Hey Reader!
It seems a bit too early to be thinking about the end of the year, but here we are in Q4, which means year-end wrap-ups are coming whether we're ready or not. Now is the time to start planning what information you want to include in your year-end summary! It doesn’t matter if your summary is just for yourself, or something to share with your company or clients, it’s still a great exercise to put one together.
Think about: What were the highlights? What were the lowlights? What changed this year? What are you proud of?
Of course it's easier if you keep up on this over the course of the year, but no one's perfect. And even if no one asked you for a year-end wrap-up, I'd encourage you to provide one anyway. It's a great way to remind folks that you have data and this is what it's saying. Plus, having a regular reporting schedule (even if it's just once a year) is a good way to start moving up my Analytics Hierarchy.
Have any questions about planning your year-end analytics review? Just hit reply and I'm happy to answer.
LinkedIn Learning
New LinkedIn Learning Course: AI and Google Analytics 4 Analysis
I'm excited to share that my new course just launched on LinkedIn Learning. AI and Google Analytics 4 Analysis gives you practical skills to analyze GA4 data with external tools like ChatGPT and Looker Studio for deeper, more actionable marketing insights.
You'll learn how to structure and export data responsibly, analyze content performance using predictive models and semantic techniques, and build automated dashboards for regular insight generation. From predictive audiences to full customer journey mapping, I’ll show you how AI can elevate your content strategy.
Whether you're optimizing channel performance or discovering hidden content gaps, you'll get a clear, AI-informed framework to elevate your marketing analytics practice and turn insights into action.
(Also, if you don’t have a paid LinkedIn account, you can usually access LinkedIn Learning courses for free with your library card!)
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Articles Worth Your Time
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GA4 Annotations: Now in Looker Studio!
Steve Lamar released a GA4 annotations data connector for Looker Studio that automatically imports annotations from Google Analytics into Looker Studio just like any other data source. You can create tables of annotations that change when you switch dates or filters and assign categories to annotation colors.
This matters because annotations are one of those features that seem minor until you desperately need to remember why traffic spiked three months ago or when you launched that campaign. Having your annotations available directly in Looker Studio means you can actually use them in your reporting instead of switching back and forth between tools.
To use it, search "GA4 Annotations" in Looker Studio data sources and you're off. And if you haven’t used annotations in GA4 yet, check out my guide!
Bypassing the Google Search Console 1,000 Row Export Limit
Lee Foot created a Google Search Console exporter tool that downloads all of your Search Console data in a couple of clicks. It handles large datasets, includes a 16-month lookback period, and provides page-level keywords.
If you’ve tried to pull data from Search Console before you know how annoying that row limit can be. I like this tool because it is so easy to use! Plus it supports web, news, images, Discover, and video data. As long as the client has shared their Search Console account with you, you can easily grab the data you need for deeper analysis.
The Reality Behind ChatGPT Shopping Hype
Eric Hebert published research on ChatGPT shopping that challenges some of the hype around generative engine optimization. His analysis looks at what's actually happening with shopping queries in ChatGPT versus what the marketing headlines would have you believe.
What I appreciate about Eric's approach is that he's looking at real data instead of speculation. If you're trying to figure out whether to invest resources in optimizing for AI search tools, this kind of evidence-based analysis helps you make better decisions about where to focus your efforts.
Where You Can Find Me
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Speaking at MeasureSummit (October 8-10)
I'm speaking at MeasureSummit which runs online from October 8th to 10th. My topic is From Page Views to Performance: Advanced GA4 Content Analysis for Strategic Decision-Making.
Many marketers are drowning in content metrics but starving for real insights. In this session, I'll show you how to transform GA4 from a basic reporting tool into a strategic content intelligence system. We'll move beyond surface-level metrics to build a three-level resonance framework: Attention (did they stay?), Engagement (did they consume?), and Action (did they convert?).
You'll learn how to create custom GA4 metrics that reveal true content consumption patterns, use traffic acquisition data as content intelligence, leverage path analysis with AI tools to spot opportunities your competitors are missing, and balance data-informed decisions with creative strategy.
Perfect for marketing analysts, content strategists, and digital marketers who want to move from reactive reporting to proactive content planning. Hope to see some of you there!
Get your ticket →
That's it for this edition of The Huddle. As always, if you have questions or want to share what you're working on, just hit reply. Thanks for reading!