Google has begun rolling out a new analytics feature allowing users to export audience data from Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to BigQuery.
The new feature, User Data export, will create two new BigQuery tables – one containing pseudonymous user identifiers and engagement data and another collecting user IDs.
This marks a strategic shift for Google Analytics, as the company now enables users to push audience data beyond Google’s ecosystem more seamlessly to other platforms.
Previously, exporting audience information was a more challenging process.
The user data tables will contain information such as:
- What audiences users are included in
- Predictive metrics like user churn rate, projected revenue, and other propensities
- Timestamp of users’ last active date
The rollout of the User Data export began recently and is still ongoing across GA4 properties.
Users must set up a BigQuery export within their GA4 account to access the feature.
How Does This Help?
Businesses can now sync the audiences they’ve created in Google Analytics with external tools.
Here are some ways the new User Data export capability in Google Analytics 4 could aid your marketing efforts.
Audience Portability
Businesses can export GA4 audiences into other platforms, like CRMs and email services, to improve targeting and coordination across marketing channels.
Deeper Analysis
Exporting user data to BigQuery allows businesses to join GA4 data with other datasets in BigQuery for deeper analysis and insights.
Identifying Predictive Metrics
The user data contains predictive metrics like churn rate, projected revenue, etc. This allows businesses to identify high-value users and those likely to churn.
Better Personalization
Audience insights paired with predictive metrics enable better personalization and segmentation for marketing campaigns. Businesses can craft more targeted messaging.
Syncing Data
Businesses can keep GA4 user data in sync across platforms, avoiding data silos. This provides a single source for customer insights.
Enhanced Reporting
User data can be blended with other data sources to generate reports, dashboards, and visualizations to convey insights.
In Summary
The new User Data export capability provides GA4 users greater flexibility and portability over their data.
It makes it easier to sync audiences, blend datasets, identify predictive metrics, and improve personalization across channels.
Additionally, it fits Google’s broader shift towards enabling third-party connections and making it easier for users to analyze their data outside Google tools.
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