I saw a prediction on LinkedIn that in five months, all the AI hype will be replaced with everyone panicking about GA4 and the end of Universal Analytics. But what really got my attention was the discussion that followed.
One person said she already gave up on GA4 because she found it too complicated to build simple reports for multiple clients and didn’t have time to learn how to reconfigure everything.
Another person replied he loves GA4 for the same reasons the first person dislikes it. He can export GA data to BigQuery, build custom reports and integrate it with other data sources.
This discussion strengthened my intuition that there are two types of analytics buckets, and every marketer falls into either one: 1) the complex bucket or 2) the simple bucket.
As a Finn, I have to mention that we have a very special relationship with free buckets, but that’s a story for another time.
It’s easy to determine which bucket you belong to. Try the comparisons below and find your bucket.
Complex
Custom reporting
You need to export raw data to BigQuery or some other cloud warehouse so you can integrate it with other data sources and build custom reports.
VS
Simple
Easy reporting
Do you know what a data warehouse is? Or, more importantly, do you care? You want simple, straightforward reporting with clear insights. If you can automate the process, even better.
Complex
Plenty of time and resources
You have the luxury of spending hours developing your analytics skills and learning to configure and customize tools like GA4.
VS
Simple
No time nor resources
You don’t have the time to learn complicated tools, and you don’t fantasize about becoming a data scientist.
Complex
Complex attribution models
You find value and meaning in cross-channel position-based or cross-channel time decay models.
VS
Simple
Attribution is dead
You think that attribution models overcomplicate stuff. The funnel only has two points: the beginning and the end. It’s impossible to know what happens in between.
Complex
Data nerd
You’re a geek who speaks SQL and loves to import and export data everywhere you go. You may even have some excel macros in your back pocket.
VS
Simple
Everyday data user
Data is pragmatic, and good insights help you determine what works and what doesn’t, making your life easier.
Complex
Endless & limitless
You love to reconfigure and customize your analytics platform. The more options, the better.
VS
Simple
Opinionated
You love it when someone tells you what’s going on, what works, and what sucks.
Complex
Data-driven
You’re willing to browse through all the data and twist it around to find something meaningful.
VS
Simple
Insight-led
You want to avoid browsing through every bit of information to find something meaningful. You want the good news and the bad news delivered without much effort.
I fall into the simple bucket. I want simple reporting that helps me make decisions faster.
Volument is a web analytics tool for people who love simple buckets. Our engine gives you automated insights and tells you when something meaningful happens.
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