# How to Create a Single Customer View (SCV) Across Platforms
In today’s digital landscape, your customers aren’t just interacting with your business in one place. They might see an ad on Facebook, browse your website on their phone, sign up for your newsletter, and eventually make a purchase in your Brisbane storefront or online shop. Without a Single Customer View (SCV), these look like four different people, making it impossible to tailor your marketing effectively.
Creating an SCV allows you to unify these touchpoints into one cohesive profile. This guide will show you how to bridge the gap between platforms like Google Analytics, Facebook, and your CRM to better understand your Australian customers.
Why This Matters for Your Business
An SCV allows you to stop wasting ad spend on people who have already converted and helps you provide a personalised experience that drives loyalty. For an Australian small business, this means higher conversion rates and a much clearer understanding of your Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).---
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before we begin, ensure you have access to the following:- Google Analytics 4 (GA4) Account: With administrative access.
- Google Tag Manager (GTM): Installed on your website.
- CRM or Email Marketing Tool: (e.g., Mailchimp, HubSpot, or ActiveCampaign).
- A Unique Identifier: Usually an email address or a User ID from your database.
- Privacy Policy: An updated policy that complies with the Australian Privacy Act (1988) regarding data collection.
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Step 1: Define Your Primary Key
To link data across platforms, you need a "common thread." In marketing, this is usually a User ID or a hashed email address. This unique identifier must be consistent across your website, your email platform, and your point-of-sale system.Pro Tip: Never use Plain Text PII (Personally Identifiable Information) like a raw email address in Google Analytics. Always ensure it is hashed (SHA-256) or use an internal database ID.
Step 2: Set Up User ID Tracking in GA4
Google Analytics 4 is built for cross-platform tracking. To enable this:- Go to Admin in GA4.
- Under Data Collection and Modification, click on Data Streams.
- Select your Web stream.
- Ensure Enhanced Measurement is turned on.
- Navigate to Reporting Identity and select Blended. This tells Google to use User ID, then Google Signals, then Device ID to identify a single user.
Step 3: Configure Google Tag Manager (GTM) for User IDs
You need to send the User ID from your website to GA4.- In GTM, create a new Data Layer Variable named
uid(or whatever your developer calls the User ID in the code). - Open your GA4 Configuration Tag (or GA4 Event Tag).
- Under Fields to Set, add a row.
- Field Name:
user_id| Value:{{uid}}(your variable).
Step 4: Implement a Data Layer on Your Website
This is the technical part where you might need a developer. You need to push the logged-in user's ID into the 'Data Layer' so GTM can grab it. Example code for your dev:window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
window.dataLayer.push({'uid': '12345'});
Step 5: Connect Your CRM Data
Your CRM holds the "offline" or "deep" customer data (like total lifetime value). Most modern CRMs have a direct integration with Google Analytics or Facebook (Meta).- Go to your CRM settings.
- Look for "Integrations" or "Apps".
- Connect your Google Ads and Meta Business Suite accounts.
- This allows the platforms to share "Offline Conversions"—meaning if someone clicks an ad but buys via a phone call recorded in your CRM, the ad platform finds out.
Step 6: Set Up the Meta Conversions API (CAPI)
Browser cookies are becoming less reliable. To maintain an SCV, you need the Conversions API. Unlike the standard Pixel, CAPI sends data directly from your server to Meta.- In Events Manager, go to Settings.
- Scroll to Conversions API and click Set up manually or use a partner integration (like Shopify or WordPress).
- Ensure you are sending the
external_id(this should match the User ID you used in Step 3).
Step 7: Map the Customer Journey in GA4 Explorations
Now that data is flowing, you need to see it.- In GA4, go to Explore.
- Create a User Explorer report.
- This report shows individual (anonymous) IDs and every action they took across different sessions. This is your SCV in action.
Step 8: Standardise Your UTM Parameters
An SCV is useless if you don't know where the traffic came from. Ensure every link you post on social media, in emails, or on QR codes in your Brisbane shop uses UTM parameters.- Source: e.g.,
newsletter - Medium: e.g.,
email - Campaign: e.g.,
winter_sale_2024
Step 9: Audit for Data Consistency
Check your data weekly. Do the number of leads in your CRM match the number of conversions in GA4? They will never be 100% identical due to ad blockers, but they should be within a 10-15% margin.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Storing PII in GA4: Sending a raw email address to Google is a violation of their Terms of Service and can result in your account being deleted. Always use a unique database ID or hashed string.
- Ignoring the Privacy Act: Ensure your website's cookie banner and privacy policy clearly state that you collect data for profiling and marketing purposes, as per Australian law.
- Fragmented IDs: Using "Email" as the ID in one platform and "Phone Number" in another. Pick one primary key and stick to it.
Troubleshooting
- User ID not appearing in GA4: Check GTM Preview mode. Is the
uidvariable actually populating in the Data Layer when you log in? If it says 'undefined', your website code isn't pushing the ID correctly. - Duplicate Conversions: If you set up both the Pixel and CAPI, ensure you have Event Deduplication set up in Meta Events Manager so you don't count one sale twice.
- High 'Unassigned' Traffic: This usually means your UTM parameters are messy or missing, preventing GA4 from attributing the user to a specific platform.
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Next Steps
Once you have a Single Customer View, you can begin Predictive Modelling. GA4 can start predicting which customers are likely to churn (stop buying) and which have the highest potential value.If you find the technical setup of GTM or the Conversions API a bit overwhelming, we can help. Our team specialises in connecting these dots for Brisbane businesses to ensure your marketing budget is working as hard as possible.
Need help unifying your data? Contact the Local Marketing Group team today for a technical audit.