Beginning July 1, 2023, Google will be changing the way traffic is tracked on your website by implementing Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Sokal has been anticipating this change and has actively been preparing not only our clients for this shift, but also our internal teams. Check out what we have been doing to get ready for GA4.
According to a recent post from Brian Pasch,
"After inspecting dozens of GA4 accounts for dealers, it is clear that many certified Google Ads agency in OEM co-op programs are NOT ready to support all their dealers prior to the July 1st cutover to GA4."
Over the past year, Sokal has been working diligently to get our teams ready for the switch. We have created a cross-departmental group that has been diving deep into GA4 and learning how it will work, how it is changing, and how we can best support our clients. Key team leads have done additional training (through Lydian Stone) to fully leverage GA4s strength and abilities across all areas of the agency
In continuing our dedication to always being client-focused, Sokal has been on the forefront of implementing early changes with GA4. As Google transitions into this new analytic age, Sokal has worked diligently to make sure all of our clients have accurate historical data to ensure that nothing is lost during the transition. We’ve even gone as far as working with other website providers to make sure their sites are set-up correctly and tracking prior to the July 1 launch. Since August of 2022, we’ve successfully transitioned close to 350 Accounts. Current clients have already been active and recording data for nearly 8 months.
With Google’s current Universal Analytics system, there hasn’t been any true standards of reporting for the automotive industry. In order to rectify this problem with GA4, Sokal joined forces with Brian Pasch Enterprises (BPE) as a founding member of the Automotive Standards Council (ASC). This council is made up of auto dealers, vendors, and manufactures who are passionate about creating and guiding universal analytic standards for the industry. Over the past year, Sokal has been heavily involved in establishing GA4 standards across all websites and technology platforms, worked to publish standards for all events, goals, and reporting, and attended monthly meetings with BPE. By being a part of this council, Sokal has once again shown its commitment not only to our clients, but also to the automotive industry.
As with anything new, there will be many questions, but given the extensive training our staff has been through, maintaining a strong client-focused approach, and continuing our industry involvement, Sokal will be able to seamlessly implement GA4 analytics and hopefully give our clients a better snapshot of the traffic to their website.