By: Earl Brown, Autofusion (2023)
Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is here, and with it comes a host of new capabilities, features, and yes, new marketing terms to learn. One of the many things our automotive clients have been asking us to explain is the addition of the “Cross-network” channel to the default channel grouping, displayed by default within the Acquisition Reports and Advertising sections of GA4 (Reports>Life cycle> Acquisition, also available in any custom reports you may create). This new channel term seems to be creating some confusion, so we wanted to take a moment to help clarify what it means to Google, and how it relates to your dealership’s website analytics and advertising practices.
So, What Is Cross-Network Traffic On GA4?
Despite sounding similar, Cross-network does not necessarily mean Omnichannel or Cross-channel. The cross-network channel is not all-encompassing and is not designed to track all of your advertising. Generally speaking, Google defines the new “Cross-network” channel as:
‘the channel by which users arrive at your dealership’s website via ad’s that appear on a variety of networks(e.g. Search and Display)’.
This new channel provides attribution and insights into how your landing pages are performing in relation to your Performance Max, Discovery, and Smart Shopping Google Ad campaigns; all of which can be promoted on multiple networks like Search & Display, Youtube, Gmail, Maps, etc. and as such will now be considered part of the “Cross-network” attribution model.
If you’re using multiple Google Ad networks to reach your potential car shoppers (as many new car dealers are), the Cross-network channel can help you understand how each individual channel is contributing to the effectiveness of your marketing practices as a whole.
How Does Cross-Network Attribution Work?
In-a-nutshell, GA4 uses machine learning (AI) to provide analysis on your user’s behavior across these popular Google marketing properties. It helps you to track what your users are doing in different ad channels, right up to the point that they convert, which can help you to make significantly better PPC advertising decisions in the long run.
As shown in the table below, there are 2 ways to trigger the ‘Cross-network’ channel grouping: automatically by default and manually in your link’s UTM parameters.
Channel |
Default Trigger |
Manual Trigger |
|
Cross-network |
Source Platform = Google Ads AND Network Type = Discovery, Performance Max, or Smart Shopping. |
Set your utm_campaign parameter to include “cross-network” |
What Are The Benefits Of Cross-Network Attribution For Car Dealers?
Cross-network attribution can help you to keep track of your customers advertising-related journey through the sales funnel, and to better understand how different touchpoints along that path can influence their decisions to move lower in the funnel and convert. Not only does it enhance your understanding of your marketing response as a whole, but it helps you to identify the best performing channels and Google Ad Networks so that you can optimize your budgets, reduce wasted ad spend, and reach more shoppers with a more effective and engaging message.
How Can Autofusion Help My Dealership Improve It’s Pay Per Click ROI?
Our Automotive SEO and PPC expertise goes back decades, we can quickly help you optimize your targeting, creative, and attribution models so that you can rest assured that every penny you spend is affecting the best return possible. When you partner with Autofusion, you get 7 day a week service and access to road-tested advertising strategies that make the difference. To get the wheels turning, call 800-410-7354, email our sales team at sales@autofusion.com, or click here to submit an inquiry.
