The digital news and trends roundup that your church needs to know about.

The Replacement for Google Analytics

Google launched a new analytics product called “Google Analytics 4” that’s separate from the Google Analytics product we all know (and some of us love). It’s eventually going to replace the “UA” version of Google Analytics. [Overview]

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) is going to be a big deal, but you don’t have to make any immediate changes for your church. Think of GA4 as 4K TV. Your current TV still works and so does your current Google Analytics implementation. You don’t have to throw out your TV or your analytics. Even if you have a 4K TV, not all programming is available in 4K resolution just like currently not all analytics tracking is available in GA4 (yet).

Google recommends piloting GA4 in parallel with regular Google Analytics.

Some GA properties already have the quick upgrade option, which looks like this.

If you select that, a new property is created that pulls in your existing settings. Your current setup and data are not impacted. Otherwise, you’ll need to add GA4 manually if your property menu looks like the standard version.

Mojo Rising: If you have the upgrade option then give it a try.

Google Ads warning

Even if you block sites in Google Display where you don’t want your ads to appear, you might still show up in Google Custom Search Engines (CSE). That’s how Breitbart earned money from clicks on Biden campaign ads. The first step is to see if you’ve checked off “Include search partners” when picking a network. Read on for more details so this doesn’t happen to your church.

https://branded.substack.com/p/joe-bidens-campaign-has-been-funding

Paid Zoom events

If you thought Zoom fatigue was costing you, wait until you have to pay an admission fee. Zoom is rolling out an option for paid events, which is good news for musicians and maybe church fundraisers. Some conferences might benefit, too. I attended Mozcon online this year and their paid platform could not handle the bandwidth.

https://www-cnbc-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/10/14/zoom-launches-onzoom-paid-live-events.html

Google Quality Rater Guidelines updated

The Google Quality Rater Guidelines is updated with a focus on meeting the needs of searchers. This document is what Google’s human contractors use to spot-check whether the search results are reflecting the quality Google hopes its algorithms achieve. The guide is not the algorithm.

Jennifer Slegg summarized the changes and MJ Cachón created a spreadsheet version.

Lift and Shift is full of it when it comes to content migration

Skip the junk drawer approach when moving your church content to a new platform and follow these four steps instead.

https://www.cmswire.com/customer-experience/why-the-lift-and-shift-approach-to-content-migration-doesnt-work/

The year’s most coveted Halloween decoration 

Whether you saw the 12-foot skeleton on a Kardashian’s Instagram or towering over a sidewalk, the bony behemoths are everywhere. Learn how a Home Depot merchant came up with the humerus idea. Memento mori.

https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/10/12-foot-skeleton-halloween-home-depot-review.html

It’s September 19 so it must be, what, Wedneday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time (or Twitter version)? It’s also International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Celebrate with this buried treasure from ChurchMojo.com we arrrrgh diggin’ up for this here special occasion.

The usual suspects are enjoying this here holiday as well. Ironic Catholic struck gold again with Psalm 42, New Revised Pirate Version. And Happy Catholic gets literature-y.

Avast, me hearties — it be Talk Like a Pirate Day once again (Sept. 19). Check out this favorite post by Cap’n Mark that we unearthed for this special day.