Advanced GA4 Features: BigQuery Export, API Access, and Managing Multiple Properties

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers advanced features such as BigQuery Export, API Access, and management of multiple properties to enhance data analysis and integration capabilities.

BigQuery Export in GA4

• Purpose: Allows exporting raw GA4 event data to BigQuery, a cloud data warehouse, enabling complex SQL-like queries and integration with other data sources.
• Setup Steps:
  1. Create or select a Google Cloud Console project and enable the BigQuery API.
  2. Link your GA4 property to the BigQuery project via the GA4 Admin interface under "BigQuery Linking."
  3. Configure export options: choose between daily export (full daily data) or streaming export (near real-time data with potential additional costs).
• Data Handling:
  • Exported data includes raw event-level data but excludes product data linked to GA4.
  • Data is exported once daily and continuously throughout the day if streaming is enabled.
  • Export is not retroactive; it only captures data from the moment export is enabled.
• Limits and Costs:
  • Free export up to 1 million events per day via BigQuery sandbox.
  • Exceeding sandbox limits incurs charges.
  • Permissions on exported data are managed via BigQuery Access Control Lists (ACLs).
• Use Cases: Enables advanced custom reporting, combining GA4 data with other datasets, and building complex analytics workflows.

API Access

• GA4 provides APIs for programmatic access to analytics data, allowing automation, custom reporting, and integration with other systems.
• The APIs support querying aggregated data, managing configurations, and accessing metadata.
• API access complements BigQuery export by enabling flexible data retrieval without manual export processes.

Managing Multiple GA4 Properties

• GA4 allows managing multiple properties within a single Google Analytics account.
• Each property can be linked independently to BigQuery, enabling separate or combined analysis.
• Roll-up properties (aggregating data from multiple subproperties) can also export data to BigQuery.
• Centralized management is done via the GA4 Admin interface, where users with appropriate permissions can configure settings, link BigQuery, and control access for each property.

These advanced features empower organisations to leverage GA4 data at scale, integrate with enterprise data platforms, and automate analytics workflows efficiently.