On July 1st, 2023, Google Analytics 4 replaced Google Analytics Universal. This means Google Analytics Universal accounts and properties no longer process data and are automatically migrated to Google Analytics 4. For further details, please read more about it from Google here.
This help page will provide you with comprehensive guidance on how to integrate or update your Google Analytics integration in the Outbrain DSP dashboard, ensuring uninterrupted tracking of your campaign performance.
PLEASE NOTE: There are some exceptions for clients using Google Analytics 360. If your Google Analytics Universal account remains active, you can keep using your current Outbrain DSP integration, and no action is required.
Google Analytics 4 transition instructions
If you're using Google Analytics Universal API reporting type:
STEP 1: Navigate to your GA4 account and add a new user to your GA property
1. In Google Analytics, click "Admin".
2. In the Property column, click "Access Management".
3. In the Properties permissions list click "+", then click "Add users".
4. Enter the following email address: account-20@zemanta-api.iam.gserviceaccount.com
5. Select the “Viewer” permission.
6. Click “Add”.
STEP 2: Retrieve and copy your GA property ID
The Property ID is a string of nine numbers located in your Google Analytics dashboard and it is a unique identifier for each property in Google Analytics 4.
To find your Property ID, follow these steps:
1. Navigate to the Admin section in the bottom left corner of the Google Analytics dashboard.
2. While in the Admin tab, select your Google Analytics 4 property.
3. Click on Property Settings, and copy the Property ID.
STEP 3: Update Performance tracking settings and add the property ID in the Outbrain DSP dashboard
1. Head to the DSP Dashboard.
2. Open your Campaign Settings.
3. Find the Performance Tracking section and click on Enable Google Analytics 4 performance tracking.
4. Input the Property ID which you obtained from your Google Analytics dashboard.
5. To ensure your Google Analytics is properly connected, click on “Validate”.
If there is an issue with your connection, please follow the instructions on the screen.
STEP 4 (only applicable if using Google Analytics conversion goal): Update campaign goal conversion in campaign settings
If you currently have a Google Analytics Universal connection within Outbrain DSP and have selected CPA - Conversion tracking as your campaign goal, while having your type set as Google Analytics, you will need to manually update the goals for each of your campaigns. To do this, you must first ensure that you have connected Google Analytics 4 API with Outbrain DSP and created or migrated the appropriate goals in your Google Analytics 4 account.
To change the Type, follow these steps:
Select the campaign for which you want to update the goal.
Choose "Google Analytics 4" as the type.
Input the correct and updated goal based on your settings in Google Analytics 4.
Please make sure to review and update the goals for each campaign accordingly to ensure accurate tracking and reporting.
STEP 5: Add GA tracking code in the Campaign Settings.
Navigate to "Tracking code / UTM" section in Ad Group settings.
Add the following parameter in the input field: utm_term={trackingcode}
This will ensure that parameters for tracking Outbrain DSP traffic in your GA4 account will be appended properly.
If you’re already using a custom utm_term on your campaign, please reach out to your Customer Success Representative for assistance.
If you're currently using Google Analytics Email reporting type:
Google Analytics 4 does not support email reporting functionality. Consequently, integration via email reporting with the Outbrain DSP dashboard is not possible.
If you currently rely on Google Analytics Universal performance tracking via email integration within Outbrain DSP, we highly recommend migrating to Google Analytics 4 API integration as soon as possible. This transition will ensure the continuous and smooth operation of your campaigns without any interruptions.
For detailed instructions on setting up a Google Analytics 4 API connection, please follow the steps detailed above.
Google Analytics 4 — Outbrain DSP Metrics Mapping
To help you better compare reported metrics with your Google Analytics account, you can find below an overview of how metrics are translated in the Outbrain DSP dashboard.
Keep in mind there are two types of available metrics: Base metrics that are available in all dashboards, and metrics that Outbrain DSP calculates from the base metric to help you better understand and optimize your campaigns.
Base metrics:
Outbrain DSP UI | Google Analytics 4 | Google Analytics Universal |
Visits | Sessions | Sessions |
New Users | New Users | New users |
Pageviews | Views | Pageviews |
Unique Users | Total Users | Users |
Total Seconds | User Engagement Duration | Session Duration |
Calculated metrics:
Outbrain DSP UI | Z1 Metric Calculation | Google Analytics 4 | Google Analytics Universal |
Time on Site | Total Seconds / Visits | Average Session Duration | Session Duration / Sessions |
Returning users | Unique Users − New Users | Total Users − New Users | Users − New Users |
Bounced Visits | Visits − Non-Bounced Visits | Sessions − Engaged Sessions | Sessions − Non-Bounced Sessions |
Non-Bounced Visits | Visits − Bounced Visits | Sessions − Non-Engaged Sessions | Sessions − Bounced Sessions |
Bounce Rate | Bounced Visits / Visits | Non-Engaged Sessions / Sessions | Bounce Rate |
FAQ
1. How long after switching the connection will I see GA4 data populated in the dashboard?
It usually takes 24-48 hours after the campaign launch for engagement data to appear in the dashboard.
2. Should I delete the current Google Analytics Universal integration, or should I keep both active?
To ensure a smooth transition, we suggest you keep both integrations active during the transition period. Our system will automatically check the data from both GA Universal and GA4 sources to ensure data is fully ingested into the Outbrain DSP dashboard.
3. There is a difference in how GA UA and GA4 report on metrics. How will this affect Outbrain DSP reporting and optimization capabilities?
The new integration should not affect current optimizations and campaign performance. We are ingesting and using the same metrics as with GA Universal but are mapping them to the corresponding metric in GA4. You can easily check an explanation for each metric in the table above or by hovering over the metric tooltip in the Outbrain DSP reporting column.
Data Use and Privacy
Google formally approves Outbrain DSP's access to Google Analytics data.
Our system will only read DSP-related data as it filters out data signals that do not contain its click ID (zpbid) or Outbrain DSP Performance tracking codes (_z1_msid, _z1_adgid, _z1_caid) in the landing page URL.
For optimization and audience segment-building purposes, Outbrain DSP will only use contextual data based on clicks (i.e., time of day, section, browser, etc.) and will not use the user's personal data.
You can create a custom filter inside Google Analytics that automatically collects traffic generated only by your Outbrain DSP campaigns. To create the filter, navigate to the Filter section in the view in which you want to create it and then include _z1_|zpbid| in the Filter Field.