GA4 is coming, are you prepared?

Laura Dean

Laura Dean

Whether you’re a seasoned Google Analytics user or a complete novice, it’s important to know what the upcoming GA4 update will mean for your business. We’ve got you covered with our on-hand experts ready to talk you through the changes and help you to be prepared.

What can you expect from GA4?

Google Analytics is the most popular analytics tool in the world, and it’s about to make big changes. We’re here to make sure you don’t get left behind.

Much like Universal Analytics, GA4 will track users on your website and give you key metrics including, number of users, most popular pages, conversion events, etc. However, GA4 is fundamentally different in the way it tracks users and the interface you may often use to look at your website stats will look a little different.

What does GA4 mean for your business?

From a user perspective, it means:

  • You’ll have access to more data than ever before.
  • You’ll have more control over what data is collected and how it’s used.
  • You’ll be able to make changes in real-time and see results immediately.
  • You can expect an overall improved experience across all platforms (web, mobile web, etc.)

How will this happen?

Google has implemented a new user interface that makes reporting easier than ever before – even if you’re not tech-savvy! They’ve also added a host of new features like custom dimensions and goal funnels to give you even more insight into what your users are doing on your website, which will help you be able to adjust accordingly and improve conversion rates.

How do I save my old Google Analytics data?

Google has made it easy to download your old data in multiple formats, however you cannot transfer this to the new GA4 so it is important to begin collecting new data as soon as possible.

To export your data from Universal Analytics, simply use the Export button at the top right of each report section.

How can we help?

We understand that not everyone is comfortable making these big changes, so we’re here to support you through this process. As you know, we’re a Certified Google Partner and our experts have had up to date training to make sure we’re best placed to help you.

How long will the changeover take?

For some of our larger customers, this changeover can take up to a day to implement. Google will stop processing hits on Universal Analytics on 1 July 2023, that’s why it’s important that you take note of these changes and begin to collect new data in GA4 as soon as possible.

Although it might seem like you have plenty of time to action this change, we strongly advise that you start to collect new data before Universal Analytics stops collecting data. You will still be able to export your old data for a short period after Google stops processing hits in UA, but this will not show up in your new GA4 account.

Don’t panic, we’re here to help…

We’re preparing early so that we can ensure a smooth transition from UA to GA4 for all our clients. Over 100 businesses trust us to maintain their websites, so it’s important that we begin this work now. We’ll start by adding some new code to your website and set up new events to track your goals and conversions. We’ll also set up standard reports for you and perform other necessary updates to keep your tracking running smoothly. If you’d like to talk to us about booking this work in, get in touch with us as soon as possible.

TL;DR

  • Google is making big changes to the way it collects analytics data.
  • This change will take effect from 1 July 2023 but you should start to collect new data now because you cannot transfer old data to the new Google Analytics (GA4).

We’re here to help. Give us a call today…

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How much does a good website cost to build?

  • A brochure site (a place to share information about your products or services) will cost between £6,000-£12,000 depending on the volume of pages, functional elements and any bespoke design requests you may have.
  • An ecommerce website (a place where you can sell your products or services and visitors can complete their transaction online) will cost from £10,000.
  • If you’re looking for completely bespoke design or just a website refresh, we’ll be happy to chat with you and provide a quote for your requirements.

We’ve developed over 200 websites. You can look at our catalogue of work here and chat with our clients if you’d like to get a feel for what it’s like to work with our team before we become partners in your project.

When you work with us, you’ll get that perfect combination of great design and technical development from our whole team, not just one person.

How long does it take to build a website?

Before we start any work, we’ll share a project plan which will include deadlines for providing content, and we’ll keep you updated if the expected times change.

Writing keyword-rich copy will keep visitors on your website and encourage them to work with you. If writing isn’t for you or you just don’t have time, we can produce a content plan on your behalf.

Why you need a website

Most customers will expect you to have a website and may question your legitimacy as a business if they can’t find you online. When a potential customer does find you, what should their first impression be? You want them to be confident when buying from you and to have a good feeling about your brand.

If growing your business is a goal, then having a website is a great place to gain leads. Using the right mix of keywords and a thorough digital marketing plan, you can become good friends with Google! Google will play a significant role in helping your customers find you online and giving you a positive return on investment for the cost of your website and online strategy.

Even the most basic of websites should serve as an informative tool to answer frequently asked customer questions and offer your first port of call for customer service. Your opening times, address and latest news or offers should be easy to find. Ultimately, the better your website is, the easier it will be to find, and a great website will help you to reach more customers.

Being online helps you to reach a much bigger pool of customers than a bricks and mortar store. Your website can be the key to extended success, with no limits on the scope of your customer geography other than your product/service capabilities.

Working with an agency like Browndog will give you a technically sound, fresh and functional website which is responsively designed, and provides consistent brand messaging for your customers. We’ll also take the guess work out of your online strategy and make sure your website is targeting the right customer segments to increase sales opportunities and raise brand awareness.

How much does it cost?

  • A marketing campaign animation or company/product introduction between 90-120 seconds in length will cost between £2,500 and £3,000. This will depend on the length of the video, the content, and any additional options such as a voice over or music. Don’t worry, we can guide you through best practice and find a plan that fits for you.
  • If you’d like us to produce a logo ident or gif animations for you to use on social media and in smaller campaigns, you can expect to pay between £250-£300. This will be a much smaller brief and will take less time than a campaign animation.
  • We’re more than happy to put together a bespoke package for you to include multiple campaign videos, logo idents, voice overs and photography or videography as needed. We do it all!

You can look at our catalogue of work here and chat with our clients if you’d like to get a feel for what it’s like to work with our team before we become partners in your project. 

How long does it take to produce an animation?

But here’s the kind of time you can expect your animation to take:

  • Marketing campaign animations – this will usually take us about three weeks to prepare. We like to allow a week for content and styling, followed by storyboarding and revisions. Finally, we’ll take another week to animate your work. These things are a work of art, you can’t rush them (and we won’t).
  • Logo idents, gifs and short animations – we estimate that this will take up to two weeks.

Are you ready to get started? Send us your brief today or give us a call to talk through your ideas. We’re a friendly bunch!*

*If you visit us, our office dogs may take part in your meeting.

What kind of animations can we help with?

Ideally, your marketing strategy will include a range of media content to achieve the greatest engagement and response from your audience.

We can help with animations and videos that include company and product introductions, as well as content for specific marketing campaigns. These types of animations can showcase who you are, and what you have to offer. Plus, they are an exciting way to launch a new product or service and get your customers on board.

When you work with us on your branding, why not include a logo ident to add that extra bit of personality to your business and content, setting you apart from your competitors.

Another growing area for animated content is social media and your website. We produce gifs, short video clips and motion graphics for use on web pages and in social posts. This is a great way to captivate the viewers’ attention, share your brand values and advertise your latest campaign or event.

Finally, when you work with us on your website, we highly recommend adding a range of graphics, animations and videos to keep visitors on your site and share your messaging in captivating ways. We’ve provided many website banners and short looping animations for our clients.

We will guide you through each of your animation journey, from assessing the content that will work best for you, to how long your animated content should be and where it should be placed.

Why is animation an important element of your content strategy?

Not only is it effective but using animation can be a cost-saving way to grab the attention of your audience and keep them looking at your content for longer. It’s considerably cheaper than producing recorded video footage because it can be easily edited and updated when needed.

Animation is the fastest growing type of content created by marketers for use on websites and social media, so if you’re not doing it yet, now is the time to start…

We understand that sometimes it can be difficult to explain complex ideas, products or services in text form or with images. That’s why many of our clients work with us to produce animations that take the information off the page and jump out at the audience.

Most importantly, animation has been proven to boost conversion rates on your website. Users are significantly more engaged and more likely to spend longer on your site or complete an action, such as filling in a contact form.

How will animation help my marketing strategy?

Animation is a powerful marketing tool and a great way to show some personality in your brand, making you more memorable (think: the Aldi carrot or the Netflix Tudum).

One of the great benefits of animation is that it can help you to share a lot of information in just a few seconds, because sometimes that’s all the time you have to attract a user’s attention.