AMP support in GA4: a big deal for businesses in this mobile era?

Published: June 28, 2023

min read

Google Analytics has been a powerful tool for businesses for years to gain better insights in order to make meaningful marketing decisions. It is already known that on May 10, 2023, Google announced its plan to sunset Universal Analytics, or GA3, and urge businesses to migrate to GA4.

With only two days left for GA4 to permanently replace UA, Google has recently launched AMP support in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for all publishers.

Users who continue to utilise AMP will now be able to measure their performance in the same way that Universal Analytics (UA) does.

AMP user identification is also distinct here. In GA4, user identifiers are created at random and saved in local memory or cookies.

When a user deletes cookies and local storage, the user identifier will be reset.

Furthermore, Google mandates that all websites share with users the way data is gathered and utilised in GA4 and provide an opt-out option.

It's also noteworthy that Google recently released the AMP Client ID API in order to better monitor users across AMP pages.

Previously, if a user communicated with the content on both websites, they would show up in the analytics report as two separate users because the content was served in two different contexts.

The AMP Client ID API now lets businesses associate a single user with a consistent identifier across these contexts, giving them a complete picture of their engagement regardless of where it's served.

What does it mean to Chief Data and Analytics Officers?

Undoubtedly, this announcement comes at a time when analytics experts in the industry whine over the difficulties and new changes in GA4.

In fact, this week, with GA4 dropping many attribution models, Greg Finn, a PPC expert, wrote on Twitter,

Sad day. This was honestly what I was looking forward to most about GA4—the ability to change ALL dates based on your attribution. Sadly, now we are only left with Last Click and DDA.

At this point in time, although the new AMP integration in Google Analytics 4 does not support dynamic configuration, e-commerce events, or consent mode settings as in standard Google Analytics, we believe it is still a huge announcement for businesses using AMP to track their website performance on mobile devices after GA4 permanently replaces UA.

The use of mobile devices for exploring or purchasing new products online is increasing by the day. This emphasises the importance of optimising websites for mobile users for any business. In that regard, the AMP support in GA4 is undeniably important for businesses to assess the effectiveness of their mobile optimisation efforts. Thus, with the new update, businesses will no longer need to worry about gaining insights on design, content, and user interface changes on mobile so as to make informed decisions and enhance mobile user engagement.
As AMP is designed to improve website performance and mobile search rankings, businesses can use AMP analytics to understand the impact of AMP pages on their overall website traffic and search engine visibility. This way, businesses can use this information to optimise AMP pages for better search engine performance. Without the AMP support in GA4, businesses would have lost the opportunity to get the SEO benefits associated with it.
The AMP analytics insights help businesses analyse and understand which content resonates well with mobile users. This, in turn, allows them to identify high-performing content. Thus, the new AMP support in GA4 will help businesses curate valuable content creation strategies, produce content that works well among their target audiences without any hindrances, and drive user engagement and conversions.

Overall, the forced migration to GA4 has caused huge outrage in the industry and is indeed leaving businesses and CDAOs with many questions unanswered. However, we believe Google will add more capabilities and address challenges over time to make the path smooth for its users’ and its benefits.

Author

Sarah Johnson

Sarah is an analytical marketing expert with a passion for data-driven insights. She has a keen eye for detail and a talent for turning complex information into actionable strategies. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, travel, and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.