An Interview with Ciaran Nixon, Global Marketing Manager at Ivoclar and Sascha Prukner, Head of Customer Support at fusedeck
In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, businesses must navigate key challenges such as cookieless analytics, GDPR compliance, and real-time data insights to optimize their analytics tools effectively.. Ivoclar’s decision to move from GA4 to fusedeck wasn’t just a technological shift; it was a strategic leap towards better data, enhanced compliance, and smarter decision-making. Today, we’re diving into this journey with Ciaran, who spearheaded the transition at Ivoclar, and Sascha, representing fusedeck’s consultancy team.
Ciaran Nixon
Global Marketing Manager bei Ivoclar
Sascha Prukner
Head of Customer Support
fusedeck: What drove you to look for GA4 alternatives and opt for fusedeck?
Ciaran: The decision wasn’t made lightly. We evaluated numerous factors, but five key advantages tipped the scale. First, fusedeck provided superior real-time data granularity, enabling actionable insights and faster decision-making compared to Google Analytics GA4’s delayed reporting. This capability is essential for us, since we are focusing on user engagement and conversion rate optimization. Second, the event-based tracking structure was a game-changer – it transformed how we analyzed user interactions for better user engagement. By tracking specific events like form submissions or product clicks, fusedeck helped us enhance our conversion rate optimization and provided actionable insights for marketing analytics. Then, there’s the privacy aspect. GDPR compliance is a top priority for us, and fusedeck’s privacy-first analytics solution, including cookieless tracking and event-based tracking, offered unparalleled peace of mind. Beyond that, fusedeck’s customisable dashboards provided more intuitive insights tailored to our needs. They allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of our website analytics and marketing analytics. By tailoring our dashboards to specific KPIs like conversion rate optimization or real-time data insights, we were able to drive user engagement and make data-driven decisions effectively. And finally, their customer support and smooth integration process stood out remarkably.
fusedeck: How does the consent-sensitive cookieless tracking setup provided by fusedeck work precisely?
Sascha: fusedeck offers three different tracking types, each tailored to address specific privacy and tracking challenges. The first is the Full Cookie Tracking, where fusedeck operates with a custom tracking domain, making it more resilient against anti-tracking tools that often block standard cookies. This ensures that tracking remains effective even in environments with strict privacy settings. The second option is the Cookieless User Tracking, which prevents issues caused by technologies like Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) or other blockers. Instead of relying on cookies, fusedeck generates a server-side fingerprint that allows users to be recognized across sessions without compromising tracking effectiveness. Lastly, there is the Cookieless Session Tracking, which also uses a server-side fingerprint but ensures that no personal data is generated. Since this method does not enable user recognition beyond the session, it eliminates the need for user consent, making it an ideal solution for maintaining compliance with data privacy regulations while still gathering valuable session insights. Our customers typically choose a hybrid setup that switches from one tracking to another depending on the user’s consent settings.
fusedeck: That’s a compelling case for fusedeck. But let’s talk about the process – how did you make the transition to the GA4-alternative fusedeck?
Ciaran: It was an estimated eight-month journey. We began by defining our analytics objectives and comparing fusedeck’s capabilities with GA4. Then, we moved on to stakeholder communication to ensure everyone was aligned. One critical step was the data audit and mapping phase, where we reviewed our GA4 setup and adapted it to fusedeck’s framework. Setting up the account and permissions followed, along with a scheduled migration to minimise disruptions.
Adding the fusedeck tracking code to our website was straightforward, but the real work came with configuring events and tracking. We customised events based on our initial mapping and tested the data accuracy rigorously before creating dashboards that matched our existing reports. The final stages involved team training and developing internal documentation, ensuring a smooth handover to our internal users. Of course, post-launch optimisation is ongoing. We continue to review fusedeck’s performance and adjust our setup as needed.
fusedeck: From fusedeck’s perspective, what should companies keep in mind when transitioning to a new analytics solution?
Sascha: There are some essential considerations. It’s important to decide which tracking type suits your organisation – cookieless, full-cookie, or a combination of both. Then, consider third-party solutions you’ll need to integrate with fusedeck. Identifying key stakeholders is also crucial – who will use the tool daily and who needs reporting access? If your website is undergoing a relaunch, that’s a prime opportunity to rethink your entire tracking setup. We also recommend appointing a clear project owner to steer the process and set expectations for what kind of consultancy support you’ll require.
fusedeck: Looking back, what would you do differently if you had to go through the process again?
Ciaran: We learned a lot from this transition. One thing we’d prioritise is technical readiness. Ensuring that our website infrastructure was prepared to handle fusedeck’s indicators would have saved us some early headaches. Collaboration with our web development team is key for staged integration and extensive testing.
Additionally, we’d have invested more time in organising stakeholder workshops to nail down specific tracking requirements. Detailed documentation for each event, including its triggers and data points, would have streamlined the setup process significantly.
fusedeck: Ivoclar saw some impressive results with fusedeck. What specific improvements did you experience?
Ciaran: Absolutely. The switch to fusedeck brought immediate improvements in several areas. For instance, our user experience metrics skyrocketed – bounce rates decreased by 7%, while time on site increased by a remarkable 58%. Conversion rates saw a dramatic boost too, climbing from 4% to over 10%. That’s a 152% increase.
We’ve also become much more effective in our marketing spend. By leveraging fusedeck’s insights, we’ve refined our campaigns, reduced waste, and optimised our budgets. For instance, we’ve cut our cost per lead by 56%, thanks to enhanced targeting, better conversion rates, and real-time campaign adjustments.
fusedeck: But do these results make Ivoclar an exception, or what can customers expect when working with fusedeck?
Sascha: We like to work closely with our customers as we find that strong support and coaching helps our customers get more out of their data. We typically schedule regular meetings to discuss which KPIs are most important to the business in the short and long term. We then derive specific tracking strategies and projects to help our customers get the numbers and performance they want and need for their key stakeholder meetings. For example, you need to get more newsletter subscriptions or purchases in your e-commerce shop this Q2, but you’re not sure what the best catalyst is. We brainstorm and set up tracking mechanisms to identify which precise elements/content or products are strongly associated with newsletter subscription/purchase performance. After digging deeper to get a clear answer through analytics, we then proceed on to test different options to trigger better results, for example through our activation solutions such as scoring-based modals, dynamic personalised content customisation or toasters, etc.
fusedeck: Ivoclar’s teams’ success with fusedeck is clear. But what if a business is hesitant due to cost concerns?
Sascha: Cost is always a consideration, but it’s important to focus on the value provided. fusedeck’s compliance features and enhanced data insights justify its price. While a direct ROI comparison with GA4 might be tricky since the tools weren’t run side-by-side, the improvements in performance and the ability to make data-driven decisions speak volumes. It’s a strategic investment that pays off in terms of accuracy, privacy compliance, and actionable insights.
fusedeck: What would the impact be if fusedeck were suddenly removed from your analytics stack?
Ciaran: Honestly, it would be a step backwards. We’d lose critical user insights and the ability to make informed decisions. Our performance would suffer without the detailed analytics fusedeck provides, and our ability to test and optimise strategies would be strongly compromised.
fusedeck: Let's talk about the future. Ciaran, what would you like to see fusedeck develop into?
Ciaran: We’d love to see more AI-driven analytics for enhanced prediction and personalisation. Integration with emerging tech like IoT could provide even richer insights. Strengthening global collaboration through standardised tracking setups is another area we’re excited about. And, of course, staying ahead of privacy regulations is crucial. Continuous updates and enhancements from fusedeck are key to keeping us compliant and data-savvy in the years to come.
fusedeck: To wrap things up, what’s your key takeaway from this transition?
Ciaran: fusedeck isn’t just another tracking tool. It’s a privacy-first analytics platform designed to comply with GDPR, prioritize cookieless tracking, and deliver actionable insights through real-time data. With fusedeck, we were able to achieve superior website analytics, enhance user engagement, and optimize our conversion rates seamlessly. It has fundamentally changed how we at Ivoclar approach analytics, marketing, and user engagement. With ongoing improvements and new features, we’re excited to see what the future holds.
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