The ChannelMix team recently launched an initiative to get as many employees GA4 certified as we could. We wanted to make sure everyone knew what was changing in the new version of Google Analytics and what it would mean for our customers, our platform and our dashboard products. So far, we’ve had over a third of our team participate in the training program.
In this article, we’ll talk more about how we did it and why you should consider your own GA4 certification.
- What is GA4?
- Why do companies need to upgrade to GA4?
- Why it’s important for ChannelMix employees to get GA4 certified
- How we organized and promoted GA4 certification internally
- Why you should consider getting GA4 certified
- Where to get GA4 certified
- Start your own GA4 migration
What is GA4?
GA4, or Google Analytics 4, is the next generation of Google Analytics properties that will be replacing Universal Analytics. Google Analytics 4 is event based and works across web and mobile properties. It’s available for free now and will be required for all Google Analytics users when Universal Analytics is decommissioned on July 1, 2023.
Why do companies need to upgrade to GA4?
Imagine waking up on July 1, 2023, and suddenly you have to start over from the very beginning with your GA data. Cue the panic. Upgrading to GA4 now is a no brainer. You can keep your current Universal Analytics setup, but activating GA4 allows you to start collecting data today that you can analyze in the future.
We go over some of the key differences in the article Time to Get Ready for your Google Analytics 4 Migration. The key thing to be aware of is the metrics being measured are different, and the sooner you start tracking those, the better, even if you aren’t using them today. Reach out to ChannelMix if you need help getting started in this direction.
Why it’s important for ChannelMix employees to get GA4 certified
We prioritized getting as many team members GA4 certified as possible, because so many of the ChannelMix dashboards use Google Analytics datasets. That includes our Media Optimization Performance Suite and our Digital Marketing and Marketing to Sales Pipelines, which leverage GA and ChannelMix tracking to give users even more vision into their marketing funnel.
We created a product we believe in, so it’s important that ChannelMix employees are comfortable speaking to GA data and how it is ingested into our product. Having the ability to speak fluently about GA4 allows for smoother conversations and a better product experience.
How we organized and promoted GA4 certification internally
The idea behind getting GA4 certified certifications together comes from our guiding principle of teamwork. While a little competition can be fun, we wanted to build a safe space for people to go at their own pace. We celebrated our successes together, and regularly checked in with calendar reminders and on Slack. To help solidify concepts, we shared key takeaways that we learned each week. This initiative didn’t start out big. It was all about learning and growing as a community.
Why you should consider getting GA4 certified
First of all, getting GA4 certified is free, and who doesn’t love free stuff!? Or who doesn’t love a nice new certification on their LinkedIn profile? Aside from these intrinsic rewards, a deep understanding of GA4 can help you position yourself successfully in the analytics world when Universal Analytics officially comes to an end next year.
Where to get GA4 certified
You can get GA4 certified using Google’s Skillshop learning platform. All it requires is a Google account and a Skillshop profile. Access Google Analytics 4 training here.
Start your GA4 migration
Need help with your own migration from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4? ChannelMix can help with that. To start your migration project, get in touch with our team below.