GA4 Data Studio Integration: 2 Easy Methods

Google Analytics 4 is the latest iteration of Google Analytics that includes enhanced and deeper integration with Google Ads, Expanded Predictive Insights, and Cross-device Management Capabilities among other useful features. Google Data Studio is a reporting tool that focuses on converting data into customizable informative dashboards and reports as a part of the Google Analytics 360 suite.

This blog talks about the different features of Data Studio Google Analytics 4 before discussing the two methods you can use to establish GA4 Data Studio integration: Data Studio and a third-party tool, Hevo.   

Table of Contents

• What is Google Analytics 4?
• What is Google Data Studio?
• What are the Methods to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration?
  • Method 1: Using Data Studio to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration
    • Step 1: Log In to Google Data Studio
    • Step 2: Create Data Source
    • Step 3: Selecting the Google Analytics 4 Property
    • Step 4: Connect Data Source with Schema
    • Step 5: Create Report
    • Limitations of Using Data Studio for GA4 Data Studio Integration
• Method 2: Using Hevo Data to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration
• Conclusion

What is Google Analytics 4?

Google describes the primary purpose of Google Analytics 4 as a next-generation approach to X-channel Measurement, “Privacy-first” Tracking, and AI-based Predictive Data all at once. Google Analytics 4 uses Google’s advanced Machine Learning models to fill out data for user behavior and website traffic. It can do so without having to rely on “hits” from each page.

It is built on the same platform as the “App+Web” system released by Google previously. Here are a few key highlights of Google Analytics 4:

• Google Analytics 4 is focused on giving Marketers a more complete understanding of the Customer Journey. It is more focused on measuring an end-to-end shopper journey instead of individual metrics across pages, segments, or devices.
• It has been designed to work without the need for identifying data or cookies.
• The Data Import functionality in Google Analytics 4 can now include a wide range of data from non-website sources within one property.
• It also allows Cross-domain Tracking that does not rely on code adjustments. Cross-domain tracking in GA4 can be done within the User Interface itself.
• Google Analytics 4 also provides “Data Streams” instead of the segments and views used by old Universal Analytics properties.     

What is Google Data Studio?

Google Data Studio can easily transform your raw data into more valuable information by turning your data’s metrics and dimensions into powerful building blocks for graphs and charts.

Here are a few key features offered by Google Data Studio:

• Data Transformation: You can get insights from your data in no time without the need to write SQL queries. Google Data Studio provides a dedicated space for fast, ad-hoc querying where you can explore a data table visually in just a click. You can also use powerful solutions to create dimensions and metrics based on custom formulas. Formulas can include the fields from Numeric Values, Data Sources, and Literal Text.
• Data Connectors: Data Sources can act as pipes to connect a Data Studio report to a collection of underlying data. You can explore the community-developed connectors that provide access to a variety of information sources. You can also create a real-time dashboard to measure and monitor the success of your campaigns, optimize your advertising efforts, and make smarter business decisions. 
• Data Visualization: Google Data Studio allows you to insert dynamic controls to allow viewers to dynamically change the data presented. This includes dimension filters like segment, geography, and channel along with date ranges. You can also choose from a broad array of pivot tables, graphs, charts, and visualizations to bring your data to life. These include tables, heat maps, scorecards, scatter charts, bullet charts, and area charts among many others. 
• Usability: Google Data Studio was designed with a casual user in mind with various easy-to-use features like its Web Interface. The Web Interface features simple drag-and-drop objects with full custom property panels along with a snap-to-grid canvas. You can also decide who gets access to Data Studio. With Google Drive technology, you can easily manage every user and their level of access.
• Collaboration and Sharing: Google Data Studio allows you to democratize your data and tap into the collective wisdom of your team by collaborating and sharing all your Data Studio dashboards and reports.

What are the Methods to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration?

Here are the methods you can use to set up GA4 Data Studio Integration in a seamless fashion:

• Method 1: Using Data Studio to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration
• Method 2: Using Hevo Data to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration

Method 1: Using Data Studio to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration

Here are the steps involved in using Data Studio to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration:

• Step 1: Log In to Google Data Studio
• Step 2: Create Data Source
• Step 3: Selecting the Google Analytics 4 Property
• Step 4: Connect Data Source with Schema
• Step 5: Create Report

Step 1: Log In to Google Data Studio

• Go to Google Data Studio’s home page and click on the “Use it for free” button.

• Log in by entering your Google credentials. Provide the credentials which give you edit-level access to your Google Analytics 4 Property.

• Once signed in, this is the screen you’ll get:

Step 2: Create Data Source

• In this step, click on the Create button followed by clicking on the Data Source option.

• Choose Google Analytics from the 19 available Data Sources:

Step 3: Selecting the Google Analytics 4 Property

• Once you’ve chosen the data source from the available options, select the account that has Google Analytics 4 property from the overlay shown below. The overlay contains the list of Google Analytics accounts to which you have access:

• Next, you need to select a Google Analytics 4 property from the new overlay that you see on the right-hand side of the clicked account:

Step 4: Connect Data Source with Schema

• After selecting the desired GA4 property, you need to click on the “Connect” button to connect the data source with the source schema. Here is a useful visual representation of this step:

• You can define or modify new schemas from the below screen:

In the fields option, you can get all metrics and dimensions from the Google Analytics 4 Property. The ‘Type’ field describes the data type of the dimension/metric. Along with this, you also get an option aggregation method for all the dimensions and metrics.

Step 5: Create Report

• To conclude this method, click on the “Create Report” button. This leads to establishing a successful GA4 Data Studio connection. You can now build your dashboard for the GA4 Property.

Limitations of using Data Studio for GA4 Data Studio Integration

Here are a few limitations of using Google Data Studio to establish a Google Analytics 4 Data Studio connection:

• Segments are not a part of Google Analytics 4 properties by default, therefore, you won’t get this functionality in Google Data Studio either. Segments are replaced by ‘Audiences’ in Google Analytics 4. You can define the conditions to filter the users here. The ‘Audiences’ feature is exclusive to Google Analytics 4 and isn’t available in Google Data Studio.
• You cannot leverage a Data Control option for Google Analytics Property. A Data Control option is instrumental in giving you the ability to select the property, account, and view that transfers the data to the report in Google Data Studio. This simplifies the process of sharing reports with colleagues who might want to use them for their specific purposes.  
• Google Analytics 4 offers no functionality to add the custom dimension in Google Analytics 4 which might lead to you missing a couple of important business KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

Method 2: Using Hevo Data to Set up GA4 Data Studio Integration

Hevo helps you directly transfer data from Google Analytics 4 and various other sources to a Data Warehouse, a Reporting tool such as Google Data Studio, or a destination of your choice in a completely hassle-free & automated manner. Hevo is fully managed and completely automates the process of not only loading data from your desired source but also enriching the data and transforming it into an analysis-ready form without having to write a single line of code. Its fault-tolerant architecture ensures that the data is handled in a secure, consistent manner with zero data loss.

Sign up here for a 14-Day Free Trial!

Hevo takes care of all your data preprocessing to set up GA4 Data Studio Integration and lets you focus on key business activities and draw a much powerful insight on how to generate more leads, retain customers, and take your business to new heights of profitability. It provides a consistent & reliable solution to manage data in real-time and always have analysis-ready data in your desired destination. 

Hevo focuses on three simple steps to get you started:

• Connect: Connect Hevo with Google Analytics 4 and all your data sources by simply logging in with your credentials.
• Integrate: Consolidate your data from several sources and automatically transform it into an analysis-ready form.
• Visualize: Connect Hevo with your desired Reporting tool such as Google Data Studio and visualize your unified data easily to gain better insights.

As can be seen, you are simply required to enter the corresponding credentials to implement this fully automated data pipeline without using any code.

Check out what makes Hevo amazing:

• Real-Time Data Transfer: Hevo with its strong Integration with 100+ sources, allows you to transfer data quickly & efficiently. This ensures efficient utilization of bandwidth on both ends.
• Data Transformation: It provides a simple interface to perfect, modify, and enrich the data you want to transfer. 
• Secure: Hevo has a fault-tolerant architecture that ensures that the data is handled in a secure, consistent manner with zero data loss.
• Tremendous Connector Availability: Hevo houses a large variety of connectors and lets you bring in data from numerous Marketing & SaaS applications, databases, etc. such as Google Analytics 4, Google Firebase, Airflow, HubSpot, Marketo, MongoDB, Oracle, Salesforce, Redshift, etc. in an integrated and analysis-ready form.
• Simplicity: Using Hevo is easy and intuitive, ensuring that your data is exported in just a few clicks. 
• Completely Managed Platform: Hevo is fully managed. You need not invest time and effort to maintain or monitor the infrastructure involved in executing codes.
• Live Support: The Hevo team is available round the clock to extend exceptional support to its customers through chat, email, and support calls.

Conclusion

This blog talks about the two methods you can use to set up GA4 Data Studio Integration in a seamless fashion: using Google Data Studio and a third-party tool, Hevo.

Extracting complex data from a diverse set of data sources can be a challenging task and this is where Hevo saves the day! 

Visit our Website to Explore Hevo

Hevo offers a faster way to move data from Databases or SaaS applications like Google Analytics 4 into your Data Warehouse to be visualized in a BI tool such as Google Data Studio. Hevo is fully automated and hence does not require you to code. 

Sign Up for a 14-day free trial to try Hevo for free. You can also have a look at the unbeatable pricing that will help you choose the right plan for your business needs.