Welcome to nohacks.show, a weekly podcast that lets smart people talk to you about better online experiences! In this episode we dive into the practical world of digital analytics with Mikko Piippo, the co-founder of Hopkins, a digital marketing agency based in Helsinki, Finland. Mikko shared valuable insights into digital marketing and analytics in the real world, contrasting it with the often-idealized versions presented at conferences. Highlights of the episode include: Mikko's unique perspective on digital analytics, emphasizes practical, low-cost tools and strategies suitable for websites with limited traffic.An engaging discussion on the CRAP (Collect data, Report data, Avoid analysis, Postpone action) vs. CARE (Collect data, Analyze data, Recommend actions, Experiment) models, offering a two-step analytics maturity framework that organizations can adopt.Insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by new analytics tools like GA4, and the importance of JavaScript in analytics.A comparison of different analytics tools like GA4, Piwik Pro, and Matomo, including their suitability for various business sizes and needs, especially in the context of privacy and data storage within the European Union.Whether you're a digital marketing professional, a student, or someone interested in the practical aspects of web analytics, this episode is packed with actionable advice and thought-provoking discussions.Episode links: Mikko's LinkedInHopkins agency websiteChapters: [00:00:00] Introduction to Mikko Piippo and the real-world digital analytics [00:06:27] Discussion on CRAP vs. CARE models in web analytics [00:10:42] The value of analysis and experimentation in digital analytics [00:14:22] Future trends in digital analytics: Automation and AI [00:18:12] Challenges in web analytics for low-traffic sites [00:21:05] Comparison of analytics tools: PeeWeekPro and Matomo vs. GA4 [00:25:08] Using analytics beyond just a glorified stat counter