🛠 This article explains how to integrate your Google Analytics 4 data with Botify and how to migrate from Google Universal Analytics. Refer to this article for the legacy GA4 process with BigQuery.
Overview
Google Analytics brings a new dimension to Botify reports. When you integrate your Google Analytics account with Botify, we import your visit data from search engines and social networks. These performance indicators are mapped to SEO indicators from the Botify crawl analysis. Botify reports will identify areas that can be improved, such as the pages that generated organic visits but have duplicate HTML tags or those that did not generate visits because they are deep in the website structure.
GA4 Data in Botify Reports
When you integrate your Google Analytics 4 data, Botify retrieves your visit, conversion, and Paid Search data. If you have integrated Universal Analytics (UA) data in Botify, we ensure consistency with your data by mapping the data between the two analytics platforms. Google Analytics 4 visit data is available in the following locations in Botify:
The Analytics Overview Page: The funnel on the Overview page uses Google’s data to show a full-funnel view of its organic search performances.
EngagementAnalytics: EngagementAnalytics shows Google’s data daily with trend charts to capture the evolution.
SiteCrawler: GA data is aggregated by default in a 30-day period in SiteCrawler's Visits section, which provides indicators for all search engines, social networks, and the most popular sources: Google, Bing, Yahoo, Twitter, and Facebook. The Visits section also combines visit data with SEO indicators, such as: pages that generate visits vs. those that do not, pages by depth, HTML tags uniqueness, and internal links. You can browse data imported from GA through the URL Explorer, use criteria based on visits as filters in reports, and export results. You can also retrieve visit data in the RealKeywords Keywords Explorer on a selected period.
Visit and conversion dimensions and metrics: Use the dimensions and metrics shown below as filters and report columns for your visit and conversion data:
Refer to the Revenue and Conversion Data in Botify article to learn more about the ROI use case with Google Analytics and Botify.
GA4 Fields
The data Botify retrieves from GA is shown below with the equivalent names in GA4 and UA. Use the Botify field names in the visits.dip and conversions.dip collections to pull data from the BQL API.
👉 Note these collections differ from the visits.ganalytics and conversions collections for UA.
Google Analytics Fields Retrieved
The Google Analytics fields retrieved when you integrate your GA data with Botify are shown below with the corresponding GA and UA field names.
Botify API Field Name | GA Field Name | UA Field Name | Definition |
medium | sessionMedium | ga:medium | The medium that first acquired the user to your website or app. Botify uses the following values: CPC, Organic, Referral. |
source | sessionSource | ga:source | The source that initiated a session on your website or app (e.g., Google, Baidu). |
sessions | sessions | ga:sessions | The number of user sessions that began on your site or app. |
session_duration | userEngagementDuration | ga:sessionDuration | The total amount of time (in seconds) your website or app was in the foreground of users' devices. |
device | deviceCategory | ga:deviceCategory | The type of device: Desktop, Tablet, or Mobile. |
data_source | Platform | ga:dataSource | The platform on which your app or website runs (e.g., web, iOS, Android). |
page_views | screenPageViews | ga:pageviews | The number of app screens or web pages your users viewed. Repeated views of a single page or screen are counted. (screen_view + page_view events) |
new_users | newUsers | ga:newUsers | The number of sessions marked as a user's first session. |
transactions | transactions | ga:transactions | The count of transaction events with purchase revenue. Transaction events include: in_app_purchase, ecommerce_purchase, purchase, app_store_subscription_renew, app_store_subscription_convert, _and _refund. |
revenue | purchaseRevenue | ga:transactionRevenue | The sum of revenue from purchases made in your app or site. Purchase revenue is specified by the 'value' parameter in tagging. Purchase revenue totals the revenue for the following events: purchase, ecommerce_purchase, in_app_purchase, app_store_subscription_convert, and app_store_subscription_renew. |
google_ads_campaign_id | googleAdsCampaignId | NA | The campaign ID for the Google Ads campaign attributed to the conversion event. |
google_ads_campaign_type | googleAdsCampaignType | NA | The campaign type for the Google Ads campaign attributed to the conversion event. Campaign types determine where customers see your ads and the available settings and options in Google Ads. |
google_ads_ad_group_id | googleAdsAdGroupId | NA | The ad group ID attributed to the conversion event. |
google_ads_creative_id | googleAdsCreativeId | NA | The creative ID attributed to the conversion event. Creative IDs identify individual ads. |
google_ads_ad_network_type | googleAdsAdNetworkType | NA | The advertising network where your ads appear and conversion happens. Botify filters the campaign retrieved only on Google Search network. Other networks include: Search Partners, Google Display Network, Youtube Search, Youtube Videos, Cross-network, Social, and Universal Campaign. |
google_ads_impressions | advertiserAdImpressions | NA | The total number of impressions. Includes impressions from linked integrations (e.g., display & video 360 advertisers). Includes uploaded impressions from data import. |
google_ads_clicks | advertiserAdClicks | NA | Total number of times users clicked on an ad that included this keyword. This number includes uploaded clicks from data import. |
google_ads_cost | advertiserAdCost | NA | The total amount you paid for your ads in your linked Google Ads account. |
google_ads_total_revenue | totalRevenue | NA | The sum of revenue from purchases, subscriptions, and advertising revenue. |
google_ads_cost_per_click | advertiserAdCostPerClick | NA | Ads cost-per-click (CPC) is the ad cost divided by the number of ad clicks. |
Botify Computed Fields
The following fields are computed by Botify using your integrated GA data. The GA API does not expose these fields.
Botify API Field Name | GA Field Name | UA Field Name | Definition |
url | NA | NA | Botify composes the source URL of visits and conversions based on |
bounces | NA | ga:bounces | A Bounce in UA is any session with a single event, typically a single page view (i.e., a user visits your website and immediately leaves). Subsequent interactive events prevent a session from counting as a Bounce. Since the "Bounces" event does not exist in GA4, Botify calculates it like this: |
bounce_rate | NA | NA | Bounce rate is the percentage of sessions that were not engaged sessions (i.e., a user visits your website, reviews content on your home page for less than 10 seconds, and then leaves without triggering any events or visiting any other pages or screens). The bounce rate is the inverse of the Engagement rate. Botify calculates the Bounce Rate like this: |
count_urls_visits_dip | NA | NA | The number of unique URLs used to compute different metrics on the Botify Analytics Overview page (e.g., pages not crawled recently by Google with visits). |
count_urls_conversion | NA | NA | The number of unique URLs with at least one key event, used to compute different metrics on the Botify Analytics Overview page. |
goal_completions_all | keyEvents | ga:goalCompletionsAll | The count of conversion events. You can mark any event as a conversion in Google Analytics, and some events are marked as conversions by default (e.g., first_open, purchase). |
goal_conversion_rate_all | NA | NA | The percentage of total sessions with goal completions. |
pages_per_session | NA | NA | The total amount of pages per user session. Botify calculates Pages per Session like this: |
average_session_duration | NA | NA | The average time (in seconds) your website or app was in the foreground of users' devices. |
percentage_new_sessions | NA | NA | The percentage of the total number of sessions created by new users. Botify calculates % New Sessions like this: |
google_ads_return_on_ad_spend | returnOnAdSpend | NA | Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) is the total revenue divided by the advertiser ad cost. Botify calculates ROAS like this |
Configuring the GA4 Integration
You configure the GA integration within your Botify project settings. If you have UA connected to your project, please proceed to the Migrating to GA4 section below.
Prerequisites
You must use your personal Google account.
You must have at least viewing access to the Google Analytics account you want to connect to your project.
To configure the GA4 integration:
Navigate to Settings > Data Station > Google Analytics 4.
Click the Add an account button. Follow the prompts to log into your Google account.
From the Account dropdown list, select the name of the GA account to connect to the project.
From the Property dropdown list, select the name of the web property from your GA account.
Click Save.
Migrating to GA4
GA4 is replacing Universal Analytics on July 1, 2023. If you currently have UA and want to continue with integrated analytics, you need to choose one of the following options:
Migrating with Historic GA4 Data
In this scenario, Botify will retrieve your historical data from GA4, replacing the history of UA data in Botify.
We recommend this option if:
You have been using GA4 for more than two months.
You are confident about your data quality.
To select this option:
Complete the steps in the Migrating to GA4 section above.
In the Migration Preference section, select Retrieve historical data.
In the Data History Start Date section, select the date from which Botify will retrieve historical GA4 data.
In the confirmation dialog, click Confirm.
Click Save
❗️Once this configuration is saved, your preference to retrieve historical data cannot be changed.
UA data will be replaced by Google Analytics 4 data from the history start date. Learn more in the FAQ section.
Migrating without Historic GA4 Data
In this scenario, Botify will not retrieve historical data from GA4.
We recommend this option if:
You have less than two months of GA4 data.
Your historical data from GA4 is not required.
To select this option:
Complete the steps in the Migrating to GA4 section above.
In the Migration Preference section, select Do not retrieve historical data.
In the confirmation dialog, click Confirm.
Click Save.
❗️Once this configuration is saved, you cannot choose to retrieve historical GA4 data.
With this option, UA data will not be replaced in Botify. GA4 will be the only source as of the start date of the configuration. Learn more in the FAQ section.
Connecting Another Analytics Source
Contact your SEO Success Manager (SSM) to integrate analytics from another provider. The integration steps required will vary depending on the provider. Specifically, your SSM can provide you with the integration steps for Adobe or Piano Analytics.
Modifying GA4 Settings
After connecting your GA property to a Botify project, you can change the GA account and property associated with the project
❗️Changing the GA account or property associated with a Botify project will reset your visit and conversion data from the new data history start date.
To change the GA account or property:
Navigate to Settings > Data Station > Google Analytics 4.
Select a new GA account and/or property to associate with the project.
In the Data History Start Date section, select the date from which Botify will retrieve historical GA4 data.
Click Save.
Disconnecting GA4 from a Botify Project
If you no longer want GA4 data included in your project:
Navigate to Settings > Data Station > Google Analytics 4.
Click the Delete button next to the Google Analytics account to be removed from your project.
FAQ
The following are frequently asked questions about Google Analytics data in Botify.
Migrating to GA4
What happens in Botify if I do not migrate to GA4?
What happens in Botify if I do not migrate to GA4?
If you do not migrate to GA4, your data will continue to be integrated into Botify until July 1, 2023. After this deadline, Botify will no longer be able to retrieve new data from Google Analytics; however, your historical data will remain available in the platform.
When does GA4 replace UA in Botify?
When does GA4 replace UA in Botify?
On July 1, 2023, standard UA properties will stop processing data. We encourage you to switch to Google Analytics 4 as soon as possible in your analytics activities. You can start connecting your GA4 properties from April 2023 to migrate your Botify account to GA4 properties.
Can I migrate to GA4 from a source other than UA?
Can I migrate to GA4 from a source other than UA?
To proceed from another source to Google Analytics 4, refer to the Configuring the GA4 Integration section above. Data will be retrieved and used as your main data source on the history start date.
Can I roll back to UA if I migrate to GA4 in Botify?
Can I roll back to UA if I migrate to GA4 in Botify?
Yes, it is possible to roll back to UA from GA4 in Botify. However, it is important to note that any data collected during the GA4 implementation will not be available if you roll back to UA. If you encounter any issues or errors during the migration process and want to roll back to UA, we recommend you contact your Customer Success Manager (SSM) for assistance.
Why should I choose to retrieve my history of data to migrate to GA4?
Why should I choose to retrieve my history of data to migrate to GA4?
We advise you to retrieve the historical data from GA4 in the case below:
Your GA4 property has been live for more than two months.
Your GA4 property is correctly configured and the data is accurate.
By retrieving data history, you can have a consistent analysis with your analytics provider. You can have more relevant analysis between Botify and your analytics provider.
Can I still access historical data from UA in Botify after July 1st?
Can I still access historical data from UA in Botify after July 1st?
Regardless of your migration preference, you can still access your historical data in Botify. In GA, you have until December 2023 to download your historical data from UA. According to Google, historical data from UA will be open for access for at least six months after UA stops processing new data. Once this time has passed, you cannot access any of the historical data.
How can I access visit data and distinguish between GA-UA and GA4 using the Botify API?
How can I access visit data and distinguish between GA-UA and GA4 using the Botify API?
If you have migrated to a new configuration in Botify, accessing visit data through the API will require a different parameter than in the previous version. To retrieve visit data for both UA and GA4, use the visits.dip / conversions.dip collections instead of the visits.ganalytics and conversions collections. If you encounter issues or have questions about accessing visit data through the Botify API, contact Botify Support or your SSM.
How do I retrieve GA-UA data history removed by migration to GA4?
How do I retrieve GA-UA data history removed by migration to GA4?
If you have migrated to GA4 and replaced your UA data with GA4 data, you can still retrieve the UA data using the BQL API with the collection visit.ganalytics.
How long does it take to synchronize the GA4 data?
How long does it take to synchronize the GA4 data?
For the initial setup, it can take up to two days to retrieve the first GA4 data. For every month of history synchronized, please consider one day for every synchronization.
GA4 Data in Botify
Will I keep my previous analysis if I migrate to GA4?
Will I keep my previous analysis if I migrate to GA4?
Depending on the migration option you choose, you will be able to maintain your analysis in Botify. If you replace your history of visit data in Botify with GA4, most of your analysis will be recomputed based on the GA4 data retrieved. You may encounter different results in your analysis by integrating this historical data. Only the previous crawls computed will remain the same in the platform.
Can I move to this new integration if I already have GA4 available with the BigQuery integration?
Can I move to this new integration if I already have GA4 available with the BigQuery integration?
You do not need to integrate this version if you already have the BigQuery integration live. If you still want to move forward or change your property from a GA4 BigQuery integration, please contact Support.
Can I continue to access my UA data once the migration is completed?
Can I continue to access my UA data once the migration is completed?
You can continue accessing your UA data history in Botify and via the API. However, if you replace your historical data with GA4 data, the historical UA data will be replaced.
How long does it take to retrieve data?
How long does it take to retrieve data?
Depending on your project and the volume of data, synchronization can take up to a few days to fully retrieve your GA4 data. Our synchronization generally takes up to one day to retrieve a full month of data (e.g., if you choose to retrieve six months of history, it will take around six days to retrieve the data fully).
What history of data from GA4 can I backfill?
What history of data from GA4 can I backfill?
Botify can only retrieve historical data for up to 14 months from GA4. As specified by Google, retention of user-level data, including conversions, can be set to a maximum of 14 months for GA4 properties (not the GA360 version).
How long is data saved in Botify?
How long is data saved in Botify?
Visit and conversion data is stored for up to 36 months in Botify.
Contact Support
If you need any assistance, please contact Support.
See also: