Quoting a Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Migration Setup
Written By: Shane Clark on May 10, 2022
It is slightly over a year before Google Analytics 4 (GA4) becomes the sole method to report your website data from the Google Analytics dashboard. I figured this was as good a time as any to do a deep dive into how to accurately quote the migration from Universal Analytics (UA) to GA4. Quoting a GA4 migration with any level of accuracy requires understanding all the moving parts involved.
I propose at least getting GA4 up and collecting raw data in many cases. Getting the data pulling from GA4 and also the data retention set from two months to fourteen months will allow you more time for a more comprehensive migration. This blog post will cover the most important questions and provide detailed descriptions of why they are essential to consider.
This blog post is an excellent next step after your initial outreach informing your client of the pending Universal Analytics(UA) to Google Analytics 4(GA4) mandatory switch. I have a recent blog post titled “Google Analytics 4 Communication Strategies for Marketing Agencies“. If you are a web development/marketing agency, that article is one that my clients have found helpful.
Coming Up with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Migration Packages
Coming up with a bronze, silver, and gold package for a GA4 migration can be difficult. I have been offering for a few hours of billable time a basic GA4 setup that includes a list of recommendations.
Basic GA4 setup w/ Minimal Conversion Goals
Description – the most basic setup with just GA4 pulling raw data running parallel with UA. The assumption is that UA will continue to be the primary source of data being viewed and managed for the following year. Recommendations are given based on the current setup & traffic provided. Google Tag Manager is set up in the website’s header as the primary data feed as per best practices.
Setup Time: 2 hours
To be able to accurately quote a GA4 migration outside the most basic installation of GA4 pulling raw data the following items will need to be considered:
- The principal decision-maker(s) should understand both the newest features and limitations of GA4 compared to UA
- Have all the necessary logins been provided?
- The current setup of Google Tag Manager conversion goals
- The number of conversion goals to be create/migrated in GA4
- Any audience lists that need to be created/migrated
- Number (and complexity) of Google Data Studio reports replacing UA views
- Paid / organic traffic to justify the setup of advanced GA4 reporting features (events)
- Have the expectations been set for the budget for the GA4 migration?
- What is the technical level of primary analytics user(s)
- Is this an e-commerce site?
- Is data coming from multiple sources (websites/apps)?
The Principal Decision-maker(s) Should Understand Both the Newest Features and Limitations of GA4 Compared to UA
Effective communication is important to understand what GA4 features are available. This is to better decide what features to implement within your reporting dashboard. I suggest going over this using screen sharing to demonstrate how data reporting is handled and the GA4 interface changes.
Have All the Necessary Logins been Provided?
One area I find that runs up hours more than anything is the lack of/improper logins. If possible, I will try to get the administrator to add me to the account vs. logging in with provided logins. I can sidestep some of the authentication issues by the administrator adding me directly to the Google account(s).
Here is the account access you will need at a minimum:
- Google Analytics
- Google Tag Manager
Here are the accounts you may need depending on the setup requirements:
- Google Data Studio
- Google Ads
The Current Setup of Google Tag Manager Conversion Goals
To quote a GA4 migration accurately, you will need a firm understanding of any current setup with Universal Analytics. It is essential to evaluate the current Google Tag Manager (GTM) goals to be able to provide both timeline and hours needed to migrate the GTM conversion goals to GA4.
The Number of Conversion Goals You Must Create/Migrate in GA4
Once you have a firm understanding of the current GTM setup, you will need to evaluate the number of conversion goals that you must migrate or create from scratch. The number of conversion goals should be based on the data tracking need of the website/app, the traffic, and the client budget.
Any Audience Lists that You Need to Create/Migrate
It is vital to look for current audience lists in the evaluation process. In some cases, the audience lists will exist in Universal Analytics (UA) but they will be part of newly ascertained requirements in others. These audience lists can be an important part of Google Ads remarketing.
Number (and complexity) of Google Data Studio Reports Replacing UA Views
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) no longer has filtered views. GA4 depends on more complex events for reporting. I recommend replacing the filtered UA views with the corresponding Google Data Studio report. In most cases, the number of Google Data Studio reports you need to create will relate to the original views in active use. In many cases, you should be able to combine multiple views into a single report with delineated filters that you can create in your Google Data Studio reports.
Paid / Organic Traffic to Justify the Setup of Advanced GA4 Reporting Features (Events)
Understanding the volume of traffic from both organic and paid sources is crucial to be able to quote a migration plan that makes sense. A recommendation for a contractor website with 400 unique visitors a month may differ from ones with ten times that amount of traffic. Different strategies and opportunities can exist for a site with a greater traffic volume.
The same idea exists with paid ads. A website/app running a larger paid Google Ads campaign should have a more well-defined data tracking strategy. GA4 has event-driven features that allow for more advanced data tracking. I recommend getting the amount in total marketing ad spend total and the average monthly traffic across all sources.
Have You Set Expectations for the Budget for the GA4 Migration?
To maintain a positive relationship with your clients, I strongly recommend setting the expectations on the cost/budget of the GA4 migration before starting any work. Nobody likes an unexpected bill that can sour a client relationship. You should set expectations on total cost at the beginning. I recommend providing the client options and an associated cost/hours for specific features implemented in the GA4 environment.
What is the Technical Level of Primary Analytics User(s)
To gauge what GA4 migration strategy is best, you will want to understand the technical level and also the roles of any/all participants. Maybe the parties responsible are less technically engaged. In this case, you may lean more on UA views replicated back to Google Data Studio reports. In the case of a more advanced user base, you may create more advanced custom reports that your client can modify as needed.
Is this an e-commerce site?
The type of GA4 events created will be based on the user/business model of the website/app. An e-commerce website will have different conversion tracking requirements vs. a non-e-commerce site. It is critical to understand the organic/paid traffic, even when determining that the website/app has e-commerce enabled. Understanding the volume of organic/paid traffic allows for more informed data tracking/strategic planning.
Data coming from multiple sources (websites/apps)?
GA4 allows for data tracking from multiple data streams. In most cases, this only applies to a more advanced GA4 migration job. Ensure there are not multiple website domains /apps that should be part of the same GA4 data stream as part of your inquiry process. I have run across this when there exist two different CMS systems integrated. An example is when you build a site (shop.website.com) with the Shopify platform, while you build the root site (website.com) with a CMS such as WordPress.
Gathering the Necessary Information
I have created a Google Form that I use to gather the information required to plan a GA4 migration strategy. I kept in mind the audience’s technical level when I designed the form. In some cases, the questionnaire’s recipient may not even understand a conversion goal.
Summary
Quoting a Google Analytics 4 migration can be tricky. It is essential to gather all the information possible to provide a quote to your clients accurately. I have provided my methodologies for information gathering that I hope helps. Please feel free to contact me if you are looking for SEO, Google Ads, or Google Analytics 4(GA4) migration assistance.
