Implementing GA4 in Magento eCommerce – presenting our expertise

When was the GA4 first implemented at Panda Group clients’ e-commerces?

The majority of our clients have already adopted the GA4 during the Spring and Summer of 2023. This shift has been primarily driven by marketing agencies and clients who recognize the importance of data in their decision-making process. As businesses become more data-driven, they start to prioritize analytical issues above all else. 

What does the change from UA to GA4 mean for the users?

Once your implementation is complete, you’ll have access to all your historical data in the UA (Universal Analytics) dashboard. However, please note that the data processing rules have changed, so your current dashboard will no longer be functional.

Starting from July 1st, all your data will be seamlessly transferred to the new GA4 dashboard, which offers a completely revamped interface and different data processing capabilities. 

In GA4, the main focus is on tracking and analyzing on-site events and their parameters. Users have the freedom to choose which events they consider important and prioritize for analysis. In cases where direct data is not available, Google Analytics makes educated assumptions to fill in any gaps in the data.

What does the implementation process at Magento e-commerce look like?

The process varied for each client, depending on their specific needs. Some clients are supported by marketing agencies and can provide the necessary analytical requirements. Other clients have the ability to express their needs independently, as their e-commerce teams are knowledgeable in this area. The clue is to know the business goals and the data you want to analyze.

What GA4 implementation situations we have faced recently and can point out?

The most basic situation is when a client wishes to implement a standard option with Google requirements and events defined by the system with a success page as a main point. The situation becomes more complex when there are additional events to implement.

For example when there is an additional payment option existing specifically on a certain market. Unfortunately, existing plugins do not currently support this feature, but fear not! We will adjust and customize your plugins to meet the new requirements. 

And again, this is also the perfect example of when we receive clear requirements from the client’s Agency or directly from the client themselves. 

And how does the GA4 implementation differ from the previous UA implementations?

The implementation process is straightforward. It involves transferring event data from the development site. The data is then sent to Google Tag Manager, where data containers are set up and connected to GA4 for analysis.

We recommend using the Magepal Magento Extension for Google Analytics integration with Magento. We have experience and have checked its compatibility with Magento 1 and 2 as well as Hyva and Mage Suite Themes. 

What to pay attention to when implementing GA4?

When it comes to Google Analytics, it’s essential to rely on knowledgeable agencies and experts to ensure everything is done correctly. The Google documentation can sometimes be confusing, so having experience with Google requirements is important for making the right decisions.

In terms of e-commerce, it’s crucial to have a clear understanding of what you want to measure from a business perspective. This requires the support of a marketing agency or internal team who can help define the necessary events to support your business goals.

We recently faced a situation where there were two data containers, and we needed to decide which one to use. We reached out to the client’s marketing agency and they were able to resolve the issue by determining the appropriate container to keep and removing the other one.