance. This section is designed to help users identify opportunities for improvement and optimize their digital marketing strategies.
The new trend detection feature focuses on identifying subtle but significant changes in data over time. Unlike anomaly detection, which focuses on identifying outliers or sharp deviations, trend detection looks for progressive patterns that may indicate changes in user or market behavior.
- Longitudinal analysis: It allows you to observe how certain metrics and KPIs evolve over time, providing a more detailed and in-depth perspective.
- Visualization of trends: GA4 offers visualization tools to represent these trends in a clear and understandable way, facilitating the identification of long-term patterns.
- Actions based on trends: With these insights, users can make informed decisions to adjust their marketing strategies, such as modifying campaigns, optimizing content, or adjusting audience segmentation.
Early identification of emerging trends can give companies a competitive advantage by enabling them to adapt quickly to new patterns of behavior.
Export directly from reports to scan
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has introduced a new option that allows you to export reports directly to a tab of Explore. Now, you can use any standard report in GA4 and export it directly to a tab in GA4. Explore.
This feature allows you to start from a predefined template, rather than starting from scratch, which can be particularly useful for those who are less familiar with advanced data exploration tools.
Benefits
Facilitates the process of creating custom reports by providing a starting point based on existing reports.
Saves time by avoiding the need to rebuild complex report configurations from scratch.
Allows users to adjust and customize reports to their specific needs once exported to Explore.
Limitations
Even if you are looking at long-term metrics through the report, the Scan tab will automatically adjust the range because the scan periods must include dates between the previous two months and the previous day. If one of your segments contains user data, the period is automatically limited to 93 days from the start date.
How to use the function
- Navigate to any standard report in GA4 that you wish to explore further.
- Look for the "Export this report for analysis" option located at the top right.
- Once exported, the report will be opened in the Explore. Here you can modify, filter and adjust the data according to your needs. You can add new dimensions, metrics and apply advanced filters for deeper insights.
Advertising reports
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has launched in beta the "Conversion Performance" report within the Advertising section, designed to provide a detailed view of the performance of advertising conversions.
To use this report, you need to link your Google Ads account and select the desired conversion goals, making sure to import the conversion actions from Analytics to Google Ads. This report allows you to analyze conversions by time of conversionThe report provides a comprehensive view of conversion performance over time and segmentation by channel groups. Currently in beta, this report seeks to evaluate its usability and gather feedback for future enhancements, offering advanced tools to optimize marketing strategies and maximize ROI.
Real-time graphs and reports.
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) has implemented significant enhancements to its real-time reporting, offering users a more detailed and customizable view of website traffic. These updates enable deeper, real-time analysis of user behaviors, making it easier to detect anomalies and evaluate performance during key events.
- UA introduced in 2022 the option to query the number of users in the last 5 minutes.
- In GA4 you can now also consult the number of users in the last 5 minutes. This feature provides a more immediate and detailed view of recent traffic, which is crucial for monitoring the impact of real-time campaigns, product launches, or promotions.
On the other hand, previously, the graphs in GA4 did not allow selecting the frequency of analysis. Now, users can choose between different frequency options: day, week, and month.
This functionality offers enhanced flexibility to analyze short- and long-term trends, adapting to the specific needs of the analysis.
These functionalities are especially valuable for detecting anomalies and assessing performance in real time during key events, promotions and other critical moments.
Want to make the most of all these new features and take your digital strategy to the next level? At Geotelecomour team of digital marketing experts is here to help you. Contact us at today and find out how we can boost your business by using the latest Google Analytics 4 tools and techniquesTell us more about your project and we will help you!