Dear Google Analytics 4,
It's the most wonderful time of the year! With the holiday season in full swing, we knew you would be interested in seeing our Google Analytics 4 (GA4) wish list, after all it has been an interesting year of GA change.
Let's preface this wishlist and point out that the Google Analytics product has provided years of valuable analytics at little or no cost to the majority of its users. So, here at Calibrate we are definitely GA lovers and are truly thankful for everything Google has done and will continue to do to advance digital marketing and web measurement. As we have observed new users adopting the Google Analytics 4 platform there have been common feature / function requests. This wishlist is here to serve all who make the nice-ish list and want to continue using Google Analytics 4 as their source of truth for web and app measurement! Let's be jolly and get into this.
With all of the transition that happened in the past few years, we are nostalgic for some of our favorite Google Universal Analytics (GA UA) features as well as a few suggestions (wishlist!) for ideas to improve GA4.
Here are the top gifts we humbly ask Google for this holiday season:
- Bring Views & Filters back
- The ability to publish all Explores
- Allow for streaming data to multiple BigQuery projects
- Add same day data in the User Interface
- Add Total Item Quantity as a parent metric
Views:
The ability to create different views allows users to customize their analytics experience by segmenting data based on specific criteria. This feature has been integral in Universal Analytics (GA UA) and has proven invaluable for users with diverse reporting needs. The inclusion of views in GA4 would provide users with a more tailored and efficient way to analyze and interpret their data.
Filters:
Filters are another essential tool that allows users to refine data sets based on specific parameters. This functionality is crucial for eliminating noise and focusing on relevant information. Integrating filters into GA4 would empower users to fine-tune their analytics data, enhancing the accuracy and relevance of their reports.
Publishing Explores:
Introducing the ability to publish every Explore directly to the library would be a game-changer for users seeking a more streamlined and organized approach to managing their analytics resources. This feature would facilitate the easy retrieval and sharing of every Explore, allowing for increased collaboration and efficiency among teams.
Support Multiple BigQuery Streams
Currently, the ability to configure only one BigQuery stream per account is a limitation that restricts users who may have diverse reporting needs or manage multiple projects within a single Google Analytics account. Allowing users to configure multiple BigQuery streams would significantly enhance the flexibility and scalability of the platform and help to further democratize data.
Same Day Reporting
While GA4 has undoubtedly made significant strides, We would like to bring to your attention a specific area that could benefit from an enhancement—same day reporting. The ability to access more real-time data and insights within the same day would greatly contribute to the agility and responsiveness of users in adapting their strategies and decision-making processes.
Add Total Item Quantity
Lastly, we ask for a specific metric that we believe would significantly enhance the analytical capabilities of both Google Analytics API and Looker Studio—the addition of a "Total Item Quantity" metric, or an aggregate of all of the items included in the corresponding event's items object. As businesses increasingly rely on e-commerce analytics, having a metric that directly represents the total quantity of items sold or engaged with would be immensely valuable for users.
Your commitment to providing a robust analytics platform is evident, and we look forward to your continued commitment to helping webmasters and digital marketers improve the Internet by providing a free, robust analytics platform that is decorated with actionable insights.
Sincerely,
Calibrate Analytics
