Getting comfortable with the many new aspects of GA4 (Google Analytics) may seem a bit overwhelming. That is why our team at FareHarbor wants to ensure you get all the critical details needed to maximize your data insights.

Part of that journey is getting to know Google Signals. This advanced feature is seamlessly integrated with Google Analytics, enabling accurate cross-device reporting and providing in-depth user insights. This will give you more insight into where your users are based, what they search for online that leads to your website, how they view your website, and other demographic activities.

Understanding the value of Google Signals will go a long way to opening new pathways and optimizing your website for the best possible results. 

How Does Google Signals Work?

If your potential customers turn on Ads Personalization in Google, Google Signals tracks your target users whenever they login into their accounts. This way, you get a better picture of them, no matter if they are using a work laptop or a tablet at home. That fills in the gaps in the missing data you need to deliver a better experience on your website.

How to Activate Google Signals in GA4

Getting started with Google Signals is a surprisingly straightforward process. But it’s important to note, this integration is not turned on by default. You must manually go into your GA4 dashboard and make the magic happen by flipping on the switch. To do that simply:

• Visit the Admin section of your GA4 dashboard.
• Click on Data Settings for the property you wish to activate.
• Click on Data Collection, and you’ll find a toggle button to the right of Google Signals.
• Flip that switch and begin getting valuable customer data like location and device collection.

Pro Tip: When you turn on Google Signals, you are agreeing to the Google Advertising features policy. If you cannot comply with this policy, Google Signals is not for you. This means you are not one of the sensitive categories Google doesn’t allow, and you are transparent that you collect user data under a privacy policy or somewhere else on your website. You can check out the full policy here. 

Where the Data Appears

Once you have the power of Google Signals operating in the background, you can expect to see critical demographic information about your audience in roughly 24 hours. This will include details like the users’ ages, gender, interest data, location, and much more.

The goal is to craft a more engaging and personalized experience for your users across your website by catering to the demographic and device information they provide. 

You want this data! Over 90% of leading marketers in the industry say personalization for users significantly boosts potential business profitability (Econsultancy and Google). This is a quick solution to getting that little extra push!

How Google Signals Helps with GA4 Audience Strategy and Marketing

All right, you’ve flipped the digital switch and want to maximize all this new data, but are unsure where to start. We’ll make it easy. You want to use this data across all your digital presence and marketing campaigns to better target the type of audience perfect for your touring or rental company. Common ways we see Signals being used include:

• Enhanced Targeting Options: Time to refine and segment your audience. This will give you enhanced options within the suggested audience section of Google Analytics. You’ll be able to target consumers better and improve engagement and conversion rates. 
• Optimize Ad Spend: With Google Signals, you get more insight into the marketing performance of device-specific keywords, giving you more room for allocating your ad spend more effectively by focusing on specific devices or platforms. 
• Understanding User Groups: You want to focus your ad spend on the best user groups. You cannot optimize your marketing without understanding the diverse groups of users based on their demographics, devices, needs, and interests. 
• Enhanced User Behavior: This is probably our favorite part of Google Signals. You track your users’ journey across different platforms, websites, YouTube, and devices. You can use that data to optimize your website, offerings, and marketing strategies to better align with their expectations so your business goals can be seamlessly introduced. 

With Google Signals, you’ll gain more insight into what your target audience is doing online and how you can better target their needs. If you want to get the most bang for your buck in Google Analytics, read up on suggested and custom audiences.