Where to start preparing for GDPR: instructions

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tanjimaju200
Posts: 639
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2024 7:14 am

Where to start preparing for GDPR: instructions

Post by tanjimaju200 »

You'll have to get used to the fact that the default reports in Universal Analytics are no longer available. GA4 only has three types of engagement metrics reports, while UA offers about 30. Additionally, the reporting is missing several key features: there are no regular expressions in the dimension filtering, no filters for metrics in the standard reports (only in studies), and no segments in the standard reports (there are comparisons, which have limited capabilities).

Lack of privacy settings
Unfortunately, using Google austria cell phone number list Analytics 4 exposes you to serious data privacy risks. Because Google Analytics 4 tracks events, it doesn’t rely on cookies and JavaScript variables to track page views like Universal Analytics did. But GA4 still uses cookies for tracking, meaning you’ll need to add a cookie consent banner to your website to activate GA4 tags and collect user data.

What are the risks then? With the default settings, Google continues to collect data even if the visitor has expressly refused it. According to the regulation of European law, the site must obtain clear consent to process personal data. Failure to comply with this provision can lead to large fines or even prosecution.

To avoid risks, a company must adjust its privacy policy and make major technological changes to comply with GDPR requirements.

Read also :

Complex adaptation to a new platform
If you’re used to Universal Analytics, you’ll have to spend a lot of time learning how to use Google Analytics 4. Because GA4 requires you to manually customize most settings, working with the platform requires significant analytical skills and a deep understanding of your data. You’ll need to familiarize yourself with the interface, learn new metrics, and figure out where and how to find valuable insights. Because GA4’s out-of-the-box reports are limited, many people turn to third-party services: building reports in Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio) or exporting data to BigQuery. So you’ll need to familiarize yourself with new tools.

This focus may not be effective for smaller organizations that don't rely as heavily on data and don't have the resources to set up and support a tool as complex as GA4.

Useful: if you have problems working with the new tool, Webpromo will be happy to help. Our specialists will help with setting up an advertising account, launching campaigns, and will also provide recommendations for further work.

Other limitations:
Limited channel grouping features . This feature groups marketing channels together based on a set of specific rules. Setting them up improves the tracking of these channels' performance. Google Analytics 4 offers limited grouping features: you can only create 2 groups and 25 channels in each group.
You have only a minimal set of options to customize dashboards and widgets. You can only add predefined components that cannot be changed.
In GA4, a segment definition can only be applied to a specific report. If you want to apply it to another report, you have to create it from scratch, which can be time-consuming. Additionally, you don’t have the option to share segments with other users.
No special annotations . Annotations come in handy when you need to provide your team with some additional context. Annotations help you record specific events on your site that impacted traffic or user behavior. Unfortunately, this feature is not available in Google Analytics 4.
It can take 4-8 hours for data from your website or app to be processed. In Universal Analytics, you could expect a report within 24-48 hours, but that’s still a noticeable delay. So you won’t see the latest data on key metrics. This reduces your ability to act quickly, such as when running an ad campaign that has a time limit.
Server location – You don’t get to choose where your data is stored. Google can store it in data centers in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. This can lead to serious legal issues, especially if your business or customers are in the EU. This is because Google can send data to the US, where it is subject to that country’s data tracking laws. Transferring EU residents’ data to the US is a violation of the GDPR.
yadaysrdone
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2025 9:48 am

Re: Where to start preparing for GDPR: instructions

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