As the world continues to evolve, so does technology. And Google is no exception. Google has announced that it will be phasing out Universal Analytics (GA3) starting July 1, 2023. This means that GA3 properties will stop processing new data. In response to this, Google has introduced Google Analytics 4 (GA4), and is recommending that all users upgrade to the newer version.
*Pricing is dependent on your current UA deployment and how much customisation is required. For instance, accounts that do not already use Google Tag Manager may have increased migration expenses.
** Pricing for the custom report may vary depending on the complexity of the report and what information you require.
GA4 is the next generation of Google Analytics, built on a foundation of machine learning and new event-driven data model. It offers more features, better data tracking, and improved data analysis capabilities. GA4 offers a more comprehensive and flexible tracking system, allowing users to track data from multiple devices and platforms. With GA4, you can now track your data from your website, mobile apps, and even your offline systems.
The migration process duration varies depending on the complexity of the website and the level of customization required. However, our team works efficiently to minimize downtime and interruptions to your workflow.
One fundamental data collection difference between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics 4 is Events. Universal Analytics hit types consist of event, ecommerce, page views or social hits. On the other hand, in Google Analytics 4 any and every interaction is captured as an event. Each hit type in the Universal Analytics property is an event in Google Analytics 4.
If you are still using Universal Analytics, the legacy data will be gone forever as of July 1 2023.
UA does have the capability to export data into a CSV, PDF or Google Sheets format though. The best option would be Google Sheets, as this allows you to integrate with Google Data Studios reports and continue benchmarking some datasets going forward–with a little customization, of course.
It’s worth mentioning that if you do subscribe to Google Analytics 360, raw UA data can also be exported via BigQuery. Another bonus for 360 users is that they will have access to legacy data until 1 October 2023 instead of just July 1st like everyone else who isn’t subscribed to 360.
We would love to speak with you about your GA4 Migration. Please contact us via our contact form or with the below details.