Continuing with this topic, I recommend that if you have not read the first part, read it here before continuing reading this content.
In this installment, we moved on to discuss other aspects of digital analytics such as the differences at the Tag Management Systems (TMS) level, its dataLayer and reporting functionalities and understanding customer behavior. This time, I’m going to rate each of these aspects of the two tools on a scale of 1 to 10.
Tag Management Systems
Google Analytics
The Google Tag Manager (GTM) solution is perhaps the most used in the market and has a wide variety of documentation, templates and free courses, however, remember that the TMS is the channel through which Google Analytics, pixels or additional scripts are implemented, but not the platform that collects and allows analyzing customer behavior.
If I had to rate this system, it is among my favorites for its capacity and ease of configuration of instances. 9/10.
There are details that can be improved such as the control of environments for publication, modifying the exact location of the insertion and execution of each script or inserting them in the <head> tag (sorry to be a bit technical).
Adobe Analytics
In the case of Adobe there is Adobe Launch, it is the most recent of 3 solutions they have developed and also the most complete. Its components are similar and even familiar to those of GTM (for those contemplating a migration of solutions). Unlike GTM, Launch has a functionality that, in my opinion, offers greater security since it controls the environments where the scripts are deployed by means of an approval flow that areas such as Security and Technology would find more than useful to control the deployments.
In order to compare Launch against GTM, and despite having improvements, I give it the same 9/10 considering that they can optimize the solution by incorporating a native tool for debugging, without the need to install extensions or additional components.
Both TMS offer a number of useful features to implement each solution and depending on what we are configuring, one or the other will be better.
DataLayer
Both Google and Adobe can work hand in hand with the dataLayer (dataLayer: a js object that groups, sorts and classifies customer behavior information so that digital analytics tools can consume it in a standardized way and with less technical effort).
There is no difference for each solution with respect to this component, so we will focus on pointing out the recommendations for its correct implementation and administration.
The person responsible for the creation, management and maintenance of this object is recommended to be part of the team of Developers specialized in front-end with knowledge of back-end as it is usually integration between CMS data, services that consume and behaviors or events on the website. This team or person must be in total synchrony with Analytics and Marketing teams to recognize what is being measured and what is not.
The next recommendation is to have a SDR (Solution Design Reference) or document that consolidates the implementation of dataLayer and update it as the digital business requires it. Here the two tools receive 9/10.
Reporting
For example, marketing and business teams often request or require reports that describe the impact of their efforts in digital properties immediately and according to the attributes used by each area. To the extent that these types of ad hoc reports are required the most key factors will always be speed and accuracy.
Google Analytics
Google offers a rigid UI and as an alternative requires additional integration and configuration in the Data Studio tool. For the development of ad hoc reports it requires more effort as the connection must be modified according to the business questions to be answered, otherwise your best option will always be the pre-set reports in the Google Analytics UI. 7/10.
Adobe Analytics
The Workspace tool consolidates for Adobe Analytics the reporting function that, par excellence, offers speed, accuracy and ease in the creation of reports, whether general behavioral or specific to digital properties in a drag and drop UI. In this aspect, Adobe outperforms Google as Workspace can consolidate reporting from Adobe ecosystem tools (Target, Campaign or Audience Manager) or even see the complete customer flow through all interactions with touch points with Customer Journey Analysis. 10/10.
Scoring between Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics
En la siguiente y última parte de este blog hablaremos de aspecto asociados a atribución y funcionalidades soportadas por inteligencia artificial y machine learning.
Autor: Philipe Castillo
2 de Marzo, 2022