Technology isn’t as smart as people think it is. Assuming our tools are clever enough to figure out what we want to know without additional input is a rookie mistake many businesses make. Unfortunately, this leads marketers to make decisions based on (unintentionally) confabulated reports — potentially tanking their conversion rate. With Universal Analytics set to stop processing new data in 2023, teams that aren’t educated in marketing analytics will struggle to benefit from the more convoluted GA4. But is that a bad thing? And what can analytics consultants do to better support businesses that don’t understand their reports (or read them)?

Today on Marketing Unf*cked, Siobhan and Russell chat with analytics consultant and trainer Jill Quick about the future of marketing analytics. Listen in as we delve into what GA4 and helicopters have in common, discuss Jill’s unique approach to analytics audits, and debate whether there’s really such a thing as a free (and good) out-of-the-box data analytics tool.

In this episode:

• Why is it so important for digital marketers to understand how their data is collected and processed?
• Can we unf*ck digital marketing by validating our collection strategies and aiming for a more honest perspective?
• Marketers need to figure out what questions they’re trying to answer before turning to their data.
• What are the consequences of businesses relying too heavily on out-of-the-box solutions?
• Is there any point in collecting data on everything if it’s never going to be used? Can we say the same for expensive analytics tools?
• People don’t use tools because they don’t understand how to use them or because they don’t trust the data they collect.
• Understanding what’s important to each team, from marketing to professional services, helps tie their goals together to create a cohesive company-wide objective.
• Are quick and dirty audits valuable, or should consultants push businesses by asking difficult questions, leading to more in-depth reports?
• Businesses that lack the education needed to decipher in-depth reports won’t benefit from using GA4 — and that’s ok.
• Building a network as a freelancer is just as important as the work you do and your marketing.
• Has shifting to GA4 forced people to think more critically about how they collect and use data?
• How will moving into an era where we pay for analytics change the landscape?
• Why technology is not as smart as people think.
• How do we help businesses shift from thinking, ‘What can Google answer’ to ‘What should I be asking Google?’
• Will Google’s lack of documentation and guidance for GA4 become a problem? Do they care?

Resources:

Jill on LinkedIn

Jill’s website

Jill on Twitter