Google Analytics has introduced a new feature called Customer Match, which is currently being tested. This update helps improve remarketing by using first-party customer data when traditional identifiers, like third-party cookies, aren’t available.
What is Customer Match?
Customer Match allows you to use your online and offline data to reach and re-engage with your customers across various Google platforms, including Search, the Shopping tab, Gmail, YouTube, and Display. By using information that your customers have shared with you, Customer Match targets ads to those customers and others like them.
Key Features of Customer Match
- Enhanced Remarketing:
- Customer Match helps maximize coverage for remarketing efforts by using first-party data when other identifiers aren’t available. This ensures that your campaigns reach the most relevant audiences.
- Privacy-Safe Data Use:
- Customer Match uses first-party data in a privacy-safe way, allowing you to build strong relationships with your customers while respecting their privacy.
- Wide Reach:
- You can reach your customers and new potential customers with similar interests across Google’s owned and operated properties. This includes personalized ads on Search, the Shopping tab, Gmail, YouTube, and Display.
- Improved Campaign Performance:
- By using first-party data, Customer Match helps you optimize your campaigns and improve performance. This is particularly important as the industry shifts towards a privacy-driven approach to marketing.
How to Use Customer Match in Google Analytics
To use Customer Match in your existing Google Analytics audiences shared with your linked advertising products, you need to set up user-provided data collection for your website. Here’s how you can get started:
- Link Your Google Analytics Property:
- Ensure that your Google Analytics property is linked with your Google advertising products, such as Google Ads, Display & Video 360, or Search Ads 360.
- Enable Personalized Advertising:
- Enable personalized advertising in your Google Analytics settings to use Customer Match.
- Collect User-Provided Data:
- Set up user-provided data collection on your website to gather first-party data from your customers.
- Create Customer Match Lists:
- Upload your first-party customer data to create Customer Match lists. Google will match this data against its users to create targeted audiences.
Benefits of Customer Match
- Increased Reach: Customer Match helps you reach a larger audience by using first-party data when other identifiers aren’t available.
- Better Targeting: You can target ads to your existing customers and new potential customers with similar interests.
- Privacy-Safe: Customer Match uses first-party data in a way that respects user privacy.
- Improved Performance: By leveraging first-party data, you can optimize your campaigns and achieve better results.
Conclusion
The Customer Match update in Google Analytics is a powerful tool for enhancing remarketing efforts and improving campaign performance. By using first-party data, you can reach a larger audience, target ads more effectively, and build strong relationships with your customers in a privacy-safe way.
