# Using first-party data in GA4 for better attribution

Google's [user-provided data collection](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/14077171?hl=en) enables your Google Analytics property to receive and process hashed first-party customer data.

{% hint style="info" %}
This feature is part of an open beta - it is subject to change, and may have no immediate effect on attribution.
{% endhint %}

This brings benefits similar to **Enhanced Conversions** for Google Ads:

* Better user identification using consenting **Google signed-in users'** data
* **Cross-device attribution** - e.g. user visited on Android phone and then purchased using Chrome (logged in)
* Less reliance on cookies - bypassing 7 day GA cookie limit set by Safari / iOS
* **Demographic / interest** reporting based on first-party data

### How to track first-party data in GA4

There are 2 steps to track first-party data in Google Analytics 4.

1. Open the Littledata app and go to the **Google Analytics 4 destination settings**.\
   Under the **Data customisation** tab, turn on **Send user data**.

   ![](/files/IELHYmokdMrGcLdo5MfJ)
2. In your GA4 property, open **Data collection** and enable **User-provided data collection**.

   ![](/files/VdTllRH0VhlJZTGOOKKC)

After you complete these steps, Littledata will start sending hashed first-party data to your GA4 property.\
\
The data is hashed using the **SHA-256** algorithm.

### How it works?

When you turn on the setting inside your Littledata account, conversion events sent to your Analytics property **will be enriched with hashed first-party data**.

If the user-provided data collection setting inside your Analytics property is not enabled, the **conversion will be processed** but the **first-party data and user\_id will not**.

{% hint style="success" %}
Turn off both the setting in Littledata and the setting in Google Analytics if you don't want to share customer data with Google.
{% endhint %}

This is an example of the data we send to Google Analytics:

```javascript
   "user_id":"7158222333381",
   "user_data":{
      "sha256_email_address":"53b61bf697983d0f07a1e4d6962d81a1b86ccf594d32e9bdfb6ad5e110d48b1c",
      "sha256_phone_number":"f029f7d3dd85b2b7e9b657792d168ab92c48c4363634c59187d5a2dd3279188f",
      "address":{
         "sha256_first_name":"1b99f3740501eaef26b5a0a3958b8fe9e81b822981a414d510b1e5b139348cdf",
         "sha256_last_name":"e75be31f77b4aae647f4e0b4233bb5cf3b67384434b76ed36f6ff723f79ef1ce",
         "sha256_street":"4249a5b864b0f3382e9d29c6fd98065fdea6a0ec263fa691842e7e52787aa3e6",
         "city":"3eef36f440a655f87ec46c3e7e4a61427d3c3549b53c33e34f65fa78ad9ee31d",
         "region":"124e0b7201b0388d7c07f43194b9645d162b77005b66fef7283c689a69ff7c56",
         "postal_code":"92c7d71b95dc6540fc58e891dbe649fe72ae5e93b5f42fd7fbdeefe6cef3e51d",
         "country":"884129b7691d98f541650f9974a034323677ebe4e1c3bd71ebf5d43cdf118acc"
      }
   }
```


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