Google’s Universal Analytics (UA) was officially sunsetted on July 1, 2023. That means the platform is no longer collecting your website data. Luckily, the recent launch of Google Analytics 4 (GA4) further enhances how dealerships can interpret their customers’ car-purchasing journeys, potentially reshaping sales and marketing strategies for the better.
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With updated capabilities like improved reporting and analysis tools, cross-device and cross-platform tracking, and A.I.-powered predictive analysis, dealerships can further tighten up their marketing campaigns to get better returns on investments.
To help prepare dealerships to take advantage of all that GA4 has to offer, let’s take a deeper dive into some of the best reasons why migrating to the updated platform is essential to both understanding your customer’s needs and ensuring your business’s growth.
Streamlined Tracking via Enhanced Measurements
GA4’s new “enhanced measurement” feature has impressive out-of-the-box functionality. It can automatically track file downloads, outbound clicks, video interactions, site searches, and scroll events. And no coding is needed since you can enable enhanced measurement via the GA4 interface.
GA4 also improves engagement tracking by replacing the traditional Bounce Rate with more sophisticated metrics: Engaged Sessions and Engagement Time. For instance, visitors are deemed “engaged” if they spend over 10 seconds on your site, view multiple pages/screens, or complete a conversion event. Engagement time is counted only when the webpage or app is in the foreground.
To activate or deactivate enhanced measurement in GA4, follow these steps:
- Access your Google Analytics account and click on “Admin.”
- Ensure you are working within the appropriate account and property.
- In the Property column, navigate to “Data Streams” and select “Web.”
- Locate the “Enhanced measurement” section and toggle the switch to the “On” position to enable all available options.
- If necessary, click on “Settings” to customize individual options to support your specific needs.
Better Sales Insights
To gain a comprehensive understanding of your business performance, tracking sales data in particular is crucial. Luckily, GA4’s sales insights can provide valuable details about that data, including on:
- Conversion Rates: Tracking conversion rates lets you monitor the percentage of visitors converting into customers to pinpoint your most effective marketing channels.
- Machine Learning: GA4 uses Google’s advanced machine learning models to predict user actions, like the likelihood of a website visitor making a car purchase or booking a service appointment. This helps automotive dealerships refine their sales and service strategies.
- Customer Demographics: Understand your target audience’s age, gender, and location to tailor your marketing efforts effectively.
While GA4 offers plenty of advanced analytics to support your dealership’s growth, it’s an always-evolving platform that can be challenging to both navigate and implement. At AutoSweet, we’re here to guide you through every step of implementing and getting the most out of GA4 so you can harness the full potential of your business.
Contact our digital marketing experts today for a free consultation on how to use Google Analytics 4 to bolster your success!
