GA4 has had “mixed” reviews since it was pushed out to replace Universal Analytics. Those who praise it tend to be the ones that are a little more technical. GA4 has a huge array of potential benefits, but it does feel like you need a coding background to get the best out of them.
However, there are a few quick and simple things you can do that will drastically improve your experience with GA4. Below are 3 simple tips to improve your GA4 experience, as well as a little extra that is a little more complicated but could prove very important in the long run.
Set Your Data Retention to 14 Months
Your events data retention will default to 2 months. Go into your analytics and update this to 14 months. If you don’t do this, you will struggle to do longer term comparisons which can cause chaos reports and exploration sections of analytics.
To do this:
Go to GA4
Click on Admin
Click on “Data Collection and Modification”
Click on “Data Retention”
Set “Event Data” to 14 months
Save
Link it to other properties
One of the key benefits of GA4 is how it links up data from all other Google properties. However, it can only do that if you link it…
Key properties to link are Google Ads and Google search console. Linking them up gives us access to a wider range of reports, which makes it a lot easier to understand your overall performance
Do this by:
Go to GA4
Go to Admin
Click on “Product Links”
Select the Product you would like to link (in this case, Search Console)
Link the product via the form
Save
Make the Most of Looker Reports
Looker/Data Studio is a Google Property I have a “mixed” relationship with. When Google Data Studio came out, we all got very excited and thought we could automate all our reporting. Turns out, we were wrong. The reports can be sluggish, fickle and difficult to set up.
That doesn’t mean they arent useful though…
One of GA4’s biggest problems is that it isn’t as easy to use as Google Analytics. A simple way around this is to build a Looker report that has the bulk of the views you wanted from analytics built into it.
You don’t have to build it yourself. You could use the GA4 template that is built into Looker or you could download a copy of one I have adapted. This report contains all the high level trends you would need to see from landing pages through to year on year channel trends.
If you would like to use my report as a base, then do the following:
Select your data source (if its not listed, click “create data source” and select the analytics account of your choice)
Add in the extra bits you need and remove what you dont
Extra – Export to Big Query and Google Cloud
When technical people say the words “Big Query” and “Google Cloud” it tends to bring people out in a cold sweat. It doesnt need to though. In this instance, they are just different places to store the data and to play with it.
Think of Google Cloud as your hard drive in the sky, and Big Query as really grown up Excel.
Doing this allows you to:
Store your data over the long term, beyond the 14 months highlighted above
More easily compare metrics and dimensions than in GA4 itself
We Work are one of the best-known providers of office space in the world. They have office space available in the US, all the way through Europe, to the middle East and Asia. Yet in November of 2024 it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US. They cited rising interest rates and a falling demand in office space (due to home working) as the main causes.
However, the current market does not reflect that. Whilst flexible/hybrid working has increased, there is a shift in people going or trying to go back into the office. We are also seeing more freelancers, startups, and small consultancies than ever before. They should be seen as key targets for WeWork’s original model.
Neumann, the founder and former owner of the company, is also desperately trying to buy or refinance the company, highlighting that there may well be more opportunity for a brand like WeWork to thrive moving forward.
Rise – Why WeWork?
Founded in 2010 in Manhattan, we work quickly grew to be one of the fastest growing companies in the world with a valuation of $47 billion in 2019. WeWork’s strengths came down to how it set itself apart from the wider market:
Flipping the traditional office model
Rather than focusing on larger, longer term office leasing, WeWork pushed more flexible coworking spaces. This catered particularly well to small businesses and start ups who needed the space, but lacked the funds of major offices.
Community and Culture
Alongside developing a proposition for these startups and freelancers, they also focused on building a community within the spaces. The idea was that it created office space that allowed smaller businesses to grow, collaborate and network.
Design and Freebies
The office spaces were not just being functional, but cool. They often were equipped with high end furnishings and freebies like good quality coffee, and even beer on tap.
Branding and Marketing
All of these features helped to place WeWork as one of the best places for up-and-coming businesses. They leant into this image and kept pushing on it, aiming to become one a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. This in turn attracted larger businesses who were keen to benefit from WeWork’s strengths.
Investment and Aggressive Expansion
WeWork were aggressive early on, attracting significant investments from major venture capitalists and financial institutions. This further fuelled their expansion, with growth domestically in the US, but also internationally with them now having over 700 locations in 39 countries.
Fall – The dangers of overreaching
With all those features, it’s easy to see why WeWork initially did so well. Yet, those same features were major factors in its decline.
Overexpansion and High Costs
The aggressive expansion not only left it with a massive footprint, but also with massive bills. For WeWork to fulfil the needs of its target market, it needed long leases in prime locations. With increasing competition and changing market conditions, these became increasingly expensive, driving up the financial burden for the company.
Management and Governance issues
The initial focus for the business was to drive growth, not profit. This caused issues with wider management and investment, especially when the business tried to go public in 2019. This led to a restructure and the founder Adam Neumann stepping down.
Covid and a changing market
WeWork were massively impacted by Covid. Lockdowns forced people to work from home, so there was no need for costly office leases. This lead a lot of businesses to cancelled or not renew their leases. The move to remote working has also seen some businesses (particularly startups and freelancers) de-prioritise office space. This meant that WeWork were left with long leases on prime real estate, but no one to rent them.
These issues have combined to push WeWork into filing for bankruptcy. However, as Neumann’s attempt at repurchasing the company shows, there is more opportunity for brands like this than ever before…
Flexible workspace for a flexible market
The strengths that WeWork have may fit the market we have today better than it did pre-pandemic. Working now is more flexible, there are more startups than before and people need a good reason to come into the office.
New Companies are on the rise
Companies formed in the UK reached a peak last year, with more new businesses starting in 2023 than pre or post pandemic. Most will start off working remotely, but its likely that they will want some kind of office space soon.
Changing Requirements
The previous WeWork model pushed the idea that great offices had to be in prime locations. Since the pandemic though, people have preferred to stay closer to home, although not necessarily “at home”. Since the pandemic, there has been a rise in searches for “office space to rent near me”. In contrast, broader searches like “flexible office space” continue to decline. Workers may want an office experience, but do not want to travel far to get it.
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
Those in London and the South East had the least amount commuting, with around 40% of workers working mainly at home. However, further north, commuters were more likely to travel into work, albeit to one close by. With people looking for more office space “near me,” it shows people might want to go to an office, but on their terms.
Since the Pandemic proved that people could work at home and still be productive, it has been hard to get workers back into the office. This has led to an increasing number of businesses offering more in office perks, with updated décor, coffee machines, gyms and stocked kitchens.
These changes reflect what WeWork started out doing. They offered high quality, flexible office space that helped to foster a community feeling. This would work well again, but instead of focusing on prime real estate, focus on commuting costs and ease
What does the future look like?
After a difficult period over Covid and a transition to “Hybrid working,” the office market is making a steady comeback. Search volumes for terms like “office space” have picked up and stabilised, whilst terms like “shared office space” and “office space to rent” have seen small, but steady levels of growth.
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
This is likely to only increase when we think about the types of businesses being created in 2023. Online Businesses and Consultancy services start off from home, but will need an office as they expand.
Due to the nature of their businesses, flexible office space, which provides a comfortable but professional setting would be a great way for them to grow. But there are going to be things that are important for Office providers to take into account.
Desk Types and Comfort
Standing desks are not going away. The chart below shows the difference between standing, small and large desk searches. During covid searches for “small” and “standing desks” saw a steady rise. Since then small desks have dropped off to pre-covid levels, but standing desks have held at their increased level.
People want to be healthier and see standing desks as an opportunity to do that. Having an office space that takes this into account will be far more attractive to the average office goer.
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
In contrast though, hot desking is on the way out. After covid there was a massive rise in searches for this whilst people got used to homeworking. Since then though, searches have been in a slight decline. It seems as though people are now used to working form home and don’t need hot desks.
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
If people are going to give up working from home, there needs to be a good reason to do it. Things like standing desks are going to draw people back, alongside things like coffee machines and spacious office space. Knight Frank talk about this in their The Future of Office Design report. In it they highlight that the focus should be on employee wellbeing, reimagining the space and making it more experiencial.
Value vs Cost
The UK is in recession so cost is having a bigger impact on businesses decision making. Generally, having people work from home is cheaper, so in an era of rising costs an office has to provide value.
However, a recent report from Workthere on the Flexible Office Market in 2023 showed that costs were rising, with London private office desk costs actually rising beyond where they were pre-covid. In contrast, those outside of London have risen, but no where near as much. With commutes being longer and potential WFH options being better, those with office space outside of the capital cannot raise prices like they once did.
Truely Hybrid Working
Hybrid working is now the norm for some jobs, with 36% of people working from home at least some of the time according to the ONS. With this in mind its important for those in the office to be able to communicate effectively with those working elsewhere. This means your internet connection is more important than ever.
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
The table above shows the rise in searches for “business internet” and “business wifi” with more searchers than ever looking for improved speeds and reliability. If offices can offer faster and more reliable WIFI than at home, then its another reason to head back into the office.
The Impact of “The Great British Summer”
Over the past few summers we have seen temperatures in the UK pushing 30-40 degrees. Whilst this heat is fine on a beach in Spain, its stifiling when in the middle of a city. This is shown when we look at peaks in searches for “air conditioning”:
Number of “keyword” searches per month. Data taken from keyword planner
Offices are one of the few places in the UK to routinely be fitted out with air conditioning. The office could potentially position itself as a blessed relief in some of those hotter days.
Conclusions
Whilst WeWork have had their problems, the approach they initially took to office space still has its place. If office space providers and businesses are looking to encourage more people back to the office, they need to take into account what made WeWork so popular in the first place.
Brands need to provide a great place to work, thats reasonably priced, easy to get to and has good facilities. Without those features all working together, its hard to see why someone would come back to the office if they didn’t need to.
I know, its already that time of year. Black Friday arrives on Friday 24th November, and hopefully you have been planning for this over the last 2/3 months. It’s important to plan ahead for a major event, but you can still have an impact if you’re running out of time.
Speed it up
One of the first things to look at is speeding up your site and your target pages. This applies to Organic and Paid campaigns, with speed playing a major role in both.
You should look to be doing the following for your target pages:
Use a CDN – A content delivery network can help speed up your website’s delivery around the world, something that is particularly important if you sell in multiple areas.
Remove old/unused/crap plugins – This is particularly important for wordpress users, but plugins weigh the page down. If you don’t need them or can replace them with something lighter then get rid.
Remove unused tracking – Did you do Facebook once and left all the tracking data on there? Used hotjar a few years ago and never got rid of the code? If you don’t use it, get rid of it and it will speed up page load.
Use caching – Make sure its all switched on and being used effectively. This can be particularly important when retargeting.
Tidy Up Redirects – Redirects slow down the journey, so dont use more than needed. Also, check the URLs you use in Paid Campaigns, you would be surprised how often they redirect.
Make it easy to buy
Next you need to look at anything that might be making it that little bit harder to purchase. It’s best to test and learn but there are a few things that would quickly improve performance
Fix broken things – Go through the check out process yourself and look for anything that breaks or is broken. Fix 404s, broken plugins and copy that doesn’t make sense. Use a tool like Screaming Frog or a free trial on SEMRush to find those issues.
Add detail to descriptions – Think about the questions people may have about an item and answer them within the copy. This cuts doubt in their mind and increases the likelihood of them purchasing.
Match copy with your advertising – Consistency of your messaging and visual continuity is key to making a user feel comfortable on your landing page. If they liked the copy and visual enough to click on it, the reflect that look and feel on the landing page. Consistency has consistently been proven to improve advertising performance so make sure it’s a part of your plan.
Add Social Proof – Whenever you can, add reviews. Be they for your company or the product, social proof helps remove a barrier to purchase that a user may have.
Remove the unnecessary – Cut down on the amount of work people have to do on the page. Make the form simple with few fields. Let them auto fill and remove unnecessary elements on the page. This cuts the effort of making a purchase.
Clear returns and delivery information – Give people a clear understanding of what they are getting into. This cuts questions and helps them feel more comfortable purchasing.
Get in front of people
Black Friday and the build up to it is incredibly noisy for advertising, making it hard for your ad to stand out. Look at using alternate channels and methods to improve performance.
Use your email list – If you have an email list, use it. During the period, send 3 or 4 emails. First, send a teaser of the offer. Then, announce its start. Next, send one during the deal. Finally, send one right at the end, highlighting the limited time left.
Abandoned cart email nudges – If you can, use nudges around abandoned carts to try and get people back and making a purchase.
Make the most of your social media – Highlight the offer on social, put it in your reels/stories and try to make sure that people engage with it in some way. You will get bored of this, but your audience will probably only see the message a handful of times at most.
Use non-traditional channels – TikTok, podcasts, Spotify are all great ways to get in front of an already engaged audience. People don’t really skip Podcast or Spotify ads as they are already listening. If you can make an engaging audio ad, it’s a great way to inform people of your offer. TikTok is highly visual and a great way of showing off a product.
Other Peoples email lists – If you know industry publications or advertisers you’ve worked with before, ask to join their Black Friday email list. They have done the hard work cultivating an email list of relevant customers, so make the most of them.
Making the most of micro influencers – Micro influencers still get more engagement than the bigger “social media influencers” on the web, so look to them for cost effective and engaging pieces. They are also less likely to be booked up by other brands which is very helpful when looking for options at the last minute. There are numerous options for this including Twirl, Popular Pays and The Influence Room.
Summary
If you’re gearing up for Black Friday and time is running short, the above are some quick, effective strategies to boost your performance. First, speed up your website. Consider optimizing your images, using a Content Delivery Network (CDN), cleaning out old plugins, and activating caching. This will make your site faster and more user-friendly.
Next, focus on making purchasing as easy as possible. Go through your website, fix any errors, enhance your product descriptions to answer potential questions, and ensure that your ads and landing pages are consistently styled. Adding customer reviews can also build trust and encourage purchases.
Lastly, let’s get your deals in front of as many eyes as possible. Utilize your email list to send out a series of targeted messages. Make your presence felt on social media, consider advertising on platforms like TikTok, podcasts, or Spotify, and collaborate with micro-influencers. These steps can help you stand out in the crowded Black Friday market and attract more customers to your business.
Remeber, there is always time to improve. Good luck!
