User ID is an underutilized capability of the Universal Analytics version of Google Analytics. It offers tremendous potential to improve your business, especially if you sell to businesses or are highly dependent upon repeat customers.
User ID is aptly named, as it allows website owners to Identify their visitors in Google Analytics. The User ID dimension is a unique identifier that the website owner can assign to individual users. We all know Google doesn’t allow Personally Identifiable Information in Google Analytics. That being said, a string of apparently random alphanumeric characters is allowed in the User ID dimension and that string could represent a hashed version of a customer’s email address or more practically, a customer’s account number or account ID from your website back end.
Google recently announced an enhancement to the User ID capability, User Explorer. This new report allows you to drill down into an individual’s behavior on your site. An example from Google’s blog is below.
One reason for any ecommerce site to consider implementing User ID is that it is the only path to cross-device conversion tracking in Google Analytics. Cross-device conversion tracking is available in AdWords. That being said, there are multi-device conversion paths that don’t include a paid search visit from Google and the only way for Google Analytics users to track those will be through the User ID capability. In essence, the bonus is on the site owner to tell Google that a session that came from a smartphone and another session from a PC are from the same person. Through User ID, you “connect” those related touch points in your Google Analytics reports.
To find out about how you can implement User ID and benefit from it, stay tuned during our Einstein inspired webinar series, #AnalyticsWeek, as we explore how to “Track Your Best Customers with User ID” on Thursday, June 16 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST.
Find out more by registering today!
You’ll also have the opportunity to join our #AnalyticsWeek Forum so you can ask the tough questions, express your challenges, and get valuable insights from our Analytics Team. They’ll be moderating questions as they receive them, all at no cost to you.
