Automate Web Ingestion with Google Analytics
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the benefits of using the Google Analytics 4 connector for web engagement data in Data 360.
- Explain how the Google Analytics 4 connector automates the web data ingestion process.
- Configure the Google Analytics 4 connection and publish a tag using Google Tag Manager.
Simplify Setup with Google Analytics 4 for Data 360 Web SDK
In the previous unit, you followed NTO’s team as they manually set up NTO’s website to ingest data into Data 360. This involved creating event definitions, data capture rules, adding a JavaScript beacon, and then setting up the data stream. It’s a powerful, flexible method, but it requires a lot of coordination between Data 360 architects and web developers.
What if there was a way to make this entire process quicker, simpler, and more efficient?
With Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and later for Data 360 Web SDK, Data 360 offers an automated, low-code solution for ingesting web engagement data. This is particularly beneficial if your business already uses GA4 to track customer interactions on your website. Instead of building components manually, the GA4 connection type uses existing Google Analytics event structures to automate the following tasks.
- Creation of custom event definitions
- Creation of data capture rules
- Deployment of JavaScript beacon scripts/tags
- Creation of data streams
- Mapping of data lake objects (DLOs) to data model objects (DMOs)
- Identity resolution (optional)
This dramatically reduces the complexity and time needed to get your web engagement data flowing.
Availability
This functionality works in GA4 and later.
Automated Setup at Your Fingertips
NTO’s new website for its subbrand uses GA4 to collect data on user behavior. Now NTO wants to bring that data into Data 360 to unlock new insights about its customers and take action through personalized marketing campaigns. Before, Pia would have to coordinate with the IT department to ingest that data. With GA4 for Data 360 Web SDK, she can do most of the work by herself.
To connect a website with GA4, Pia completes the following steps in Setup.
- In Salesforce, select Setup.
- Select Data Cloud Setup.
- Select Website & Mobile Apps.
- Select New Connection or Set Up Your First Connection.
- Enter the connection name. Pia names her connection NTO_GA4_Connection.
- Select A Website with Google Analytics.
- Select Next.
- Select Start Automated Setup.
Now that Pia has set up the connection, it’s time to determine what user behavior Data 360 should track.
Track High-Value Customer Events
Luckily for Pia, so much of the process has been automatically set up for her.
Data 360 automatically creates event definitions for recommended and standard Google Analytics events. Pia can check what’s been created by selecting View Definitions and add definitions for custom events outside of Google Analytics if needed.
By default, the automated setup sets the refresh mode for profile events to partial refresh. With this setting, Data 360 only replaces specific fields when it receives new data. If Pia switches to incremental refresh, the entire record is replaced when new data arrives. She keeps in mind that this mode replaces the entire record, which can sometimes overwrite her existing data with blank values.
Data 360 also automatically creates data capture rules for all the Google Analytics event definitions, defining how to process the engagement data from those events. If Pia added a custom event definition, she can specify how data should be ingested for this new event by selecting Set Rules and updating the data capture JavaScript file.
Now, Pia selects a data space for where the web engagement data should live, and she can start configuring Data 360.
Map Google Analytics 4 Streams to NTO Business Needs with Data 360
To configure Data 360, Pia selects Let’s Get Started. Data 360 then automatically creates data streams, mappings, and identity resolution based on the Google Analytics events.
Since Pia added a custom event with custom fields earlier, she needs to make sure the fields are mapped to the correct Data 360 DMOs. She selects Map Custom Fields and is taken to the Data Streams page, where she configures custom mappings.
Start Collecting Data with Google Tag Manager
Now Pia needs to integrate Data 360 with the Google Analytics website. Before she would have to wait on the web development team to have bandwidth to coordinate and embed a JavaScript beacon on the website. While she can still do this, now, Pia can use Google Tag Manager to push a tag by herself.
Pia selects Push A Tag Using Google Tag Manager. She authenticates into Google Tag Manager and selects an account, a container, and a workspace. She asks her Google Tag Manager admin to review and publish the tag, and asks her Salesforce admin to configure the consent agreement.
Pia breathes a sigh of relief. Whew! That went so much faster than setting up the components manually. Now she can focus on improving the NTO customer experience with the new insights gained from Data 360.
In Summary
In this unit, you explored how NTO captures and analyzes crucial website data in Data 360, both through a custom website connection and a GA4 connection. NTO now combines various data sources to gain insights and improve the customer experience. This integration helps the company grow while keeping customers happy. Now it’s your turn! Start using your web engagement data in Data 360 to build stronger connections with your customers.