Implementing ASC Datalayer for Octane Marketing: A GA4 Integration Journey

At Web3box Software, we pride ourselves on being a technology partner that provides software development, strategic consulting, and project management services.

Our recent collaboration with Octane Marketing, a full-service digital agency, highlights how we successfully integrated the asc_datalayer to optimize their GA4 (Google Analytics 4) events dashboard and elevate their data analytics capabilities.

As Octane Marketing sought to enhance its data collection and reporting systems, we worked hand-in-hand with its team to ensure consistent and precise event tracking. This ultimately improved campaign performance and provided actionable insights.

The Challenge:

In 2022, we partnered with Octane Marketing, a digital agency dedicated to driving targeted, VIN-specific advertising and delivering measurable results for dealerships. As part of their growth, they needed a robust system to track specific website events and seamlessly integrate this data into their Google Analytics (GA4) dashboard.

In 2024, Octane reached out to us to help with an urgent task: “We need to get GA4 events firing consistently.” This was driven by an updated documentation release for the asc_datalayer, a custom data layer developed by their vendor for enhanced event tracking. The goal was to create a system that would allow the capture of specific metrics and events without relying on scraping and using more efficient data collection methods.

Research & Development:

To address this challenge, our team dived deep into understanding the new asc_datalayer and its unique parameters, which mirrored the gtag datalayer but with additional ASC-specific values.

This data layer was designed to update in real-time with every user interaction on the website. By implementing the asc_datalayer, Octane’s team would have access to a centralized source of website data, capturing vital vehicle details and user interactions without the need for scraping. The added bonus was that the system would enable real-time tracking of events, essential for feeding precise data into GA4.

The Implementation Process:

Once we had fully grasped the requirements, our team at Web3box Software started implementing the asc_datalayer into Octane’s digital framework. The key steps in the process included:

1. Custom Event Tracking: We developed custom tracking mechanisms to capture new events that aligned with the updated asc_datalayer documentation. These events were critical for tracking website interactions, including VIN-specific ads and user actions on vehicle listings.
2. GA4 Integration: The next step involved setting up the integration with GA4, ensuring that all the events from the asc_datalayer were sent to the correct Measurement IDs, a vital part of the certification process. These Measurement IDs are used to determine where to send the GA4 events, ensuring they’re linked to the correct reporting channels.
3. Dashboard Development: We didn’t stop at the backend; our team also worked on developing a Nitro Reporting Dashboard. This dashboard provided Octane with a comprehensive view of their data, integrating the new GA4 events and showcasing key performance indicators (KPIs) in a digestible, visual format.
4. Testing & Optimization: After implementing the system, rigorous testing was carried out to ensure that all data was correctly captured and displayed. We optimized the dashboard functionality to provide seamless data retrieval, OAuth 2.0 authentication for secure access, and smooth data visualization.

Results & Impact:

The integration of asc_datalayer and the GA4 event tracking system significantly improved the data collection capabilities of Octane Marketing. Here are some of the key outcomes:

• Accurate Event Tracking: The implementation of the asc_datalayer enabled precise tracking of specific user interactions on the dealership websites, capturing essential vehicle details and interactions in real-time.
• Enhanced Reporting: By integrating the data with GA4, Octane now has access to more granular insights and can create highly customized reports that help refine marketing strategies.
• Increased Efficiency: With the new tracking system, Octane’s team no longer had to rely on scraping or manual data collection, saving them valuable time and resources.
• Improved Campaign Performance: The actionable insights provided by the new GA4 events system allowed Octane Marketing to fine-tune their targeted advertising efforts, leading to increased website traffic and ultimately more cars sold for their dealership clients.

Ongoing Development & Future Goals:

Our collaboration with Octane Marketing is far from over. As their technology partner, Web3box continues to offer project management, software consulting, and ongoing support to ensure the system remains optimized. Looking ahead, we plan to further enhance the asc_datalayer’s functionality, improve real-time event tracking, and explore additional features that can further streamline Octane’s digital advertising efforts.

Conclusion:

This project highlights the power of collaboration and innovation. By implementing the asc_datalayer and integrating it with GA4, Web3box Software has enabled Octane Marketing to enhance their data-driven marketing strategies. We look forward to continuing this partnership and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital advertising for dealerships.