Take a moment. Think it through.
This isn’t a trick question, but it might as well be. You don’t need to know the inner workings of Google Analytics to solve marketing and product challenges. But if you don’t understand how metrics are calculated, what the numbers actually mean, or where to look for answers — you’re in dangerous territory. Bad decisions and outright hallucinations are just around the corner.
But wait, isn’t there tons of content on GoogleAnalytics already? What’s the problem?
Well, the Google Analytics team found itself stuck between regulators, platforms, and advertisers. As a result, end users’ needs got pushed to the backseat, and understanding GA4 became a lot more complicated. Now, it’s not enough to just look at the numbers — you need to know how they’re stitched together.
For example, GA has three traffic source parameters. But if you want to fully understand how they’re calculated, you’ll need to dive into documentation on the HyperLogLog++ statistical algorithm. Sounds fun, right? All of this makes the learning curve steeper than before.
So, what’s the takeaway?
- Google Analytics is now a playground for confident analysts. If you want to navigate it effectively, you need solid expertise — whether it’s yours or someone you hire.
- There are no simple answers in GA anymore. Every metric and report comes with caveats and limitations. And if you want to understand them, see the first point.
What’s the game plan?
- Accept the limitations. Are you ready to invest time and resources to truly understand GA? What’s your end goal? And is it worth the effort?
- Get backup. Whether it’s a mentor, a course, or an expert on speed dial, make sure you have a support system. Sometimes, even a quick consultation can save hours of confusion (yes, I help with that too).
If you work with GA4 to BigQuery exports, be sure to check out my SQL cheat sheet.
