GA4 allows you to export the data directly in BigQuery. The process is easy to set up but why should you do it is the question that I get asked a lot and then the next obvious question is why. Those are the questions I am going to answer in this post
Why export GA4 data into BigQuery
So far most markers have been dealing with isolated data sources. Web Analytics data has been collected and analyzed in Google Analytics (or Adobe Analytics etc.). Customers' data have stayed in CRM systems/databases. Many organizations keep a lot of data in excel sheets as well as other databases. All this results in disjointed information that is hard to analyze and take action on.
Marketers always wanted to see the complete picture but the cost of integrating the data was something that most organizations never planned for. The powers of the data are generally different which creates yet another issue that is not easy to solve.
However, with Google Analytics 4 (GA4) this is changing. GA4 allows you to seamlessly pass the data from GA4 to BigQuery, a data warehouse system.
Benefits of GA4 and BigQuery Integration
- GA4 allows you to send granular data not just aggregated data that you in Google Analytics 4 interface. This means that you can analyze the data in any way you want, without being constrained by what GA4 reports can provide. There are much deeper insights you can gain from the granular data than what you get with canned GA4 reports. You can even dig deeper into one individual customer, very useful for B2B businesses.
- You can bring in other data sources to augment your web analytics e.g. customer loyalty data, customer's purchase history, return history, discount usage, the content they have consumed, products they have purchased, looked at, etc. You can attach the data to PII data in the database. Using this complete view of customers, you can create better remarketing, drive personalization, better email marketing, etc.
- You can keep historical data as long as you want.
- You can go back to the past data and update it, if needed. This is not possible in the Google Analytics interface but in BigQuery you get that flexibility.
How to Setup GA4 BigQuery Export
I have written complete sets in another blog post, check it at GA4 BigQuery Export; How to setup, step by step.
Top-level steps involve
- Creating a BigQuery Project to store the data
- Setting up the integration in GA4 Admin Panel. The link is available under the property
- Enabling APIs to transfer the data from GA4 to BiGQuery
Need help with GA4 and/or BigQuery?
Reach out to us at support@optizent.com or fill out the form below and we will be in touch. We can not only help you get the most out of your Analytics tools but also train your team.
Other posts you might be interested in
35+ Things About Google Analytics 4 That Will Make You Look Like a Genius
Should You Upgrade to Google Analytics 4 (GA4)