Data and website analytics have been rapidly changing the business landscape for quite some time now. This has resulted in even more attention and investment being dedicated to this field in order to uncover new opportunities and give businesses an advantage over their competitors. Those with a finger on the pulse of the latest tools and trends in data and analytics are usually the ones to get ahead.
With 2024 upon us, we've compiled a list of the five biggest website analytics trends we predict for 2024. From the continued rise of BigQuery adoption to the transformative impact of machine learning and AI, there are some huge changes on the horizon. Check our predictions below so that you can get a jump on shaping your data strategy accordingly.
1. Continued BQ Adoption Driven by GA4 Export
BigQuery (BQ), Google's powerful cloud-based data warehouse, has steadily gained traction over the past few years thanks to its scalability and ability for real-time analysis. Now, with its integration for Google Analytics 4 (GA4) available to all users, the platform is set to become even more common across the industry. Combining one of the biggest data warehouse platforms on the market with the biggest analytics platform means businesses can process and derive actionable insights from their data more efficiently than ever before.
2. Leveraging of Machine Learning and AI
The latest advances in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) were probably the most talked-about tech topics in 2023. This coming year, there is no doubt that organizations will increasingly turn to ML and AI to uncover hidden patterns within their data. Beyond descriptive analytics, predictive and prescriptive analytics fueled by these technologies will drive smarter decision-making. From optimizing operations to personalized customer experiences, the utilization of ML and AI will become a foundational pillar in data strategies across industries.
3. Digital Marketers Prioritizing Access to BQ Datasets Over Visualizations
As digital marketers become more familiar and comfortable working with data, they're shifting their focus away from pre-made visualizations. Instead, more and more of them are diving straight into the data themselves. This is also due to the ease of access that platforms like BQ provide to users. Now marketers can perform granular analysis, extract nuanced insights, and build highly targeted campaigns, and this will only continue over the coming year.
4. Increase in Server-Side Tracking as Google Moves Away From Third-Party Cookies
With Google and Google Chrome phasing out support for third-party cookies, the adoption of server-side tracking is set to skyrocket in 2024. Server-side tracking is an alternative way to collect first-party data from websites that doesn't require the data to be sent through the user's web browser. Organizations are rapidly embracing this new technology because it enables them to gather valuable data while respecting user privacy. Needless to say, this is an important trend to keep an eye on as data security and privacy regulations continue to evolve.
5. Push for Ways to Import More Datasets in BQ
Now that companies understand the importance of data, they're starting to collect quite a bit of it. Of course, the next step is to find ways to utilize that data. As organizations become more savvy with BQ, they will most likely seek ways to import more datasets into the platform. Whether it's combining internal data with external repositories or merging structured and unstructured data, being able to amalgamate multiple datasets provides companies with a more complete picture of their business, which fuels smarter decision-making.
Stay Ahead of the Game in 2024 With Launchpad
With a constant flow of new integrations for the most popular data sources and warehouses, Launchpad is the key to streamlining and optimizing your data pipeline. Let us walk you through what Launchpad can do for you in a free demo.
