If you’re a B2B event marketer, chances are you’ve struggled with making sense of your marketing analytics. It’s a common challenge, especially with the ever-increasing complexity of tools and data sources like GA4 and the shift towards first-party data (see why MPG recommends growing your 1st party data to future-proof your marketing).

While you know that effective marketing analytics are critical to improving ROI, setting up and optimising these systems often gets pushed to the back burner. But don’t worry—you’re not the only one facing this issue!

What Are the Biggest Barriers to Prioritising Your Analytics Setup?

It’s easy to recognise the importance of marketing analytics, but getting your analytics system in place and optimised can feel overwhelming. The truth is, the barriers are often more related to people and processes than technology. Let’s explore some of the most common challenges:

1. Your Analytics Setup is Owned by Data Analysts or Developers

Many marketing teams don’t have full ownership of their analytics. Instead, data analysts or developers manage the setup and ongoing maintenance. This can lead to delays and misalignment between what you, as a marketer, need and what’s being delivered, making it harder to track key metrics like ROI. See the most common pitfalls MPG are seeing with GA4 set ups.

2. You Don’t Speak the Same Language as Your Data Analysts or Developers

Communicating with data analysts or developers can feel like speaking two different languages. As a marketer, you’re focused on campaigns, customer journeys, and event registrations, while your data team is more concerned with technical structures and system configurations. This disconnect can slow down progress and make it harder to extract the insights you need from your analytics tools like GA4.

3. Your Team Lacks the Skills to Optimise the Analytics Setup

It’s not uncommon for marketing teams to lack the technical expertise needed to fully optimise their analytics setup. Whether it’s configuring GA4 or leveraging first-party data for more accurate tracking, you may feel limited by your current team’s skillset. As a result, you end up with basic, out-of-the-box solutions that don’t fully support your marketing goals.

How Can You Overcome These Barriers?

The good news is that with the right approach, you can overcome these barriers and take control of your analytics setup. Here’s how:

Step 1: Admit You Have a Problem and Understand the Nature of It

The first step is acknowledging that your current analytics setup isn’t delivering the insights you need. Are you struggling to get a clear picture of your ROI? Is there a disconnect between what’s being tracked and your marketing goals? Once you understand the specific issues, you can start addressing them.

Step 2: Build a Business Case and Onboard Senior Stakeholders

Next, it’s essential to build a solid business case to get buy-in from senior stakeholders. Optimising your analytics isn’t just a technical task; it’s a strategic move that can significantly impact your marketing performance. Demonstrate how improving your GA4 setup or enhancing your use of first-party data will lead to more precise targeting, better reporting, and, ultimately, a higher ROI.

Step 3: Prioritise Fixing and Optimising Your Analytics Setup

Once you’ve secured stakeholder approval, it’s time to make analytics optimisation a priority. This may involve training your team, bringing in external expertise, or re-allocating resources. Remember, marketing analytics should be treated as a core part of your strategy—not just a reporting tool. The better your analytics, the better you’ll be able to measure and improve the performance of your marketing efforts.

The Business Case: A Simple Framework

When building your business case for improving your analytics setup, keep it simple and focused. Here’s a straightforward framework you can use:

• Problem Statement: Outline the current issues with your analytics setup and how they’re affecting your ability to measure ROI effectively. See the most common pitfalls MPG are seeing, with GA4 set ups.
• Solution: Propose specific improvements, such as upgrading to a more sophisticated GA4 configuration or incorporating more first-party data for enhanced tracking. Use MPG’s 7 step guide to GA4 success.
• Benefits: Highlight the expected outcomes, such as more accurate insights, better decision-making, and a higher ROI from your campaigns.
• Costs: Provide a clear estimate of the financial investment required, whether it’s for additional tools, training, or external support.
• Timeline: Offer a realistic timeline for implementation and when you expect to see results.

In Summary

Taking control of your marketing analytics doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By acknowledging the challenges, building a strong business case, and prioritising optimisation, you’ll be well on your way to better understanding your campaign performance and improving your ROI. Tools like GA4 and first-party data are powerful assets in helping you track, analyse, and act on key marketing insights.

Remember, marketing analytics aren’t just about tracking numbers— it’s about understanding the real impact of your efforts and using that data to make smarter decisions for future success.