Get a channel read with no tag manager work
The whole path from analytics to a per-channel causal number, without opening a tag manager once. Four steps, and the one place people go wrong on step two.
By Joris van Huët, Founder & CEOUpdated 3 min read
You can go from a Google Analytics account to a per-channel causal estimate in four steps without opening a tag manager or filing a ticket. The only step that regularly goes wrong is the second one, and it goes wrong the same way every time.
The four steps
| Step | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pick the window and confirm retention covers it | A few minutes |
| 3 | Upload it and read the output | One to two minutes |
| 4 | Write down the decision and the date | Two minutes, skipped by everyone |
Step 1. Check the window before you export
Google Analytics retention settings govern how far back granular data stays queryable. If the setting is short, the window you want may already be gone, and no amount of exporting will bring it back. Check first; it takes less time than discovering it at step three. The trap is described in the two-month retention problem.
Step 2. Export the right report
This is where people go wrong. The common mistake is exporting a summary view that has already collapsed the channel detail, which produces a file that looks correct and cannot support a per-channel read.
The precise steps are in how to use GA4 exports.
Step 3. Read the output, not the ranking
Channels below the level of spend at which any method can separate their effect are named as unmeasured rather than scored.
Step 4. Record the decision
Write down what you decided, on what date, on what number. This is the step that turns a report into a record, and the record is what lets you check next quarter whether the read was any good. Nobody does it and everybody wishes they had.
What it costs
The first read is €99, once, with a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked. There is no pixel, no code and no subscription attached to it.
Why no tag manager is the point
Every measurement project that requires a tag manager acquires a queue, a QA pass and a person who owns it. That is how measurement becomes a quarter-long initiative rather than an afternoon. Removing the install removes the queue, and removing the queue is what makes it possible to read your channels monthly instead of annually.
Related answers
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Google Tag Manager to use Causality Engine?
No. The read runs on a CSV export from Google Analytics that you produce yourself, so there is nothing to install in a tag manager and no change to your storefront code. The only prerequisite is that Analytics has been collecting for the window you want to read.What is the most common mistake when exporting GA4 data for attribution?
Exporting a summary view that has already collapsed the channel detail. The file looks right and cannot support a per-channel read.
Go deeper: Causal attribution, explained.
Sixty-second versions of these ideas: Causality Engine on YouTube Shorts.
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Keep reading
Terms in this article
- AnalyticsAnalytics is the systematic computational analysis of data. It reveals customer behavior and measures campaign performance.
- AttributionAttribution identifies user actions that contribute to a desired outcome and assigns value to each. It reveals which marketing touchpoints drive conversions.
- CausalityCausality is the relationship where one event directly causes another, essential for identifying specific actions that drive desired outcomes in marketing.
- Google AnalyticsGoogle Analytics is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
- ShopifyShopify is an ecommerce platform for creating online stores and selling products. Attribution modeling shows which marketing channels drive traffic and conversions within Shopify.